A MIDI Controller The Size Of Your Phone? | OffGrid First Impressions

MobileMusicPro

Birdkids have released an ultra portable MIDI controller that fits in your pocket and it’s incredibly expressive. Here’s our first impressions and a quick tutorial on how to use it with your iPhone or iPad.

McD

I haven't watched the video yet... does anyone have a comment or 2?
Price? Availability? Is it Bluetooth?

mistercharlie

It’s Bluetooth and USB-C. It feels very plasticky, but also seems fairly solid.

Button responsiveness is disappointing. Maybe if you like whacking buttons for finger drumming it’s ok, but I don’t like it.

The 4-way mod controller doesn’t slide easily, and its springs don’t return it to center very well.

It works well enough, but I wish I’d bought a MIDI Fighter instead.

CRAKROX

That’s the first “real life” review I’ve read and it’s disappointing as the controller isn’t cheap and I’d expected it to be more like the price of the minim (£80 if I remember correctly).

steve99

@CRAKROX said:
That’s the first “real life” review I’ve read and it’s disappointing as the controller isn’t cheap and I’d expected it to be more like the price of the minim (£80 if I remember correctly).

I have one and really like it - I take it everywhere with me, you can’t beat it for portability and it’s very versatile. I’ve even had it stuck to my guitar, although that was perhaps overkill.

It is expensive, but I think it delivers on what it promises - if you want more it’s probably not what you’re looking for.

My only desire would be for a physical on/off switch, but I’m apparently old school in that respect.

CRAKROX

I suppose it’s a try it for myself situation, I’ll be keeping my eyes peeled for a secondhand one on eBay.

MobileMusicPro

Yah overall I just wish the velocity was a bit higher or in other words I wish the buttons were a bit more sensitive, I'm used to things like the akai mpd and the ipad screen but still it's very usable and because of the form factor it will certainly still have a place in either my living room studio or with me on the go. The bluetooth midi is of course low latency as bluetooth midi has been figured out for years and years now, it's just bluetooth audio that still has a ways to go. But overall I like it and look forward to future iterations.

mjcouche

So what does this provide over a 3D Touch iPhone using GeoShred to control…anything? Or Xequence Pads?

mistercharlie

@CRAKROX said:
That’s the first “real life” review I’ve read and it’s disappointing as the controller isn’t cheap and I’d expected it to be more like the price of the minim (£80 if I remember correctly).

At £80 it would be worth it, maybe. It’s a shame it’s not better, as the size is great, and once you work it out, the UI isn’t bad. I thought it would be good for Koala, but in the end I prefer the touch screen.

MobileMusicPro

@mjcouche said:
So what does this provide over a 3D Touch iPhone using GeoShred to control…anything? Or Xequence Pads?

Physical buttons.

wahnfrieden

@MobileMusicPro said:
Yah overall I just wish the velocity was a bit higher

Did you try configuring it to be more sensitive? I recall the manual having a setting for that

MobileMusicPro

@wahnfrieden said:

@MobileMusicPro said:
Yah overall I just wish the velocity was a bit higher

Did you try configuring it to be more sensitive? I recall the manual having a setting for that

As I mentioned in the video there are a couple of different presets but none are as sensitive as I would prefer.

mistercharlie

@MobileMusicPro said:

@wahnfrieden said:

@MobileMusicPro said:
Yah overall I just wish the velocity was a bit higher

Did you try configuring it to be more sensitive? I recall the manual having a setting for that

As I mentioned in the video there are a couple of different presets but none are as sensitive as I would prefer.

Same. Even at the highest sensitivity I still have to give those buttons a good whack. I ended turning off midi velocity in Koala to fix it.

gosnote

@mistercharlie said:

@MobileMusicPro said:

@wahnfrieden said:

@MobileMusicPro said:
Yah overall I just wish the velocity was a bit higher

Did you try configuring it to be more sensitive? I recall the manual having a setting for that

As I mentioned in the video there are a couple of different presets but none are as sensitive as I would prefer.

Same. Even at the highest sensitivity I still have to give those buttons a good whack. I ended turning off midi velocity in Koala to fix it.

I changed the actuation threshold level on mine from the default value (69) all the way down to 1 and still I am not quite happy with the sensitivity:

https://support.birdkids.io/hc/en-gb/articles/4722841475345-Changing-the-Actuation-Threshold-Level-on-the-Performance-Matrix-4x4-

wahnfrieden

Thanks for clarifying. Got mine but haven’t used it yet. There are simply no good other options for Bluetooth midi with velocity suitable for both keys and drums (Korg is mid, the indie MPE one that’s now no longer produced is unreliable without USB)

wahnfrieden

Maybe you would like an adjust curve though if you’re satisfied with the lowest activation levels. There are midi tool auv3 for this

pr4y_4_beats

@MobileMusicPro said:
Birdkids have released an ultra portable MIDI controller that fits in your pocket and it’s incredibly expressive. Here’s our first impressions and a quick tutorial on how to use it with your iPhone or iPad.

Do you know of any similar midi controllers built for portability but maybe better in the velocity area? Like, I’m trying to find the perfect controller for koala and also playing keys, while on the go. So small, affordable, reliable, good sensitivity?

Someone needs to make one. Maybe I’ll just buy an arduino kit and build one and have my brother in laws 3d printing company make the shell for it.. although I totally don’t want to do that I’m really unmotivated with coding and arduino stuff I want to focus more on the music lol

jazzmess

Well you should look into the ESI XJAM, but it’s not bluetooth. Great piece of kit. Very good sensitivity, portable and durable. I bought 2 offrgrids and I find them overpriced given their quality and the absence of warranty (thank you KS for this. Will never back a project again because of this).

israelite

Cool but missing knobs to be super cool

MobileMusicPro

@pr4y_4_beats said:

@MobileMusicPro said:
Birdkids have released an ultra portable MIDI controller that fits in your pocket and it’s incredibly expressive. Here’s our first impressions and a quick tutorial on how to use it with your iPhone or iPad.

Do you know of any similar midi controllers built for portability but maybe better in the velocity area? Like, I’m trying to find the perfect controller for koala and also playing keys, while on the go. So small, affordable, reliable, good sensitivity?

Someone needs to make one. Maybe I’ll just buy an arduino kit and build one and have my brother in laws 3d printing company make the shell for it.. although I totally don’t want to do that I’m really unmotivated with coding and arduino stuff I want to focus more on the music lol

Hard to go wrong with iRig Pads.

MobileMusicPro

@jazzmess said:
Well you should look into the ESI XJAM, but it’s not bluetooth. Great piece of kit. Very good sensitivity, portable and durable. I bought 2 offrgrids and I find them overpriced given their quality and the absence of warranty (thank you KS for this. Will never back a project again because of this).

Really want one of these.

wahnfrieden

@israelite said:
Cool but missing knobs to be super cool

I pair my Offgrid with an EC-4 for synth and effect controls (wireless thanks to WIDI UHost and a tiny USB power pack), and TX-6 for channel knobs