Are you tired of the same old standard gear? If so, you’ve landed in the perfect spot. We’re about to celebrate the weirder side of music technology! Traditional MIDI controllers? Yawn.
They’re as commonplace as your average pencil. Today, we’ll rebel against the conventional and explore the mesmerizing world of unconventional MIDI controllers!
The tiny musical marvel that is the Atiphon Orba fits in the palm of your hand and bends to your gestures like an obedient pet.
The coolest part?
You can control its many features, such as pitch-bend and filter, with a flick of your wrist or a simple press on one of its 8 pressure-sensitive pads!
The Playtron MIDI Controller offers a unique way to create your custom MIDI controller. It can connect up to 16 objects with alligator clips. This allows you to use it with several mobile apps, online synthesizers, or your favourite DAW.
From fruits to plants, and even toys, the possibilities are endless. Connect the clips from objects capable of conducting electricity to Playtron, and assign a different MIDI note (C1 to D#2 by default) to each object. Then, you can start playing and creating your unique sounds!
This is the ultimate playground for music creators. With 280 mappable hexagon keys and free Lumatone editing software, you can assign any colour, note, tuning, or temperament to each key.
It’s an entirely new way of music-making, making you rethink how you compose melodies and chord progressions.
Yes, it costs around $4,000, but the Lumatone is built to last with an aluminium body and 10 preset buttons. It’s the holy grail for pros who fancy themselves as musical chameleons.
Say goodbye to the tedious task of drawing out your drums. With Dubler Studio Kit, you can beatbox your heart out and have it notate your voice into a MIDI format.
The package comes with a USB microphone and Dubler software, allowing you to turn your voice, and even your hummed bass lines, into MIDI data.
The mic and software are so responsive that they can work with and distinguish between sounds even when they overlap.
For the musically challenged, this is a magic wand that turns you into a melody and harmony virtuoso!
Ever dreamed of having a musical instrument at your fingertips? Literally?
Then the Genki Wave Ring is for you.
This wearable MIDI controller is motion-controlled, has six unique gestures, and is Eurorack compatible. You can control various functions with just a press of a button, making your music production practice more fluid.
And the best part?
It’s also perfect for live performances, letting you control your music seamlessly with the flick of a finger.
TouchMe allows you to connect to objects in the same way as Playtron. However, this is a sensory device as it is set to react differently to the touch. Meaning, when the area of touch and intensity changes, the sound changes too, causing the pitch to go higher or lower!
From the handheld and gesture-controlled Artiphon Orba to the Lumatone Isomorphic Keyboard that challenges our perception of what a keyboard should look like; these MIDI controllers are as varied as they are unconventional.
| Midi Controller | Key Features | Price |
| Artiphon Orba | Gesture-controlled, Compact, 8 pressure-sensitive pads | US$109.00 |
| Playtron | Connect up to 16 clips to objects capable of conducting electricity to play music | US$95 |
| Lumatone Isomorphic Keyboard | 280 mappable hexagon keys, Durable aluminium body | US$3,995.00 |
| Dubler Studio Kit 2 | Voice to MIDI, Overlapping sound recognition | US$219.00 |
| Genki Wave Ring | Motion-controlled, 6 unique gestures, Wearable | US$249.99 |
| TouchMe | When the area of touch and intensity changes, the sound changes too. | US$99 |
With these MIDI controllers, you can redefine your music game. You can control the Orba with gestures, play the Aerophone on the go, remix the traditional keyboard concept with the Lumatone, translate your voice to MIDI with the Dubler Kit, convert human touch with to MIDI with Touchme, use various conductive objects with Playtron or go ultra-tech with the wearable Wave Ring.
Isn’t it time you infused some fun and fresh air into your music life?
Thanks for reading our article on the Weird and bizarre MIDI devices | Top 5 best MIDI controllers! We at Soundbrenner are dedicated to helping musicians stay focused on what truly matters: their music. By creating innovative devices, such as Soundbrenner Pulse and Core, our goal is to deliver the best possible practice experience for musicians. Click here to find out more.
Got a question about Soundbrenner wearables? Reach out to us at [email protected], we’re happy to help!
