MIDIRegs vs MIDI Expression Control
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
MIDIRegs
This app acts as a MIDI control surface for Uilleann bagpipes, allowing users to control hardware or software synthesizers. It models the drones and regulators of traditional pipes, offering customizable MIDI channels and velocity settings.
- Uilleann bagpipes drone and regulator simulation
- CoreMIDI compliant MIDI control surface
- Control of hardware or software synthesizers
- Customizable MIDI channels and velocity
- Auto-chord and single play modes
- Global transposition settings
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MIDIRegs is a Uilleann bagpipes Drones/Regulators CoreMIDI-compliant MIDI control surface for the iPhone. MIDIRegs 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 such as IK Multimedia SampleTank or Sonosaurus ThumbJam running on your device. MIDIRegs is modeled on the drones and three regulators (Tenor, Baritone, and Bass) found on a full set of Uilleann pipes. MIDIRegs makes it possible to have drones and regulators that sound like any instrument patch available on a CoreMIDI virtual synth running on the device. You may also use the app to play sounds on a hardware MIDI synthesizer connected via a CoreMIDI interface attached to the dock connector of your device. Since the drones and regulators messages may be sent on two different MIDI channels, each can play a different synthesizer patch. Touch the regulator play mode icon just below the drone switch to toggle between regulator auto-chord play and single play modes. Touch the MIDI icon for the settings page. 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, MIDIRegs will show up as an input option labeled "MIDIRegs" in apps that support virtual ports like Sonosaurus ThumbJam and MIDIBridge. "Omni" mode is selected by default. Set the overall transposition for the entire instrument using the Transpose (Semitones) slider. Any transposition from between -12 to +12 semitones can be selected. Default is zero, corresponding to a concert D set. Set the MIDI transmit channel for the drones and regulators using the Drones Channel and Regulators Channel sliders. Any channel from 1-16 may be selected. Default is channel 1 for the drones and channel 2 for the regulators. Multiple devices can simultaneously talk to the MIDI synth, just make sure each device is on its own set of MIDI channels. Note-on events are sent with a fixed velocity. Set the velocity using the Drones Velocity and Regulators Velocity sliders. Any value from 0-127 may be selected. Default value is 100. If you ever have "stuck" notes, you may touch the "!" icon on the main screen to send a MIDI "All Notes Off" message and stop the sounds. All settings are saved when exiting MIDIRegs and restored the next time it is run. Here's the settings changes required for two popular synth apps: IK Multimedia SampleTank: - In Settings (touch the gear icon), enable "Background Audio" Sonosaurus ThumbJam: - In "Prefs", under "MIDI Control", in "MIDI General Options" enable "Use CoreMIDI" and "Active in Background" Other CoreMIDI compatible synth apps will have similar settings.
MIDI Expression Control
This application allows users to modify settings for MIDI Expression devices. Ensure your device has firmware version 2.6 or higher for iOS compatibility.
- Change device settings
- Compatible with MIDI Expression devices
- iOS firmware compatibility check
- Free to download
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This is the Control Application for MIDI Expression devices. It lets you change settings for the devices. Please note that the iOS version of the Control Application is only compatible with devices running firmware version 2.6 and up.
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is review sentiment: MIDI Expression Control at 100% against MIDIRegs's 33%. MIDI Expression Control also leads on price (Free vs $4.99) and rating (5.0 vs 3.0). On ads, in-app purchases and device support 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
MIDI Expression Control is free to download; MIDIRegs costs $4.99 up front. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.
MIDI Expression Control holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 3.0. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 2 and 6 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 33% of MIDIRegs's written reviews are positive against 100% of MIDI Expression Control's.
MIDIRegs ships an update every 37 months, MIDI Expression Control every 6 months. The most recent releases landed on October 23, 2026 and October 10, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | MIDIRegs | MIDI Expression Control |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $4.99 | Free — better |
| Rating | 3.0 (2 ratings) | 5.0 (6 ratings) — better |
| Positive reviews | 33.3% of reviews | 100.0% of reviews — better |
| Number of ratings | 2 | 6 — better |
| Update frequency | Every 37 months | Every 6 months — better |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Monetization | Paid | Free — better |
| Devices | iPhone, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod — better |
| Requires iOS | 16 | 12.0 — better |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 9 MB | 6 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Michael Eskin | Robert Jonkman |
Customer experience
MIDIRegs
MIDI Expression Control
In-app purchases
MIDIRegs
No in-app purchases
MIDI Expression Control
No in-app purchases
Questions
Is MIDIRegs free?
Is MIDI Expression Control free?
Which has better reviews, MIDIRegs or MIDI Expression Control?
Do MIDIRegs or MIDI Expression Control have ads?
Which is updated more often, MIDIRegs or MIDI Expression Control?
Other comparisons
