Sidecar MIDI Controller vs Waymaker
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
Sidecar MIDI Controller
Transform your QWERTY keyboard or game controller into a powerful MIDI controller for your iOS music apps. Play melodies, trigger chords, and adjust synth parameters with ease, even while running other apps in the background.
- QWERTY keyboard piano mapping
- Configurable pads for notes, chords, and messages
- Scale-configurable virtual keyboard
- Game controller support
- AUv3 plugin integration
- Slide-over and side-by-side mode compatibility
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There are hundreds of great iOS synth apps, but playing them with on-screen keyboards can be a challenge. Sidecar turns your ordinary QWERTY keyboard into a powerful MIDI controller. The lower part of the keyboard is mapped piano-style, letting you play melodies with the physical keys -- much easier to keep your fingers in the right place, and to get the notes you want. The app is configurable; you can have ten different set-ups, and switch between them quickly with a tap on the "QWERTY" row. There are also ten configureable pads for each set-up, which you can trigger with the number keys. Each pad can play a specific note, a chord, generate a program change message, or send a control code. Because Sidecar operates in slide-over and side-by-side mode on the iPad, you can use your physical keyboard with any MIDI app, even if the other app is running in the background. On screen, you have access to each of the pads -- map the knobs and sliders of your synth apps to MIDI CC messages, and then use Sidecar to adjust these sliders as you play. Sidecar also provides a scale-configurable virtual keyboard. Pick the scale you want, and then you can't hit a wrong note. In addition to external keyboards, Sidecar also supports many game controllers. The app is now universal; while the iPhone doesn't support slide-over, you can still take advantage of the configuration options of the app. * Easy MIDI Configuration With ten separately configurable MIDI destinations you can quickly set up a set of assignments for each of the MIDI apps that you use. Have a set of chords for Animoog, choose different presets for ToneStack, or assign pads to different samples for DM1. Each MIDI destination has ten configurable pads, which can be assigned to chords, single notes, a program change message, or a controller change message. For notes and chords, the touch position controls note velocity. For controller change messages, the location of a touch on screen can be used to determine the controller value. * QWERTY Keyboard Support Toggle on support for the external keyboard, and you can switch between the ten MIDI destinations quickly (using the keys in the QWERTY row). Toggle on or off any of the ten pads by pressing the number keys. The two lowest rows of keys are mapped as a standard piano keyboard, providing a musical play surface with an ordinary text keyboard. Note that QWERTY keyboards only send "key press" information to your iPad -- to silence a sounding note, you simply tap the space bar. * AUv3 Support Add the plug-in to your favorite DAW or looper, and Sidecar will give you easy access to multiple synths. Many AUv3 hosts will also let you map the keyboard keys to the transport controls. * Game Controller Ready Sidecar also supports the iON iCade game controller, mapping the buttons of the iCade to the pads. Because the iCade was designed for games, it sends button press and release information, which makes it easy to toggle on and off the pads. * MIDI Relay If you have an external MIDI controller, you can have it send MIDI events to Sidecar -- and these will be relayed to any of the ten MIDI destinations you select. Use this to quickly switch from one synth to another. *Control Background Synths Because Sidecar sends MIDI messages, it can be used to control background synthesizers, sequencers, and effects apps. Sidecar is designed to work along side your other iOS music apps.
Waymaker
Create custom melodic sequences and control other compatible audio products. Offers a variety of sequencers and utilities for generating unique rhythms, harmonies, and soundscapes. Can be used as a standalone MIDI sequencer or as an effect.
