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

Digital Arabic Maqām Archive and open-source MIDI plug-in now available

Khyam Allami presented his long-term research project in Beirut yesterday, and it’s an exciting one. Hundreds of tuning systems, ajnās, and maqāmāt are now in a free, open archive, and there’s a free MIDI plug-in that lets you apply tunings (and tweak them by ear) across all major software tuning formats.

Peter Kirn - July 22, 2026

Sequential Prophet-5 gets an official software remake by GForce — tested

Peter Kirn - June 16, 2026

Turn Ableton Push 3 into a single expressive percussive surface, free

Peter Kirn - June 15, 2026

Expressive E Osmose meets Elastic OSC; playing with MPE

Peter Kirn - May 22, 2026

Elastic OSC, Plaits-derived poly, is now a macOS and Windows plug-in, too

Peter Kirn - May 6, 2026

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

Peter Kirn - April 29, 2026

Play together with Ableton Live, pt. 1: playing in tune

Peter Kirn - March 31, 2026