MPE Midi: Complete Guide to Polyphonic Expression in 2026

If you ever work with MIDI and wonder how to make it sound more natural and expressive, then you should dive into the MPE world. Today, you’ll learn all about MPE and which hardware and software are best to start exploring what MPE has to offer to your music production workflow.

Let’s dive in!

What is MPE (MIDI Polyphonic Expression)

To understand MPE, let’s recall what MIDI is. Musical Instrument Digital Interface (MIDI) is a communication protocol between hardware, such as MIDI controllers, and software, such as a digital audio workstation (DAW). It controls electronic devices within a DAW to play, record, and create music in MIDI format, which can later be edited with a
MIDI editor.

MPE stands for MIDI Polyphonic Expression, and it differs from standard MIDI by supporting polyphonic expression, allowing control of multiple parameters per note. Traditional MIDI applies settings such as pitch bend, vibrato, or slide to everything. In a chord, all the notes would be bent or slid equally. With MPE, you can apply pitch bend, pressure, or modulation to a single note in a way similar to what you can do with real acoustic instruments.

Today, many hardware and software manufacturers can leverage MPE to add features to their products and the music production industry.

How MPE Works

MPE is still MIDI at its core, using the same communication protocol to send MIDI data. But MPE sends this data across multiple channels simultaneously, allowing it to control multiple parameters per note using MPE controllers and compatible software.

By assigning each note a MIDI channel, you can process each note as individual electronic instruments, with parameters for each of your fingers. MPE identifies finger movements such as the first strike, glide, slide, the pressure, and lift of the note. All of this is controlled per note, which can add a degree of nuance to your performance, similar to acoustic instruments.

• Velocity (strike): The initial force you hit the keys/pads in the MPE controller.

• Pressure (aftertouch): The pressure after the initial hit. With MPE, you can press a single note in a chord harder to add pressure to it and make it louder while keeping the other notes soft.

• Glide (Pitch bend): It’s done via the MPE controller by moving your fingers in the x-axis (left and right) on the note.

• Slide (vertical): Movement on the Y-axis (forward and backward) of the note to make changes to the timbre. It’s commonly mapable to volume, FM modulations, effects, and filter cutoff, among others.

• Lift (release): The speed at which you release the note. It can add a tail to the sound of a note.

• Per-note MIDI Channels: In traditional MIDI, the expression data is applied globally to the channel. MPE allows MPE controllers to send each note to its own MIDI channel. If you press multiple notes, each note can be treated as an individual instrument with modulation, pitch bend, pressure, etc.

MPE Controllers/Hardware Overview

With the emergence of MPE, MPE controllers and hardware became popular too. These are different hardware from your traditional MIDI keyboards, so here’s an overview of the most popular MPE controllers that you can get in 2026 to explore the world of MPE.

1. ROLI Seaboard 2

   

   The Seaboard 2 is one of the most popular MPE controllers for music composers and sound designers in 2026. One of ROLI’s flagship MPE controllers, known for the “squishy” interface, precision keys, and unmatched build quality. It often comes bundled with Equator 2 and is compatible with many MPE-supported DAWs.

   Price: $1399

2. LinnStrument by Roger Linn

   

   The LinnStrument is an MPE instrument for those who prefer a grid layout instead of a keyboard. Unlike piano keys, the LinnStrument’s notes are arranged more similarly to a stringed instrument, and it can sense your fingers in the five dimensions of expression. There are two versions: the standard or compact version with 128 pads and the large model with 200 pads.

   Price: $1379 for the LinnStrument 128 and $1979 for the large model.

3. Continuum Fingerboard by Haken Audio

   

   The Continuum feels more like fretless fingerboards. It features a continuous, flat, and soft surface, total pitch freedom, hall-effect sensors to track your fingers, and it runs the EaganMatrix engine.

   Price: $4910 Slim46, $6510 Slim70

4. Expressive E Osmose

   

   Unlike the previous hardware on the list, the Osmose is the one that most closely resembles a traditional piano, making it more popular among keyboardists. It leverages the EaganMatrix engine to offer a full expressive experience as an MPE controller and a standalone synthesizer. The Osmose is available in 49- and 61-key versions.

