MOD POD distills the core expressive MIDI functions (pitch bend, mod wheel, aftertouch…) into a compact, tactile USB MIDI controller
Modulation brings life and movement to sound and track. Keyboard players typically achieve this using the wheels on a keyboard, or via velocity and aftertouch on the keys.
In situations where you only have a laptop, the only options are a mouse or a generic MIDI controller. MOD POD aims to change that.
MOD POD
It’s a new MIDI controller that gives you real-time expressive control over your music. The concept reminds me of the Endorphin.es Plus 3 they made in collaboration with Loopop, but with more control.
With just 130 × 84 × 51 mm, it has a very compact form factor that fits easily in your pocket. Thus, you can take it anywhere, which isn’t always the case with a MIDI keyboard. When working with a laptop outside your studio, it’s also unnoticeable, as you might mistake it for a mouse.
Maybe, but it’s more fun than a mouse. It distills the core expressive MIDI functions – pitch bend, mod wheel, sustain, aftertouch, portamento, plus two macro controls – in a form factor that fits in your pocket.
According to the developer, it came out of a desire for a fun, functional companion for the moments when production collapses down to a laptop.
It puts tactile control back at your fingertips and so eliminates the need to manually draw tedious automation curves with your mouse.
Fully Configurable
The MOD POD interface features a pair of wheels for modulation and pitch bend, two assignable knob on the top, a pressure pad for aftertouch, and a sustain button. They are fully customizable and freely mappable like on a traditional MIDI keyboard.
The sustain goes deeper and offers three different modes: latch, smart, and tight, selectable with a button on the hardware. Additionally, it ships with a CONFIG tool app for more advanced configurations.
Then, on the connection side, it has a USB-C port and 3.5mm TRS MIDI input and output jacks. All three ports transmit and receive MIDI information.
The unit is bus-powered via the USB-C port. In case you are using it with external hardware, you need a wall adapter or battery pack to power it.
Where Can The MOD POD Be Used?
People who work extensively with MIDI keyboards probably wonder why you’d need something like this if it’s already built into the keyboard they use. True. But there are times when you don’t have access to your beloved input device, or it’s just too bulky.
This MIDI controller is primarily designed to give music producers tactile modulation on the go. But there are also other situations where it works nicely.
For example, with pedals to introduce modulation and effects, in desktop hardware synths, or in modular setups. Or also in combination with MIDI keyboards that have neither pitch bend/mod wheel nor aftertouch.
First Impression
The product might seem a bit confusing at first glance, since such functions are actually integrated into every good MIDI keyboard. However, if you go further and put yourself in the situations mentioned, the MOD POD makes a lot of sense.
MOD POD is available now for $189 /149,95€
More information here: MP
Available from my partner
good Idea! finally you can have the Pitch Bender in a perfect Position to Play! wow! it only Took 43 years! 🙂 instead of the loopop Thing i have the ehx Pedal for Expression Inputs with 2 pots and a Switch to select between the 2 pots. with the Boss Re 20 it’s great To select the delay Speed or other Parameter..and it Has nearly the half price .
Many digital pianos with hammer action have excellent keybeds, but the ability to pitch or modulate is extremely rare. Even these instruments are often used as master keyboards. My Nord Electro 6 HP is also missing exactly these features. Actually, this is exactly the tool I’ve been waiting for for a very long time.
true.
i Always Miss Pitch Bend when trying such a Piano
This can be used with grooveboxes like the MPC or Machine+.
I can relate to this directly from the title.
– it is what I want.
BETTER if it could have wireless (BT | WiFi) connectivity.
BT wifiMiDi still has just a little too much latency.
About $100 too expensive.
If you are a new developer and work alone, it’s difficult to make a product cheap as you don’t have the same power as big players.
$100 to expensive is easy to say, but difficult to achieve if you don’t have suppliers you’ve been working with for 20 years or you have your own factory like some Chinese companies. And $189 is the retail price.
This means retailers have a margin on it. In Europe, you also have VAT on that price and I don’t know from where it comes so probably also import fees.
OK, but guess no alternative to this.
as others said…this turns every digital piano…with a piano keybed, ie no springs..like midi controllers, into a full midi controller instrument, like the VPC or SL’s . Exp pedals are missing but easy and inexpensive to solve. As well faders. It fills a big hole that I’m actually perplexed as to why. Lots of controllers…no wheels, and the aftertouch is a great addition. Absolutely needed
I hope they will produce a wider on in the near future – with extra assignable knob(s) + a fader (or 2) for CC functions.
I wish Nord would release a version of this with their pitch and mod controls.