Comparison

LK vs LC4 Controller

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

LK

This application acts as a remote control for Ableton Live and MIDI devices, enhancing electronic music production and live performance. It offers deep integration with Ableton Live and extensive MIDI capabilities for controlling software and hardware. The app is modular, with features available as separate in-app purchases.

Highlights
  • Ableton Live integration
  • MIDI device control
  • Clip launching and sequencing
  • Device parameter control
  • Virtual MIDI and AUv3 support
  • Modular in-app purchases
Features
Read full description

LK is a flexible remote control application for Ableton Live and MIDI devices, providing a wide range of features and functionality to enhance the production and live performance of electronic music. LK offers tight integration with Ableton Live using our free UBRIDGE desktop application, providing access and control of Ableton Live projects, with both wired and wireless connection options. LK has extensive MIDI capabilities too, allowing for communication and control of any MIDI compliant software or hardware, even apps running on the same device thanks to virtual MIDI support and AUv3 integration too. LK is split into six unique modules, each available as a separate in-app purchase, offering great value that you can tailor to your specific needs. LK is also capable of connecting with USB MIDI interfaces which allows you to interact with external gear. To connect LK to your host computer you will need to download and install a free software utility called UBRIDGE on your computer. It is available for Windows and macOS and it can be downloaded from Imaginando website. See our setup guide for further details in LK’s product page. MATRIX MODULE - Live Mode - In Live mode, you can control almost every aspect of Ableton Live directly from LK. The app mirrors your session view, allowing you to launch clips, add tracks and scenes, arm, solo, and mute tracks, and adjust track monitoring, volume, pan, and cue settings on the master track. You can create and edit clips with the powerful built-in clip composer, featuring tools like scales, swing, humanize, horizontal and vertical mirroring, time-shifting notes, pitch swapping, transposing, and even chord and melody generation within a defined range. LK also enables device control within each track, offering a range of generic layouts for quick access and instant parameter adjustments, so you can modify settings without needing to interact directly with your computer. - MIDI Mode - In MIDI mode, LK enhances workflow with a flexible, independent sequencing environment for streamlined composition and arrangement. Users can create and manage MIDI clips per track, arrange scenes, and send MIDI to other software or hardware. When loaded as an AUv3 in hosts like AUM, LK sequences and coordinates various instruments, perfect for complex setups and live performances. Essential editing tools like signatures, scales and transformative tools simplify MIDI editing, while automation and generative tools enable dynamic compositions. Follow actions and probability settings further smooth transitions, making performance arrangements seamless and spontaneous—all within a single, powerful interface. PADS MODULE - Get the MPC feel on your touchscreen with PADS, featuring an arpeggiator and a chorder. When working in Ableton Live mode it automatically maps drum rack pad names to each pad on the app - never miss a pad again. Use it in MIDI mode to quickly play other synth apps. CONTROLLER MODULE - Extensive control of 128 parameters with CONTROLLER. Use assignable and customisable knobs, faders, buttons and pads to control MIDI hardware, desktop and mobile DAWs - now with the power of AUv3 integration too. X/Y MODULE - Three dimensional parameter tweaking with X/Y PAD. This module can work with CC or NOTE events. In CC mode, a CC can be assigned per axis. In NOTE mode, X is pitch, Y is velocity and Z is Note ON/ Note OFF. CHORDER MODULE - Play chords like never before with the CHORDER module. Use this chord generator to build chords and lay them out according to your needs. KEYBOARD MODULE - KEYBOARD features 3-axis expression capabilities with scale and range controls. It also allows the possibility of mapping any Live or MIDI CC parameters to be controlled by the X and Y position within each of the keys, providing additional expression to the performance. It also has an MPE mode so you can use it with your favorite MPE compatible synths.

About

LC4 Controller

This app provides wireless control for a music lab, allowing educators to manage student interactions and broadcast music from anywhere in the room. It includes features like student icon customization, attendance tracking, and access to the iPad's music library for class-wide playback.

