# MIDIRack — the ultimate MIDI toolkit > iPad MIDI toolkit for building custom controllers, sequencers, and generative music. (iPhone/iPad app by Kai Aras.) - Source: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/midirack/id6779712751 (this page in markdown: same URL + `.md`) - Developer: [Kai Aras](https://appshunter.io/developer/370820899) - Category: Music, Utilities - Price: $7.99 with in-app purchases - Rating: 5.00/5 from 6 App Store ratings · 5 written reviews indexed - Age rating: 4+ - Requires: iOS 17.0 · 28 MB - Languages: American English - Released: 2026-08-20 - Data updated: 2026-09-05 - Monetization: free with in-app purchases - User reviews in markdown: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/midirack/id6779712751/reviews.md ## What is MIDIRack? MIDIRack is a MIDI toolkit for iPad. Build a custom touch surface from the KB-1 keyboard suite, an all-new sequencer suite, knobs, faders, buttons and more — then unlock a visual MIDI processing graph (one time in-app purchase) and wire it into anything, from a simple custom controller to a full-on groovebox or a self-playing generative composer. Play it on its own and send MIDI anywhere, as an AUv3 plugin in your favourite host or a standalone instrument. THE BASE APP — PERFORMANCE SURFACE Design a custom control surface on a snapping grid: • The KB-1 keyboard suite — piano, diatonic chord pads, scale-locked keyboard, MPE Seaboard ribbon, MPE Strings grid (4ths), and a 4×4 GM drum-pad grid. Each is its own routable node with latch and octave shift. Successor to the KB-1 Expressive Keyboard Suite. • A suite of sequencers — drum, melody, chord, analog and CC step grids and a Matrix note grid, with a moving playhead, swing and microtiming. Per-step velocity, probability, tie and trigger conditions; pattern chaining and 4-pad scene switching for full arrangements; a knob-per-step analog machine that re-roots live as you play. • Knobs, faders, XY pads, buttons and live visualizers — bind to raw MIDI CC or graph parameters. On its own: a rich custom control surface builder — send MIDI and CC to any synth, app or hardware, no graph required. WITH YOUR DESKTOP DAW Expressive MPE hardware costs hundreds. MIDIRack turns the iPad you already own into a controller for Logic, Live, Bitwig, Cubase or any desktop DAW: • Two MPE surfaces — the Seaboard ribbon and the Strings grid send per-note pitch bend, slide and pressure to any MPE-capable instrument on your desk. • A controller that changes per track — MPE ribbon for the lead, drum pads for the beat, chord pads for the progression, faders mapped to CC for a mix move. Rearrange in seconds; save a surface per project. • Sequence it too — clock the step lanes to your DAW and drive its tracks. • Easy to connect — one USB cable to a Mac via IDAM (Inter-Device Audio and MIDI), or wirelessly over Bluetooth MIDI. No driver, no helper app. UNLOCK — MIDI GRAPH (in-app purchase) Wire MIDI In → processors → MIDI Out on a visual canvas: • 60+ node kinds — arpeggiators, scale/key quantizers, transposers, chords, echoes, swing, humanize, euclidean rhythms, random/generative melodies, LFOs, CC tools, an analog knob-per-step sequencer, a Matrix sequencer and a Counter. • Built-in instruments — Synth, Drums, a Sampler and a loop Slicer make sound right in the graph; no external synth required. • Emergence generators — Conway's Game of Life, Turing machine, Wolfram rules, Markov, bouncing balls, Lorenz attractor — for evolving, living patterns. • Presets — factory patches grouped by category (control surfaces, generators, keyboards, utilities): Amen Engine, Starfield, Conway Choir, Turing Bass, Cellular Drums… Save your own. ROUTING & MPE • MIDI Out exposes all 16 channels plus an MPE connector — multitimbral, multi-instrument setups. The built-in synth responds to MPE. • Every keyboard is its own node — process and route each one independently. PLAYS OUT OF THE BOX • Built-in polyphonic synth, drum kit, sampler & slicer or send MIDI to your gear via CoreMIDI and an always-on virtual port. ## Key features - Customizable touch surface design - KB-1 keyboard suite with MPE support - Advanced step and matrix sequencers - Visual MIDI processing graph - Built-in instruments and samplers - Connects to desktop DAWs via USB or Bluetooth ## Pricing and in-app purchases Base price: $7.99. **One-time purchases** | Purchase | Price | Type | | --- | --- | --- | | Graph Editor Unlock | $7.99 | one-time | ## Chart rankings - #179 in Top Paid · Music (US App Store) ## Recent user reviews (5 of 5) All indexed reviews: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/midirack/id6779712751/reviews.md ### 5/5 — I really enjoy this app but… *2026-09-01* I really need dotted and triplet notes for all note divisions. It’s something I request for all apps but midi including dotted and triplet notes is perhaps more important to me. Looking forward to see what happens with this app going forward. It reminds me a little bit like working in the note grid for bitwig. ### 5/5 — Great creative and deep tool. *2026-08-29* I bought it soon after it was released and loved the deep modular routing possibilities with an intuitive interface. I was concerned when the touch response on the sequencer lanes wasn’t always working . Kai responded instantly to my questions and fixed it days later (works perfect now!) Also, I asked about file management and preset folders and he added that stuff now with the latest update. What more could you ask for from a developer. ### 5/5 — If you make music with an iPad you need this *2026-08-22* Thank you Kai for putting together such a great piece of work. Everything works flawlessly so far. ### 5/5 — S U P E R B *2026-08-22* hot out of the fryer, and this meal was ready to serve. ambitious for any music dev—but he nailed it. I definitely recommend the node editor IAP to reap the maximum benefits of the app; moreover, the upgrade sits humbly out of your way, never pressuring a purchase. for the record, a very thoughtfully executed 'cheatsheet' seamlessly loads within the app when needed for nodular reference, leaving your creativity uninterrupted. incredibly