Having a great MPE controller is one thing. Understanding what it's actually transmitting — and being able to create MPE performances without owning one — are different challenges entirely. Two recently released tools address both of those gaps directly.
MIDISketch: Draw MPE Performances in Your DAW
MIDISketch is a VST3/AU plugin that lets you draw MPE pitch curves, vibrato, glissando, and per-note modulation directly in your DAW's piano roll — no MPE controller required.
The core idea is simple: most DAW piano rolls treat MIDI as a grid of fixed-pitch notes. MIDISketch adds a layer where each note gets its own independent pitch curve with full Bézier control, plus per-note data for Pressure (Z-axis), Slide (Y-axis), Pan (X-axis), and velocity. You draw the expressive content with your mouse, and the plugin converts it to proper MPE channel-per-note output in real time.
For composers who work in software and want MPE-style expressiveness in their recordings without the physical gesture of a controller, this fills a real gap. A cello line with a natural vibrato that swells in the middle of a sustained note. A piano phrase where a single chord voicing blooms with different pressure per voice. A synthesizer lead that bends in a way no standard pitch wheel could replicate. All of it drawable, editable, and exportable.
MIDISketch works inside FL Studio, Ableton Live, Logic Pro, and REAPER, routing MPE output directly to any compatible instrument — Serum 2, Vital, Phase Plant, or any other MPE-ready plugin. A free trial is available; the full version is $40 (lifetime license).
MPE Insight: See Exactly What Your Controller Is Sending
If MIDISketch is about creating MPE performances, MPE Insight by developer Christophe Kalkau is about understanding them. It's a desktop application that visualizes MIDI Polyphonic Expression data in real time — plug in any MPE controller and watch exactly what it's sending: per-note pitch bend, pressure/aftertouch, and expression, displayed across multiple simultaneous views.
This might sound like a niche debugging tool, but it solves a genuine problem. MPE workflows involve multiple simultaneous data streams per note, and when something sounds wrong or a preset isn't responding as expected, it's often impossible to tell whether the issue is in the controller, the DAW routing, or the plugin. MPE Insight makes the data visible, giving you a clear picture of what the controller is actually outputting versus what you might expect.
Features include multiple visualization views, a built-in MIDI monitor, and recording of MPE data for later analysis — useful for catching intermittent issues or understanding subtle differences between controller models. It supports any MPE controller: Expressive E Osmose, ROLI Seaboard 2, Haken Continuum, LinnStrument, or the new Aodyo Loom.
MPE Insight is currently at a launch price of €24.49 (regular price €34.99), with the promotion running until July 11, 2026.
Two Different Problems, Two Useful Tools
What's interesting about these two releases appearing close together is that they address MPE from opposite angles. MIDISketch lowers the barrier to creating MPE content — you no longer need a physical controller to write expressive music. MPE Insight lowers the barrier to understanding MPE data — you no longer have to guess whether your controller or your routing is the source of an issue.
Both tools make the broader MPE ecosystem more accessible. For producers who've been curious about expressive MIDI but intimidated by the technical complexity, either of these is a lower-cost, lower-commitment entry point than buying a new controller.
For resources on getting started with MPE — from DAW setup guides to controller comparisons — mpesynth.com covers the ecosystem in depth.
MIDISketch: $40 lifetime | Free trial available | midiscout.com
MPE Insight: €24.49 (launch price until July 11) | christophek.de/MPEInsight