KeyPad MIDI Controller vs Sonari Remote

Transform your iPad or iPhone into a professional MIDI controller with a touch-optimized piano keyboard, isomorphic grid, drum pads, and XY performance controls. Control iOS apps, hardware synths, and Mac software wirelessly or wired, as a standalone app or an AUv3 plugin in your favorite DAW. Perfect for mobile producers, live performers, beat makers, and sound designers. CORE FEATURES • Built-in sound engine for SF2, SFZ, WAV, and M4A. • Piano keyboard, isomorphic grid, 9-pad drum grid, and XY performance pad. • Scale mode with 12 scales and any root key, on both piano and grid. • Aftertouch and MPE with Mono AT, Poly AT, and XY MPE modes. • Aftertouch and Mod Wheel remapping to any MIDI CC or Pitch Bend. • Velocity, Pitch Bend, and Modulation faders, plus a latching sustain button. • AUv3 plugin for GarageBand, AUM, Cubasis, BeatMaker, and Drambo. • Network MIDI, OSC output, and 16 MIDI channels + Omni. • Adaptive interface for all iPad and iPhone sizes. VIEW MODES Switch between five layouts from the View menu: Piano: a familiar 2-octave keyboard with height-based velocity. Grid: Isomorphic: every row and column keeps the same interval, so chords and scales have one shape anywhere. Grid: 2 Rows: a piano-style pair of rows, naturals below, sharps above. Grid: Minor Thirds: columns step up by 3 semitones, rows move chromatically. Grid: Big Piano: large naturals with quarter-size sharps. Your view, layout, and root note persist across sessions. SCALE MODE Choose from 12 scales - Major, Natural Minor, Harmonic Minor, Melodic Minor, Dorian, Phrygian, Lydian, Mixolydian, Locrian, Pentatonic Major, Pentatonic Minor, Blues, and Whole Tone - in any of the 12 root keys. On the grid, cells remap so only in-scale notes are laid out, putting every note under your fingers. On the piano, the keyboard keeps its familiar shape - the black and white pattern is how you find your place without looking. Rather than move notes around, out-of-scale keys dim and stop responding to touch, so only the keys in your key are labelled and playable. Wrong notes are simply out of reach. Switch back to Chromatic anytime for the full keyboard. GRID EXPRESSION Every grid layout includes a dedicated mod-wheel row. A vibrant gradient highlights roots and notes, optional labels show note names, and per-note MPE with pitch bend gives each finger independent control. BUILT-IN SOUND ENGINE Play sounds directly without any external app. Load SF2 SoundFonts with multi-preset selection, or import SFZ, WAV, and M4A samples. The low-CPU engine maps samples across the keyboard automatically, and sound files persist across sessions. AFTERTOUCH & MPE EXPRESSION Add expressive depth with four aftertouch modes. Mono AT applies uniform pressure across chords, Poly AT sends independent pressure per note, and XY MPE allocates per-note MIDI channels (2-16) with Y on CC74 and X on Pitch Bend. Remap aftertouch or mod wheel to any MIDI CC or Pitch Wheel. A green gradient on pressed keys shows pressure in real time. CONNECT TO YOUR MAC Control Logic Pro, Ableton Live, or any Mac music software from your iPad or iPhone. Connect wirelessly over your local network with Bonjour, or plug in via USB for a rock-solid, zero-latency link. STANDALONE OR AUV3 Load KeyPad inside GarageBand, AUM, Cubasis, BeatMaker, Drambo, or any AUv3 host to play your instruments without switching apps, with settings saved in your project. Or run it standalone to drive hardware synths, route MIDI to other iOS apps, or control your Mac. TOUCH-OPTIMIZED PERFORMANCE Height-Based Velocity: Touch keys at different vertical positions for dynamic velocity, with three curves to shape the response. XY Performance Pad: Control two parameters at once with multi-touch. Assign any MIDI CC to each axis for filter sweeps, effect morphing, or live sound manipulation. Smart Layout: Scales to the window, keeping the full layout with controls and pads on iPhone, iPad, Split View, and AUv3 plugin.

Touch a note. Tilt your iPhone. Shape a sound with your breath. Sonari Remote adds low latency touch, motion and gesture control to Sonari on your Mac. Requires Sonari: MIDI Controller on an Apple silicon Mac on the same local network. This free companion controls the Mac instrument; it does not make sound on its own or connect directly to other music apps. SIX WAYS TO PLAY - Touch: play notes, chords, drum pads and ribbons on the screen. The notes follow the Mac's key and scale. - Hold: tilt, turn and lift your iPhone to shape a note. Add another control with your thumb. - Air: use breath and voice to change the sound, or hum a melody to control pitch. - Face: play with a smile, raised brows, jaw movement or a turn of your head. Requires a TrueDepth camera. - Camera: track your hands from a second angle, alongside or instead of the Mac's camera. - Space: turn the room into zones you can reach into and play. Requires an iPhone with LiDAR. Choose one way at a time. The app explains which features your iPhone supports. LOW LATENCY CONTROL, THROUGH YOUR MAC Play Sonari's built-in instruments or control software instruments through the Mac's MIDI and MPE output. Sensor processing stays on your devices, with musical control sent over your local network. Response depends on your iPhone, network and Mac audio setup. Add motion and breath expression while your other hand plays in front of the Mac camera. PICK THE SOUND. START THE MUSIC. Browse the Mac's sounds, choose a playing surface, change the key and scale, and start or stop the performance from your iPhone. Touch layouts include keyboards, drums, chords and continuous expression controls. TURN A SOUND INTO AN INSTRUMENT Record a sample of up to 30 seconds and send it to your paired Mac. Play it back as a new instrument in Sonari. CONNECT ONCE, PLAY AGAIN Open both apps on the same local network and pair them. They reconnect automatically. No cable or account is needed. Musical control travels over an encrypted connection between your devices. FREE COMPANION Sonari Remote has no in-app purchases or subscriptions. Sonari on the Mac offers a free 14-day trial, followed by a one-time purchase for continued playing. Requires iOS 26 or later and Sonari on macOS 26 or later. Allow Local Network to connect. Motion, microphone and camera access support the ways you choose.