   Price: $1799 Osmose 49 keys, $1999 Osmose 61 keys

5. Ableton Push 3

   

   The Push Ableton MPE controller. It features 64 sensitive pads on a grid, with XY sensitivity and aftertouch. The versatility of Push is that it offers two versions on a single device. You can get the standalone instrument version or the standard version that only works connected to a computer, and upgrade it later. If you’re a Live 12 user, the Ableton Push offers the best integration.

   Price: $999 Push standard (connect to your computer), $1898 Push standalone instrument

MPE-Compatible DAWs

To use an MPE controller at its fullest, you must have a DAW with MPE support. Today, most major DAWs support MPE. Here is a list of the best DAWs compatible with MPE for 2026.

1. Samplitude

   

   Boris FX Samplitude provides comprehensive MPE support, allowing you to capture and edit multidimensional data for pressure, pitch, timbre, etc., for individual notes in the dedicated MPE mode from Samplitude’s MIDI editor. Samplitude is known for its killer feature: object-based editing, which lets any audio clip on a track have its own plugins, effects, EQ, and sends. Samplitudes downside is that it’s only available for Windows.

2. Ableton Live

   

   Live is built to offer two sonic playgrounds for composition and performance. Their two views: session and arrangement offer the traditional horizontal timeline, and a non-linear grid for launching loops and clips for live performances. Ableton Live introduced MPE support with Live 11, and it continues in Live 12. It offers seamless integration with Push, but it also supports other MPE controllers such as the Seaboard, LinnStruments, and others.

3. Logic Pro

   

   Logic Pro is an Apple-only digital audio workstation known for its clean design and modern user interface. It offers AI-assisted workflows with AI session players and Chord ID. It features a comprehensive library of sounds and loops, a step sequencer, and precise MPE specification in MIDI Mono Mode. Logic Pro is available for purchase with a permanent license or included in the newly launched Apple Creator Studio subscription.

4. Bitwig Studio

   

   Bitwig Studio is a multi-platform DAW that offers linear and non-linear workflows. It’s especially popular among sound designers due to The Grid, a fully modular environment with over 150 modules. Bitwig was designed with MPE as a core part of its engine and offers a detail editor panel to streamline MPE editing.

5. Reaper

   

   Reaper remains one of the most flexible and lightweight DAWs in 2026. One of its key features is that it is fully customizable, it uses a “everything is a track” system, and can handle MPE.

Top MPE Plugins in 2026

Now that we covered MPE, MPE controllers, and MPE-compatible DAWs, let’s review a few popular choices of MPE plugins to use with your new MPE controller.

ROLI Equator 2: a hybrid synthesizer designed for MPE controllers like the Roli Seaboard, but still compatible with any other standard MIDI controller. It is a formidable sound design tool with a versatile engine.

Arturia Pigments: Pigments features an incredible visual interface with color-coded workflow and drag-and-drop modulation. It allows you to blend its synthesis engines and use two engines simultaneously.

ExpressiveE noisy 2: a synthesizer designed specifically to bridge the gap between physical modeling and subtractive synthesis, with a heavy emphasis on MPE.

Serum 2 by xfer Records: a well-regarded synthesizer plugin with MPE implementation at its core.

Falcon by UVI: a hybrid instrument plugin that blends advanced synthesis, sampling, and a modular-style workflow into a single interface.

Vital: a highly popular spectral warping wavetable synth with a visual interface. It features professional-grade sound design tools that are often compared to Serum. It offers two affordable purchase options and a generous free tier.

Surge XT: a free and open-source MPE plugin, flexible and feature-rich hybrid synthesizer. It offers full MPE support and advanced microtuning. Perfect for beginners looking to get into the MPE ecosystem.

Final Words

I hope this 2026 MPE guide has helped you understand and learn more about MIDI Polyphonic Expression, the best MPE controllers, MPE-compatible DAWs, and the best MPE plugins to begin your MPE journey.

Good Luck!

FAQ

How Does MPE Differ From Standard MIDI Messages

It differs from standard MIDI messages in how it uses channels. MPE assigns notes to a dedicated MIDI channel to enable more complex, independent expression. Unlike Standard MIDI, which sends MIDI messages channel-wide to all notes.