MIDI Tape Recorder, precise capture, now standalone for macOS, iOS

Geert Bevin’s terrific MIDI Tape Recorder precisely captures MIDI performances, including MPE, verbatim — not the slightest variation in sound. v2.0 adds a host of new features, plus a standalone version alongside the existing AUv3 plug-in. It’s low-level, direct CoreMIDI capture of what you played, exactly as you played it, with every expression intact. And it’s and open source.

In Expressive E’s Noisy 2.6 synth, expression everywhere, MIDI to MPE

Expression control is integral design feature of each component of Noisy, in each building block of the sound. And now Noisy 2.6 vastly expands the software’s sound palette — just in time to make this a worthy companion to Expressive E’s own Osmose and Osmose CE.

Peter Kirn - July 23, 2026

Expressive E Osmose meets Elastic OSC; playing with MPE

There’s something magical about playing sounds with polyphonic expression. It means translating sound ideas directly to your hands and improvising live, rather than having to go back and edit those ideas in later or take your hands off the keyboard to turn a knob. Here’s a look at playing the presets I made for Elastic OSC using Expressive E’s excellent Osmose keyboard.

Peter Kirn - May 22, 2026

Next-gen MPE: Expressive E adds smarter control, $999 MIDI keyboard

Peter Kirn - April 29, 2026

Bitwig Studio 6 is out of beta, and the “workflow update” is worth the wait

Peter Kirn - March 11, 2026

Tuning, polyphonic expression: Black Corporation’s Roman Filippov

Roman Filippov - December 13, 2023

Ableton Live 11.3 in beta: more expressive control, new Drift synth

Peter Kirn - April 4, 2023

Wiggler is a bendy expressive DIY synth – and its creator is sharing their process

Peter Kirn - March 9, 2023

Free MIDI Tape Recorder captures all your expression – sample-accurate, no quantization

Peter Kirn - December 27, 2021