Owning an MPE controller and owning a synth that responds to it are two different things. The gap between them is often filled by presets: sounds built from the ground up so that pressure, slide and glide do something musical the moment you touch a key. One of the clearest examples of that idea is the collaboration between Synapse Audio and Expressive E around the Dune 3 synthesizer.
What changed in Dune 3
The Dune 3 3.64 update, covered by Synth Anatomy, expanded MPE support to more controllers and aimed to make the instrument's sounds more expressive to play. It was a free update for existing Dune 3 owners, which is exactly how plugin MPE improvements should arrive. The same release brought smaller quality-of-life changes, such as a Time/Samples bar in the wave and wavetable editors and a fix for the Low Cut knob on the "Cathedral" reverb.
MPE support is rarely a yes-or-no feature. A synth can "accept" MPE data and still map it poorly, or only to a handful of destinations. Updates that broaden controller compatibility are a reminder to retest your own rig whenever a plugin you love gets a new version.
The Dune 3 Expressive Suite
Alongside the update, Expressive E released the Dune 3 Expressive Suite: more than 300 MPE-ready presets designed with Synapse Audio's Richard Hoffmann. The styles are broad, from cinematic and sci-fi textures to gritty urban sounds and pop leads.
The library is optimized for the Osmose, but it is described as compatible with other MPE controllers too. That second point matters. A preset set tuned for one instrument's response curves will still work elsewhere, yet you may want to adjust sensitivity on your device so the sweet spot of the sound lines up with your hands.
At launch, Expressive E offered the collection with a limited-time discount, with separate pricing for new Dune 3 users and existing owners, plus three 100-preset packs sold individually. Check the product page for current pricing, since promotions like these come and go.
Why MPE presets are a design discipline
A good MPE preset is not just a good sound with pressure routed to the filter. It answers a set of questions:
- What should happen at the lightest touch? The first few percent of pressure should already feel responsive, without jumping.
- Where does slide land? Vertical finger movement works best when it controls something with an audible, continuous range, such as brightness, wavetable position or FM depth.
- How far should glide go? Pitch bend range is the setting most likely to trip people up. If your controller and plugin disagree, a gentle slide sounds like an out-of-tune lurch.
- Does the sound survive a chord? Per-note modulation should stay musical when five fingers are down, not turn into noise.
Studying commercial MPE libraries is one of the fastest ways to learn these habits. Open a favorite patch, look at the modulation matrix, and note which sources feed which targets. You will often find restraint: two or three well-chosen mappings rather than a dozen.
Tips for getting more out of any MPE preset library
Check the pitch bend range first. MPE's default per-note range is commonly 48 semitones, but many controllers and plugins let you change it. Make sure both sides match before judging any sound.
Calibrate your pressure curve. If every preset feels either dead or hypersensitive, adjust the controller's sensitivity rather than each patch.
Layer your own mappings. Treat the factory patch as a starting point. Reassign slide to something you personally find expressive, and save the result as your own variation.
Record the MIDI. Capture performances with MPE data intact so you can swap presets afterwards and hear how the same gesture behaves in different sounds.
The bigger picture
The Dune 3 and Expressive E partnership reflects a broader trend: hardware makers and plugin developers are increasingly working together so that expressive controllers ship into an ecosystem with ready-made sounds. For musicians, that lowers the barrier to entry. You no longer need to be a sound designer to enjoy per-note expression on day one.
For sound designers, it raises the bar. Players now expect patches that reward subtle gestures, and presets that ignore MPE feel flat by comparison. If you build sounds, this is a good moment to audit your own library and ask whether each patch gives a performer something to discover.
Whether you play an Osmose, a LinnStrument, a Seaboard or something newer, the lesson is the same: the best MPE experience comes from controller, plugin and preset all being designed with each other in mind.