- Modular MIDI sequencer chain
- Control other Aqeel Aadam Sound products
- 15 sequencers and utilities
- Standalone MIDI sequencer
- MIDI effect for modifying output
- Preset management
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Chart your way through melodic wilderness. Create a custom chain of compounding MIDI sequencers and modules, or connect to other Aqeel Aadam Sound products for extended control. Waymaker is a collection of sequencers and modules that provides a variety of innovative ways to craft melodies and spark inspiration. Waymaker can be used in two different modes: * MIDI mode: Build a custom chain of modules to generate melodies, transpose progressions, create ever-changing sequences, and so much more. * AAS mode: Use Waymaker to control other Aqeel Aadam Sound products, such as Weeping Wall and Ridgewalk. Design everything from simple looping delays to dense generative atmospheres. Waymaker offers 15 sequencers and sequencing utilities: * Step: A simple step sequencer of variable length * Morph: A morphing step sequencer which can automatically shift pitches on a defined schedule * Weight: A random sequencer with a set of pitches and a chance that each will occur * Sum: A compounding sequencer in which pitches flip on and off asynchronously and add up to a single output * Brownian: A random melody based on Brownian motion, in which each step has a chance to ascend or descend from the previous pitch * Arpeggiator: Turn chords into custom arpeggios. * Shift: A utility for repitching the loopers of Weeping Wall and Ridgewalk independently * MIDI: A utility for passing MIDI notes from Waymaker to Weeping Wall or Ridgewalk, allowing for their loopers to be repitched by the keyboard or with another sequencer * Beat: A pitchless sequencer for creating custom rhythms to clock or reset other sequencers or rearrange the timing of incoming MIDI notes * Probability: A utility for introducing random skips and unpredictability * Chord: A utility for adding harmonies to each incoming note * Pitch: Modify the pitch of notes performatively. * Velocity: Animate sequences with random or algorithmic options. * Timing: Add swing or humanizing. * Control: Generate CC or PC messages. * Channel: A utility for distributing notes to a variety of MIDI channels, on a regular, random, or cascading basis In MIDI mode, each sequencer can be used to generate new MIDI notes, transpose the pitch of incoming MIDI notes, or trigger new sequences based on incoming notes. Waymaker can be used as a standalone MIDI sequencer or as a MIDI effect for modifying the output of your favorite sequencers. In AAS mode, Waymaker can use any of the sequencers to change the pitch of each channel in products like Weeping Wall or Ridgewalk independently. In addition, Waymaker can provide additional control to these products—such as pitch glide and independent reversal of loopers—that is not available normally. Together, you can craft a totally custom audio effect, whether you want a unique looper, granulator, delay, or reverb. Waymaker has full preset control and can manage presets for other Aqeel Aadam Sound devices in AAS mode. Please note that there is a minimum version requirement for Waymaker to be used with other Aqeel Aadam Sound products. Weeping Wall: v1.5.0, Ridgewalk: v.1.1.0. The version number can be found in the product’s settings menu.
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is price: Sidecar MIDI Controller at $4.99 against Waymaker's $14.99. Waymaker's advantage is review sentiment (100% vs 76%) and update cadence (every 5 weeks vs every 3 months). On rating, ratings volume, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.
Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS
Sidecar MIDI Controller costs $4.99 and Waymaker $14.99 up front. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.
On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.9 for Sidecar MIDI Controller against 4.8 for Waymaker. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 14 and 18 respectively. Written reviews are what separate them: 76% of Sidecar MIDI Controller's written reviews are positive against 100% of Waymaker's.
Sidecar MIDI Controller ships an update every 3 months, Waymaker every 5 weeks. The most recent releases landed on September 21, 2026 and September 18, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | Sidecar MIDI Controller | Waymaker |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $4.99 — better | $14.99 |
| Rating | 4.9 (14 ratings) — better | 4.8 (18 ratings) |
| Positive reviews | 76.2% of reviews | 100.0% of reviews — better |
| Number of ratings | 14 | 18 — better |
| Update frequency | Every 3 months | Every 5 weeks — better |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Monetization | Paid | Paid |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Requires iOS | 15.6 | 12.0 — better |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 6 MB | 27 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Secret Base Design | Aqeel Aadam |
Customer experience
Sidecar MIDI Controller
Waymaker
In-app purchases
Sidecar MIDI Controller
No in-app purchases
Waymaker
No in-app purchases
Questions
Is Sidecar MIDI Controller free?
Is Waymaker free?
Which has better reviews, Sidecar MIDI Controller or Waymaker?
Do Sidecar MIDI Controller or Waymaker have ads?
Which is updated more often, Sidecar MIDI Controller or Waymaker?
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