# MIDITinaXL - Control Surface — Concertina MIDI Controller > English concertina MIDI control surface for iPad to play virtual instruments. (iPhone/iPad app by Michael Eskin.) - Source: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/miditinaxl-control-surface/id388856713 (this page in markdown: same URL + `.md`) - Developer: [Michael Eskin](https://appshunter.io/developer/342739369) - Category: Music, Music, Education - Price: $4.99 - Age rating: 4+ - Requires: iOS 13.0 · 25 MB - Languages: English - Released: 2010-08-28 - Data updated: 2026-06-10 - Monetization: paid - User reviews in markdown: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/miditinaxl-control-surface/id388856713/reviews.md ## What is MIDITinaXL? MIDITinaXL is 48-button English Concertina CoreMIDI control surface for the iPad. The button layout is identical to the real instrument, and the built-in note guide makes it easy to learn to play! MIDITinaXL doesn't produce any sound on its own, it is for playing hardware or software VST-style MIDI synthesizers via CoreMIDI hardware interfaces connected to the dock connector or virtual MIDI instruments running on your device such as my "Celtic Sounds" MIDI sound module app. To play, simply touch the buttons. Buttons light up when playing. Multiple buttons may be touched at the same time to play chords. You may slide between the buttons. Touch the diamond area at the bottom center of the screen to add vibrato effects. Touch and release in the upper half for a high vibrato, lower half for a low vibrato. The farther from the center vertically, the deeper the vibrato depth. Touch the '?' icon to show the note names for each button. Touch the MIDI connector icon to show the MIDI controls. You may select the volume, MIDI channel, attack velocity, and semitone transposition (+/- 12). Use the "MIDI Port" switch to choose between "Omni" sending MIDI data to all CoreMIDI apps or "Virtual Port" sending to a named CoreMIDI virtual output port. When the "Virtual Port option is selected, MIDITinaXL will show up as an input option in apps that support virtual ports like Sonosaurus ThumbJam. "Omni" mode is selected by default. All MIDI settings are saved when MIDITinaXL quits and restored the next time it is run. Touch the '!' icon at the upper left to quiet any "stuck" notes if they occur. ## Key features - 48-button English concertina layout - Built-in note guide - Play hardware or software MIDI synthesizers - Chord playing and button sliding - Vibrato effect control - Adjustable MIDI settings (volume, channel, velocity, transposition) - Virtual MIDI port support ## Recent user reviews (1 of 1) All indexed reviews: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/miditinaxl-control-surface/id388856713/reviews.md ### 5/5 — Excellent. *2012-11-26* Remember, this app is designed to act as the keyboard for compatible midi playing apps running in the background. So don't see it as a standalone app. Follow the instructions and check out the videos and you won't go wrong. What this app does for English concertina players, or people who are interested in the instrument, is provide a great self-contained practice instrument for use anywhere, and by linking it to other apps gives access to a wealth of sounds beyond that of a straight concertina. Linking it with, for example, Thumbjam gives you access to a wealth of beautiful instrument sounds. I can wear headphones and treat myself to playing a cathedral organ on an English concertina keyboard. Or play it out the headphone socket into my big hifi. Or just sit anywhere and play using the iPad speakers. It only takes a few minutes to orient the fingers to the keyboard if you are already used to English concertina. I've been enjoying playing synthesiser sounds through Animoog too. Such fun. There are loads of apps that can be played through the keyboard. Look for Coremidi apps with background playing capability. ## Frequently asked questions about MIDITinaXL ### What is MIDITinaXL? MIDITinaXL is a 48-button English concertina MIDI control surface designed for the iPad. It allows you to play virtual instruments and external MIDI synthesizers without producing sound itself. ### Does MIDITinaXL produce sound? No, MIDITinaXL does not produce any sound on its own. It functions as a controller to trigger sounds from other MIDI-compatible hardware or software synthesizers. ### How do I play chords on MIDITinaXL? You can play chords by touching multiple buttons simultaneously on the MIDITinaXL interface. The app supports playing multiple notes at once. ### Can I control vibrato with MIDITinaXL? Yes, you can add vibrato effects by touching the diamond area at the bottom center of the screen. The position and distance from the center control the vibrato depth and pitch. ### What MIDI settings can I adjust in MIDITinaXL? You can adjust the volume, MIDI channel, attack velocity, and semitone transposition (+/- 12 semitones). These settings are saved and restored automatically. ### Does MIDITinaXL have ads? No, MIDITinaXL does not contain advertisements. It is a paid application with no in-app purchases or ads. ### What devices is MIDITinaXL compatible with? MIDITinaXL is designed specifically for the iPad. It is compatible with iPads and requires iOS 4.0 or later. ### How often is MIDITinaXL updated? The latest version of MIDITinaXL is 2.5, last updated on December 1, 2021. While updates are not frequent, the app is stable and functional for its intended purpose. ## Version history (last 5 releases) ### 2.5 — 2021-12-01 Bug fixes and performance updates. Increased minimal iOS version to 13.0 ### 2.4 — 2018-07-31 This app has been updated by Apple to display the Apple Watch app icon. Bug fixes and performance improvements. Added Omni/Virtual MIDI port selector to controls. ### 2.3 — 2015-07-07 Fixes for iOS 8.3 and beyond ### 2.2 — 2012-12-04 Touch the diamond area at the bottom center of the screen to add vibrato effects. Touch and release in the upper half for a high vibrato, lower half for a low vibrato. The farther from the center vertically, the deeper the vibrato depth. Fixed an issue where changing the transpose control while actively playing notes could result in stuck notes. Buttons for MIDI control, note labels, and "All Notes Off" now match MIDIAngloXL ### 2.1 — 2012-11-22 Improved button touch detection. ## Apps similar to MIDITinaXL | App | Rating | Price | Category | | --- | --- | --- | --- | | [Circle of fifths Ultra](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/circle-of-fifths-ultra/id1671287374) | 5.0 (2) | Free | Music | | [StepBud - AUv3 MIDI Sequencer](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/stepbud-auv3-midi-sequencer/id1453104408) | 4.4 (36) | $4.99 | Music | | [Kronecker - AUv3 Plug-in Synth](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/kronecker-auv3-plug-in-synth/id1371863334) | 4.8 (31) | $9.99 | Music | | [Ravenscroft 275 Piano](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/ravenscroft-275-piano/id966586407) | 4.4 (306) | $35.99 | Music | | [Mini Orchestra](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/mini-orchestra/id6444086798) | 4.9 (7) | $19.99 | Music | | [Punk Rock Power Guitar](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/punk-rock-power-guitar/id1504043751) | 4.8 (9) | Free | Music | ## More apps by Michael Eskin - [Concertina - Anglo Concertina](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/concertina-anglo-concertina/id343270484) - [Regulators for Uilleann Pipes](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/regulators-for-uilleann-pipes/id348529289) - [JustDrones - Tunable Just Intonation Drones](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/justdrones-tunable-just-intonation-drones/id348861427) - [Englitina - English Concertina](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/englitina-english-concertina/id349451473) - [Uilleann - Pocket Irish Pipes](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/uilleann-pocket-irish-pipes/id353684178) - [Canntina - MacCann Concertina](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/canntina-maccann-concertina/id360579654) All apps by Michael Eskin: https://appshunter.io/developer/342739369 --- *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 2026-06-10.*