MIDI Device Manager vs Katana Tone Control
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side ā with what reviewers say about each.
MIDI Device Manager
This application offers professional MIDI control and management for musicians. It allows users to control individual devices, multiple devices simultaneously, and entire live scenes or setlists through an intuitive one-touch pad interface. It can also import patch names directly from instrument backup files or capture them automatically.
- One-touch programmable control pads
- Control multiple MIDI devices simultaneously
- Import patch names from instrument backup files
- Capture patch names automatically
- Create Live Scenes and Setlists
- Trigger pads from external MIDI controllers
- Bluetooth and USB MIDI support
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Control Your Entire MIDI Environment MIDIDeviceManager is a professional MIDI control and management application built around an intuitive one-touch pad interface. Control individual devices, multiple devices simultaneously, complete Live Scenes and entire Live Setlists from a single application. Pads can be triggered directly from the screen or remotely using compatible MIDI foot controllers, external MIDI controllers and other MIDI-enabled applications. Unlike traditional patch editors, MIDIDeviceManager is designed to control devices rather than edit sounds. Your Patch Names, Already There Typing hundreds of patch names by hand is the reason most musicians never finish setting up their rig. MIDIDeviceManager can read a backup or bulk dump file produced by your instrument's own software and turn it into a searchable index ā every patch name, in the right bank and slot, without connecting anything. Where an instrument supports SysEx communication, MIDIDeviceManager can also request its patch list directly over MIDI. And where neither is possible, it can step through the equipment's patches and capture the names automatically as it goes. Confirmed with equipment like Line 6 Helix, ASM Hydrasynth and Korg minilogue xd, with more added regularly. Universal MIDI Compatibility MIDIDeviceManager works with virtually any MIDI-compatible hardware using standard MIDI messages including: ⢠Program Change ⢠Control Change ⢠Bank Select (MSB/LSB) ⢠MIDI Learn ⢠Passive MIDI Monitoring ⢠External MIDI Triggering ⢠Standard and device-specific SysEx communication Device Pads, Scene Pads and Live Setlist Pads can all be triggered from external MIDI controllers, foot pedals or other MIDI applications, allowing MIDIDeviceManager to integrate naturally into virtually any MIDI setup. MIDIDeviceManager recognises multi-port MIDI interfaces and Bluetooth adaptors, and identifies your equipment correctly even when it is connected behind one. Selected devices get deeper, dedicated support ā from the classic POD 2 and GT-Pro to the modern GR-55 and BigSky ā with more added regularly. And it isn't only hardware: MDM can drive other MIDI-enabled apps too. If it speaks MIDI, MDM can talk to it. Key Features ⢠One-touch programmable control pads ⢠Sliders and Buttons for continuous and on/off control ⢠Custom Pad colours for at-a-glance identification ⢠Control one or multiple MIDI devices simultaneously ⢠Device management ⢠Import patch names from instrument backup files ⢠Capture patch names automatically by stepping through your instrument ⢠Search, sort and filter patch lists using categories or custom text ⢠Create reusable Live Scenes ⢠Create Live Setlists for performances ⢠Trigger pads from external MIDI pedals and controllers ⢠Trigger pads from other MIDI-enabled applications ⢠MIDI Learn ⢠Bluetooth MIDI and USB MIDI support ⢠Keeps receiving MIDI in the background on iPhone and iPad (iOS 26+) ⢠Continues receiving MIDI alongside another app in iPad Split View ⢠Automatic detection of the patch currently selected on your instrument ⢠Live connection status for every device ⢠Built-in help at each step ⢠SysEx Lab for advanced device work ⢠Backup and Restore Why SysEx Matters Standard MIDI devices are normally controlled using one of the available MIDI channels. When compatible devices support SysEx communication, MIDIDeviceManager can communicate directly with individual devices using their unique manufacturer and device identifiers. Multiple compatible devices can therefore share the same MIDI connection while remaining individually addressable. This enables more scalable MIDI systems and advanced device management beyond the limitations of standard MIDI messaging. Requirements Compatible with iPhone and iPad. Supports USB MIDI and Bluetooth MIDI. Some advanced features require compatible external MIDI hardware. Background MIDI reception requires iOS 26 or later. On earlier versions, MIDIDeviceManager must stay on screen to receive MIDI.
