Chords
Chords under one thumb, strummed with the other
Chords is MIDIpad's melodic instrument. The left thumb chooses a chord on the stick; the right thumb strums it, on the touchpad or around the right stick's rim.
Every chord on the wheel belongs to the declared key, so nothing on it is out of key. How hard, how fast, how high and in what order they land is what you play.
Chords plays through MIDIpad's own voice, and sends on the MIDIpad Chords port at the same time: MPE-native with a licence, plain single-channel notes in demo. See MIDI and MPE.
At a glance
The left hand chooses what to play. The right hand plays it. The shoulder controls change the harmonic context around both.
Point to arm a chord; nothing sounds until you strum.
Swipe along the strings to strum, tap to pluck - and a finger moving across them shapes instead.
The strings laid along the stick's rim, on every pad.
Press to pluck and hold the string under the stick.
Hold for the tension chords; release to snap home.
Hold for the borrowed colours; release to snap home.
Hold for each palette's other face - suspensions and sevenths.
An analogue palm mute - how far you pull is how firmly it rests.
Voice the next strum higher - the chord opens, then rises.
Moving the pad keeps whatever is ringing alive.
Switch to Drums
The other instrument, one press away.
Two things to know before you start:
- Arming is silent. The left stick never makes a sound by itself; it decides what the next strum plays. You can move it freely without a note sounding.
- Nothing on screen is required. The main window shows the instrument live, but every control is on the pad.
Go deeper
Arming
Choosing what the next strum plays: the chord wheel and your key, the Dominant and Parallel visits, and the extended chords one hold deeper.
Sounding
Making it sound: strumming the touchpad, the strum stick on every pad, and stretching the voicing open.
Expression
What happens while notes ring - and every way your hands can shape it: the squeeze, the shake, and the touch that isn't a strum.
Output
What leaves the instrument: MPE on the MIDIpad Chords port, the twelve built-in voices, and the settings panel.