Highlights
  • Wireless control of Yamaha LC4 Music Lab
  • Customize and position student icons
  • In-app attendance tracker
  • Integrated notepad
  • Broadcast music from iPad library
  • Full hardware function access
Read full description

The exclusive LC4 Controller App gives you full control over the Yamaha LC4 Music Lab wirelessly from anywhere in the room. Music educators now have the freedom to leave their teacher station and visit students individually at their instruments to demonstrate passages, correct technique and posture, all the while maintaining the ability to operate the lab hardware wirelessly. The LC4 Controller App provides convenient access to all of the hardware functions and even adds more features. The app lets you customize and position student icons in the classroom view to match the physical layout of the instruments in the room. The in-app attendance tracker and notepad are conveniently included, eliminating the need for additional software. The LC4 Controller App even accesses the iPad’s music library and allows the teacher to broadcast songs wirelessly to the class. The LC4 Controller App is compatible only with the Yamaha LC4 Music Lab, and requires the optional LC4 WIFI KIT.

Screenshots

LK4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is rating: LC4 Controller at 5.0 against LK's 4.3. LC4 Controller also leads on review sentiment (100% vs 64%) and in-app purchases (none vs 8). LK's advantage is update cadence (fortnightly vs every 26 months) and ratings volume (706 vs 1). On price, ads, device support and iOS requirement 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

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Both are free to download. LK sells 8 one-off in-app purchases. LC4 Controller asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

LC4 Controller holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.3. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: LK has 706 ratings behind it against 1, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 64% of LK's written reviews are positive against 100% of LC4 Controller's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

LK ships an update fortnightly, LC4 Controller every 26 months. Both last shipped on October 15, 2026.

Scorecard6 real differences · 4 level
LK versus LC4 Controller: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterLKLC4 Controller
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.3 (706 ratings)5.0 (1 ratings) — better
Positive reviews64.1% of reviews100.0% of reviews — better
Number of ratings706 — better1
Update frequencyFortnightly — betterEvery 26 months
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesNo — better
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesFree — better
DevicesiPhone, iPad — betteriPad
Requires iOS17.016.4 — better
Further details — not scored
Size125 MB9 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperImaginando LdaYamaha Corporation of America

Customer experience

LK

All ratings706 ratings
Positive82.9%
Neutral4.7%
Negative12.5%
Written reviews390 reviews
Positive64.1%
Neutral7.4%
Negative28.5%

LC4 Controller

All ratings1 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%
Written reviews1 reviews
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

Bugs and requests

LK

Reported bugs

5 issues
  • Clip renaming tool not working
  • Occasional MIDI note sticking
  • UI disappearing and requiring restart
  • Wireless connection randomly dropping
  • Exclusive track arming mode issues

Requested features

6 requests
  • Add MIDI CC mapping and automation
  • Implement vertical view for session mode
  • Allow saving and loading of custom settings
  • Improve MIDI note and velocity handling
  • Add MIDI transformers and generators
Show 1 more
  • Provide a discounted bundle for all modules

LC4 Controller

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

In-app purchases

8 purchases

LK

One-time8
  • Unlock Chorder$4.99
  • Unlock MIDI Pads$4.99
  • Unlock MIDI Controller$4.99
Show 5 more
  • Unlock X/Y Pad$4.99
  • Unlock Keyboard$4.99
  • Unlock Step Sequencer$7.99
  • Unlock Matrix$9.99
  • All Modules Bundle$39.90
None

LC4 Controller

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is LK free?
LK is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is LC4 Controller free?
LC4 Controller is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, LK or LC4 Controller?
LC4 Controller is rated higher. LK averages 4.3 out of 5 from 706 ratings, while LC4 Controller averages 5.0 from 1 ratings.
Do LK or LC4 Controller have ads?
Neither LK nor LC4 Controller shows ads.
Which is updated more often, LK or LC4 Controller?
LK ships an update fortnightly, and LC4 Controller every 26 months. Most recently, LK was updated on October 15, 2026 and LC4 Controller on October 15, 2026.

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