lightweight on DSP, too. thus far weighs in on my mind as one of the important iOS releases this year. I had been wondering what would follow Mr. LoFi... but was in no way anticipating an entire workflow reconfiguration. you've outdone yourself, Kai! thank you for this incredible release! ### 3/5 — Offer should read base app 7.99 plus graph editor another 7.99 🙄 *2026-08-21* Is this an error or unclear pricing? ## Frequently asked questions about MIDIRack ### What is MIDIRack? MIDIRack is a comprehensive MIDI toolkit for iPad that allows you to design custom control surfaces, build complex sequencers, and create generative music. It can be used standalone, as an AUv3 plugin, or to control desktop DAWs. ### How much does MIDIRack cost? The base MIDIRack app is free to download. An in-app purchase unlocks the full MIDI graph functionality, which costs $7.99. ### Does MIDIRack have ads? No, MIDIRack does not contain advertisements. The app is free to download and offers optional in-app purchases for advanced features. ### What devices does MIDIRack support? MIDIRack is available for both iPhone and iPad, supporting iOS devices. ### How often is MIDIRack updated? MIDIRack was last updated on September 3, 2026, with version 1.1. This indicates active development and regular improvements. ### Can MIDIRack be used with desktop DAWs? Yes, MIDIRack can connect to desktop DAWs like Logic, Live, and Bitwig via a single USB cable using IDAM or wirelessly over Bluetooth MIDI. No additional drivers or helper apps are required. ### What are the key features of the MIDIRack MIDI graph? The MIDI graph, unlocked via in-app purchase, offers over 60 node types for processing MIDI, including arpeggiators, sequencers, and generative pattern creators. It also includes built-in instruments like a Synth, Sampler, and Loop Slicer. ### What is the user sentiment for MIDIRack? MIDIRack has received overwhelmingly positive feedback, with an average rating of 5.0 stars from 5 ratings. This suggests users are highly satisfied with its functionality and performance. ## Version history (last 4 releases) ### 1.1 — 2026-09-03 Now on iPhone. The app and the AUv3 plug-in run on iPhone in landscape, with a folding menubar, a full-screen lane editor, and a surface thats optimized for the small screen. New - Presets sync with iCloud and appear in Files as named .midirackpatch files. Organise them in folders, import and export them. - Multi-page control surfaces with named pages and page-select buttons. - Strings grid in any key: pick a root and scale, and glide stays pitch-true. - Custom drum pad layouts: set every pad's note and label, or learn from your kit. - Bluetooth MIDI pairing in MIDI Ports. - Dockable inspector you can float or hide. Inspectors and the surface scroll by scrollbar so sliders never pan the view (switch back in Settings). - Play from your computer keyboard: QWERTY piano, Z/X octave, C/V velocity, 1–8 and Q–I for drum pads. - XY mode on the Seaboard and Strings surfaces: left-right sends pressure, up-down sends slide, independently. - Apple Pencil expression: force plays the keys and pads, and drives pressure separately from slide on the MPE surfaces. Custom response curves per keyboard, with a live preview pad. - CC pickers list standard controller names. Fixed - AUv3 failing to load in some hosts on iOS 18. - AUv3 fits small host windows: compact chrome, a minimum size, and a scrolling surface. - Keyboards and sequencer UI at one row high. - Release bounce when dragging surface controls, and keys triggering through sheets. ### 1.0.2 — 2026-08-27 MIDIRack now runs on iPadOS 17. Apple Pencil • Pencil force plays the keyboards and pads • On the expressive surfaces, force drives per-note pressure independently of slide — two separate expression axes Presets • Organize saved patches into folders • Share patches as files — export, AirDrop, and import Drum pads • Give any pad its own note and label, or learn a note from your kit • Step sequencer note picker is now a named dropdown Quality of life improvements • The inspector is a dockable panel you can float or hide, with sliders that no longer fight with scrolling • In small AUv3 host windows, the chrome, preset browser, and lanes fit themselves to the space • New app settings for launch behavior, session restore, and haptics Fixes • Keyboards no longer go silent or trigger the wrong key after a resize • Keys no longer play through open sheets and panels • Two touches on one key now sound as two independent voices • Step lane value drags stay pinned to the step you started on • Fixed a bounce when releasing a dragged control • The graph editor keeps its viewport and ignores stray taps while pinching ### 1.0.1 — 2026-08-24 • Fix sequencer lane switch buttons not responding to touches • Standalone: autosave the working patch and restore it on launch • Add a MIDI panic button (all notes off, transport untouched) • Node reference in the inspector; • Add per-device MIDI input nodes (standalone): route streams by origin • Add a CC Filter node: pass or block selected CC numbers • Add MIDI Learn: drive surface controls from external hardware • LFO/Clock Free mode runs at a true Hz rate, not a tempo-scaled division ### 1.0 — 2026-08-20 No release notes. ## More apps by Kai Aras - [MIDIBrute](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/midibrute/id1010753735) - [RP-1 Delay](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/rp-1-delay/id1079530569) - [RF-1 Reverb](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/rf-1-reverb/id1097763239) - [VC-1 Chorus](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/vc-1-chorus/id1130683829) - [Italizer](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/italizer/id1133091743) - [VOLT Synth](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/volt-synth/id1185984394) All apps by Kai Aras: https://appshunter.io/developer/370820899 --- *Data collected daily from the US App Store and indexed by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/). User reviews are verbatim App Store reviews. Ratings, prices and chart positions refresh continuously; this snapshot is from 2026-09-05.*