Katana Tone Control
Edit all settings of your guitar amplifier, including effects and channels, from your mobile device or computer. Organize your presets, switch tones on stage, and even control settings with your smartwatch. Syncs across devices via iCloud.
- Edit all amp and effect settings
- Organize and import presets
- Syncs via iCloud
- On-stage setlist management
- Apple Watch control
- Full amp backup and restore
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Edit every setting of your BOSS Katana MkII from your iPhone, iPad or Mac, run your setlists on stage, and switch channels from your Apple Watch. EDIT EVERYTHING ⢠Amp character, gain, EQ and cab, plus every effect type for Booster, MOD, FX, Delay and Reverb, including types the amp's panel can't reach ⢠Pedal FX, noise suppressor, EQs, Contour, panel colour banks and expression pedal targets ⢠Drag the effects into any order ⢠Undo, redo and A/B compare while you edit ⢠All nine channels at a glance; save to any channel LIBRARY ⢠Import .tsl patch files, or a whole folder at once ⢠Tags, groups and search; duplicates are skipped ⢠Syncs through iCloud across your iPhone, iPad and Mac ⢠Share a patch by AirDrop, Messages or Mail ON STAGE ⢠Setlists with songs of up to four parts (verse, chorus, solo), saved into one bank so a GA-FC switches them with no gap ⢠A tempo per song sets your delays in time; Match Levels evens out the parts ⢠Stage mode with big footswitches, and your own Bluetooth page-turners, keyboards or MIDI footswitches ⢠Apple Watch, widgets, Control Center and Siri: "Switch to A2 in Katana Tone Control" ALSO ⢠Back up the whole amp, all eight channels and the global settings, and restore it ⢠Mac: connect your own AI app to set the amp to a song's tone CONNECTING Bluetooth through a BLE-MIDI adapter such as a CME WIDI, on iPhone, iPad and Mac. On a Mac, USB also works with BOSS's Katana driver installed. iPhone and iPad can't use the amp's USB. COMPATIBILITY Katana-50 MkII, Katana-100 MkII, Katana-100/212 MkII, Katana-Head MkII and Katana-Artist MkII. Katana Gen 3: shows the amp's settings and opens Gen 3 patches, read-only for now. Not the original Katana. PRICE Free to download with a 7-day free trial, then a one-off Unlock. No subscription. One purchase covers iPhone, iPad and Mac, and Family Sharing is on. BOSS and KATANA are trademarks of Roland Corporation. Katana Tone Control is an independent app and isn't affiliated with or endorsed by Roland or BOSS.
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is update cadence: Katana Tone Control at daily against MIDI Device Manager's every 10 days. MIDI Device Manager's advantage is iOS requirement (17.6 vs 27.0). On price, review sentiment, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.
Scored on Price Ā· Rating Ā· Positive reviews Ā· Number of ratings Ā· Update frequency Ā· Ads Ā· In-app purchases Ā· Monetization Ā· Best chart rank Ā· Devices Ā· Requires iOS
Both are free to download. MIDI Device Manager sells 2 one-off in-app purchases and Katana Tone Control sells 2 one-off in-app purchases. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.
MIDI Device Manager ships an update every 10 days, Katana Tone Control daily. Both last shipped on October 31, 2026.
| Parameter | MIDI Device Manager | Katana Tone Control |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Positive reviews | 100.0% of reviews | 100.0% of reviews |
| Update frequency | Every 10 days | Daily ā better |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch | iPhone, iPad, Mac, Apple Watch ā better |
| Requires iOS | 17.6 ā better | 27.0 |
| Further details ā not scored | ||
| Size | 16 MB | 22 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Christian Mc Cormick | RHYME MASTER J TOASTERFACE |
Customer experience
MIDI Device Manager
Katana Tone Control
In-app purchases
MIDI Device Manager
- 30-Day TrialFree
- Unlock MDM$22.99
Katana Tone Control
- 7-Day Free TrialFree
- Unlock Katana Tone Control$9.99
Questions
Is MIDI Device Manager free?
Is Katana Tone Control free?
Do MIDI Device Manager or Katana Tone Control have ads?
Which is updated more often, MIDI Device Manager or Katana Tone Control?
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