Setup instructions for confirmed compatible DAWs and synths.
MIDISketch hosts your synth inside itself, so whether the DAW speaks MPE natively does not matter. It loads as an instrument, you draw in its roll, and the synth inside hears every note bend on its own channel.
| DAW | Status | VST3 | AU | AAX |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FL Studio 20+ | Confirmed | ✓ | · | · |
| Ableton Live 11+ | Confirmed | ✓ | · | · |
| Logic Pro | Confirmed | · | ✓ | · |
| Reaper | Confirmed | ✓ | · | · |
| Bitwig Studio | Confirmed | ✓ | · | · |
| Studio One 5+ | Confirmed | ✓ | · | · |
| Cubase / Nuendo 12+ | Confirmed | ✓ | · | · |
| Pro Tools | Confirmed | ✓* | · | ✓ |
| GarageBand (Mac) | Confirmed | · | ✓ | · |
| Reason 12+ | Confirmed | ✓ | · | · |
* In Pro Tools the VST3 runs inside a VST3 host loaded as AAX (Blue Cat PatchWork and similar wrappers). The native AAX build needs no wrapper: get it on the Pro Tools page.
Primary development target. FL Studio has no MPE output of its own, which is the exact gap MIDISketch fills: load it as a VST3 instrument, host your synth inside it, and every note carries its own bend. No extra routing to set up.
Tested and fully compatible. Live has its own MPE pipeline too, so MIDISketch can drive Live’s instruments as well as the synth you host inside it. Drag and drop MIDI export works seamlessly.
Loads as an AU. Logic hosts Audio Units only, so the VST3 from the same installer is for other DAWs. The recommended way is MIDISketch MIDI FX on your synth's track. You can also load MIDISketch as an instrument and host your synth inside it.
Officially supported since MIDISketch v0.7. REAPER’s flexible routing makes it an excellent host for MPE output.
Loads as a VST3 or a CLAP. The CLAP build is the one that gives Bitwig native per-note output into its own instruments. Bitwig has strong MPE routing of its own, so both the internal synth host and Bitwig’s own instruments work.
Loads as a VST3. Piano-key preview while the transport is stopped was fixed for Studio One in v0.9.8.
Loads as a VST3 in Cubase and Nuendo 12+.
MIDISketch runs in Pro Tools as a native AAX plugin on Windows and macOS. It is signed with PACE, so it loads in a normal Pro Tools install. Get it and the install steps on the Pro Tools page. A VST3 host loaded as AAX (Blue Cat PatchWork and similar wrappers) with MIDISketch inside it works too.
Loads as a VST3 in Reason 12+.
GarageBand for Mac only, on a desktop or laptop. GarageBand for iPhone and iPad cannot load desktop plugins. Loads as an AU instrument. GarageBand has no MPE of its own, so the sound comes from inside MIDISketch: host a VST3 or AU synth in it, or play the built-in MIDISketch Synth or a SoundFont. Every note keeps its own bend.
Setting up a synth? Synth Setup has the MPE steps for every synth MIDISketch knows, searchable.
Basic MIDI (notes, velocity, sustain) works with virtually every instrument plugin out of the box, no special setup needed. However, for advanced MPE features like per-note pitch bending, gliding notes, pitch points, and MPE XYZ controls (Slide, Pressure), your synth must support MPE and have it enabled.
The synths listed below have been tested with full MPE support.
Full MPE support enabled by default in Serum 2. Pitch bend range is already set to 48. No configuration needed, just load and play.
Serum 1 requires manual MPE activation. Click the MENU button in the top right, select "MPE enabled" from the dropdown list, and ensure you set the pitch bend range to 48 semitones (located at the bottom of the menu dropdown).
Setup steps
Vital supports MPE but it must be manually enabled. Go to the ADVANCED tab, then look in the bottom-left corner for the "MPE ENABLED" button.
Setup steps
Vital: go to the ADVANCED tab · bottom-left corner · enable MPE