If you’ve ever played a synth and thought, “Why can’t I bend just one note in a chord like I can on a guitar?” — then you’re asking the right question. And the answer is MPE.
MPE, or MIDI Polyphonic Expression, is one of the most exciting revolutions in music tech. It lets digital instruments behave more like real ones — expressive, touch-sensitive, and nuanced.
Whether you’re a keyboardist, sound designer, or just love messing around with synths, understanding MPE will absolutely upgrade your creativity.
🎛️ The Old Limitation: One Expression for All
Traditional MIDI was designed back in the early ’80s. It’s powerful, but it treats a keyboard kind of like a typewriter — one setting for pitch bend, modulation, or aftertouch is applied to everything you’re playing.
So, if you played a C major chord and tried to pitch-bend, every note would bend the same way. Not exactly expressive, right?This is where MPE comes in and changes everything!
🌟 What is MPE?
MPE allows each note you play to have its own pitch bend, vibrato, slide, and pressure.
Imagine playing a chord and being able to bend just one of the notes… or slide your finger up on just the top note… or press harder on just the bass note to open a filter – That’s the level of freedom MPE gives you.
It splits every note into its own MIDI channel, letting software or hardware respond independently to each one.You can see the Strike function in action in this short demo using the ROLI Piano for Creators, where each touch variation adds dynamic expression to individual notes.
📈 A Quick Look at MPE’s Evolution
MPE has been around in experimental forms since the mid-2010s.
Companies like ROLI and Haken Audio started experimenting with expressive instruments that broke away from traditional keys. These allowed for things like sliding, pressing, and wiggling to influence each note — but they needed a better way to communicate all that data.
So in 2018, MPE was officially recognized by the MIDI Manufacturers Association, making it easier for plugin developers and hardware makers to adopt it.
Since then, it’s exploded. Today, MPE is supported in major DAWs like Logic Pro, Bitwig, Ableton Live, and even iOS apps like GeoShred.
🎶 MPE in Action: Artists Are Already Using It
Musicians around the world are already making magic with MPE:
- AR Rahman plays the Expressive E Osmose in this performance, showing off subtle glides, bends, and dynamics you can’t get from regular keyboards.
- Jordan Rudess shreds away using GeoShred on iPad — a wildly expressive MPE app — to play guitar-like bends and glides.
- A great example of the Seaboard’s expressive potential is shown in this demo performance, where each gesture—slides, presses, and glides—brings the music to life in a way that traditional keyboards simply can’t.
🔧 MPE Hardware: A New Way to Play
If you want to get your hands on MPE, here are a couple of great instruments:
🎹 Expressive E Osmose
- Combines the feel of a traditional keyboard with full MPE touch.
- Each key responds to pressure, slide, and tilt — so you can perform vibrato, glides, and swells just like on strings or winds.
Learn More : https://www.expressivee.com/2-osmose?srsltid=AfmBOorz44bBJYfwmYia96oVGbu7XGeqeZU3Xp_22MPSx8cHfOp1d76P
ROLI Seaboard 2
- A soft, squishy keyboard surface that responds to your every finger movement.
- Super intuitive for glides and bends.
- These controllers feel like instruments, not just keyboards — and that’s the point.
Learn More :
💻 Top MPE Plugins for 2025
Now that you’ve got the hardware (or even just a mouse + touchscreen), here are the synths that make it all shine:
✅ Free Option: Surge XT
A powerful, open-source synth with full MPE support. Don’t let the price tag fool you — this thing is deep, modular, and sounds fantastic.
💎 Paid Plugins That Shine:
- Equator2 by ROLI – One of the original MPE flag-bearers, Equator2 is designed from the ground up for expressive performance, with breathtaking presets and intuitive modulation.
- Serum 2 by Xfer Records – The long-awaited update to the legendary wavetable synth now includes full MPE support, giving a new level of expression to one of the most iconic VSTs ever made.
- Falcon by UVI – A powerhouse for deep sound design, Falcon offers precise control over every MPE parameter, making it a favorite for advanced users.
- V Collection by Arturia – The latest version of this massive vintage synth bundle brings MPE support to several of its instruments, blending timeless sounds with modern expression.
- Augmented Collection by Arturia – Combining organic samples and synthesis, this forward-thinking collection supports MPE, letting you sculpt evolving textures and nuanced performances.
🔥 MPE Magic: Fluid Pitch & Fluid Chords
Pitch Innovations, known for breaking boundaries in MIDI creativity, created two must-have MPE plugins that let you play in ways you’ve never imagined:
Fluid Pitch – Polyphonic Pitch Bending, Finally!
It’s the first plugin that lets you bend individual notes within a chord — and it automatically locks the bend to your scale. That means no more sour notes when you’re getting expressive. It turns your pitch wheel into a precise, musical tool.
Fluid Chords – Bend From Any Chord To Any Chord
Why just bend notes when you can bend entire chords? This plugin lets you transition from one chord to another, smoothly, expressively — like a guitarist sliding up the fretboard but with full harmonic control. It’s the tool for cinematic transitions
Which DAWs Support MPE?
Good news — most major DAWs now support MPE either natively or with minimal setup. Here’s a quick rundown:
- Logic Pro (Mac) – Full MPE support. Just load an MPE-capable instrument like Alchemy, and you’re good to go.
- Bitwig Studio – One of the most MPE-friendly DAWs out there. Built with modular flexibility and expressive control in mind.
MPE data from Fluid Chords being recorded into Bitwig Studio
- Ableton Live – MPE is supported from version 11 onwards. Works great with instruments like Wavetable and Sampler.
- Cubase – Has strong MPE support, including for VST3 plugins and its built-in synths.
- Studio One – Supports MPE editing, especially for compatible third-party plugins.
- Reaper – MPE is supported, though setup may require a bit more hands-on routing.
🎤 Final Thoughts
MPE isn’t just a technical upgrade — it’s a creative upgrade! It bridges the gap between traditional expression and digital power. You can now make synths sing, cry, glide, and scream just like a voice or violin.
So whether you’re building ambient textures, shredding solos, or scoring films, MPE is your key to the next level.Start with something like Surge XT, add a plugin like Fluid Chords, and you’ll wonder how you ever made music without it!