"I’ve finally been able to make my dream a reality": MidiWrist Unleashed offers MIDI control wizardry from your Apple Watch
MidiWrist, an Apple Watch hosted MIDI controller that lets you send MIDI signals from your wrist, isn't entirely new - we reported on its debut iteration back in pre-youknowwhat 2019 - but MidiWrist Unleashed finally realises developer Geert Bevin's full vision by untethering the app from its iPhone gateway. That's right, you can now control MIDI signals and parameters anytime, anywhere.
After 9 years, I’ve finally been able to make my dream a reality
Via the app's haptic-happy touch controls you're able to access highly configurable buttons, knobs, a nifty X/Y pad and transport controls.
While it's fair to say that setting up and using MidiWrist is not for the uncommitted, it's also very doable - check out Bevin's example set-up walkthrough with Animoog Z below - it's not hard to see the nifty recording performance possibilities.
Your watch can also use its motion-sensing to send signals for pitch, roll, yaw and acceleration, for instance. All very Minority Report.
“This was my dream when I got the first Apple Watch in 2015 and after 9 years, I’ve finally been able to make it a reality,” Bevin says. Check out a run-through of the app's features and abilities at the top of this page, or for more info, head over to the MidiWrist Unleashed website.
MidiWrist features
Standalone MIDI controller for your Apple Watch
Fully configurable on your Watch, no external app is required
Any number of knobs can be controlled with the Digital Crown
Macro control over multiple MIDI parameters from the Digital Crown
Remotely Play / Stop / Pause / Record / Rewind / Fast Forward your DAW from your Watch
Knobs can be controlled individually or simultaneously
Knobs can be linked to preserve their offsets
Any number buttons can be toggled by tapping the Watch
Buttons can either be stateful or momentary
Pages can be created with any combination of controls choosing from buttons and knobs
Program changes through the Digital Crown or by tapping the Watch
Transport control over MIDI Machine Control (MMC) or Mackie Control Universal (MCU)
Scrub transport with the Digital Crown
Save / Undo / Redo / Toggle Cycle / Toggle Click / Enter through MCU
XY pad with individual messages for each axis
Motion data (pitch, roll, yaw, acceleration) can be sent in real time
Trigger thresholds for motion data to send discrete messages instead of a continuous stream
Optional haptic feedback
Configurable colors for all knobs, buttons and panels
Configurable labels for knobs, buttons and panel
Configurable MIDI channels and MIDI messages (continuous control, program change, channel pressure, note)
Create any number of the controller pages you need
Delete and rearrange controller pages
Save your configurations to presets for easy retrieval
MIDI learn for easy controller configuration
Delete and rearrange presets
Connect to other Bluetooth MIDI devices
Low latency and fast response