The MIDI Innovation Awards Celebrate a New Era of Musical Expression

The MIDI Innovation Awards, hosted by The MIDI Association and live-streamed on YouTube, recently recognized and celebrated groundbreaking advancements in MIDI technology. In the world of music technology, innovation is the driving force that propels musicians and creators into uncharted territories of sound and creativity. These awards showcase the best in commercial hardware and software products, as well as prototypes and non-commercial innovations, highlighting the ever-evolving landscape of musical expression.

Commercial Hardware Product: Intuitive Instruments – Exquis

Intuitive Instruments’ Exquis was recognized in the Commercial Hardware Product category. Featuring hexagonal keys that interface seamlessly with a mobile app, Exquis allows musicians of all skill levels to effortlessly craft melodies. With backlit keys, customizable mapping, and support for MIDI, CV, and USB connectivity, Exquis is a versatile tool that allows precision for short notes and expressive modulation for longer ones.

One standout feature is its MPE (MIDI Polyphonic Expression) support, enabling per-note modulation within chords, truly revolutionizing the way musicians interact with MIDI controllers.

Commercial Software Product: Audio Modeling – Camelot Pro

The MIDI Innovation Awards Commercial Software Product award went to Audio Modeling’s Camelot Pro. Offering a comprehensive solution for MIDI enthusiasts; this software acts as a MIDI patch bay, setlist manager, digital mixer, and more. Compatible across MacOS, Windows, and iPadOS, it simplifies the complexities of managing multiple hardware and software devices from various manufacturers. Camelot Pro can effortlessly switch between modes, manage multi-part patches, and even host software instruments and effects. Its capabilities extend beyond MIDI, as it can handle audio sources, play backing tracks, display music scores, and much more in one convenient solution.

Prototypes & Non-Commercial Software Product: Max Graf And Mathieu Barthet – Netz

Netz is a groundbreaking software creation leveraging Mixed Reality (MR). This self-contained instrument combines real and virtual worlds, allowing the user to create from a head-mounted display using hardware like the Meta Quest 2. Netz also serves as a versatile MIDI controller, with nodes representing notes that can be mapped for tactile feedback, all while tracking performers’ hand poses and gestures in real time.

Artistic/Visual Project Or Installation: Ryan Edwards And Masary Studios – Sound Sculpture

Masary Studios’ Sound Sculpture blurs the lines between tangible art and music. 25 cubes equipped with positioning tags, processors, LED arrays, and more, create an interactive sequencer for participants to create musical patterns by rearranging the blocks. 

A software application scans for the block’s locations and translates their placement into dynamic musical composition, with the x-axis dictating rhythm and the y-axis controlling pitch.

Prototypes & Non-Commercial Hardware Product: Andrea Martelloni – HITar

Andrea Martelloni’s HITar is a game-changer for guitarists. This device can be attached to a regular acoustic guitar, transforming the instrument’s interaction possibilities. HITar uses five piezo sensors and AI technology to determine where and how the player interacts with the guitar. The MIDI output can trigger drum samples, mixing sample libraries and virtual instruments with live guitar performances.

Image credit: The Midi Association