We’ve got something a little different for you today, something that’s a brand-new design, and just may totally change the MIDI landscape in the effects world. POLY Expressive is a MIDI foot controller, but one like you’ve never seen before. Using specific direction, position and pressure commands, all executed hands-free with your feet, this genius invention allows you to really open up the MIDI capabilities locked away in your pedals, changing how you approach your sound, and what you can do with it instantaneously.
Using the Setup App over Wi-Fi on your computer, it’s fairly easy to pick and choose what functions will work in which area, as well as do updates, change pedals and more. Since the entire surface is programmable, you can choose different box layouts as well, then assign different pedals’ MIDI functions to a specific box or boxes. Once your layout is complete, you can print out a plain or fancy paper sheet that slides right under the clear plastic top, for excellent visualization of your creation.
Using the supplied MIDI-to-3.5mm cable, you can hook up directly into one pedal, or use a MIDIBox to connect all of your pedals to, then connect it to the POLY. You can then send clock, control change, program change, note on/off, aftertouch and pitch bend messages, to control various aspects of your pedals’ parameters. Use POLY wired or via Bluetooth, and you can even daisy chain multiple POLYs together wirelessly if need be.
Made of a polycarbonate and aluminum composite, POLY Expressive is TOUGH. It uses high-quality components and Switchcraft jacks as well, to ensure a lifetime of MIDI controlling bliss. Looking to get into MIDI but don’t have any pedals that need controlling just yet? There’s a MIDI-to-Expression-Pedal converter available, too, for use with pedals like the Pigtronix Mothership 2 or Strymon El Capistan, pedals that feature an expression pedal input. You can even use this converter WITHOUT POLY, allowing for control of 2 expression pedal-capable pedals at once.
Currently testing with pedal lineups from Chase Bliss Audio (check out our demo below), Pigtronix, Eventide, Strymon, Empress and more, POLY is working towards having default controls and boards for major pedals across the world. While the demo below will give you a taste of what POLY can do, this is a must-have piece of equipment if you are in the MIDI game at all, and one that must be explored to be believed. Thanks to the entire POLY Expressive crew, especially our pal Loki, with whom we worked to bring this review to life, and without whom our MIDI-challenged brains might not have been able to pull off 🙂 Cheers!
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