Image Credit: Uwyn

Uwyn’s new MIDI Tape Recorder records and plays back performances with the same accuracy and precision as audio recordings.

“Most modern DAWs, even at their highest resolution, still change the timing of MIDI messages to accommodate for their editing features. These changes impact the playback of your performance as MIDI messages get reordered and delayed, causing changes in how they influence sound, sometimes in very significant ways.” MIDI Tape Recorder, a free Audio Unit v3 plugin, takes a different approach to MIDI recording.

Like an audio recorder, MIDI Tape Recorder records performances exactly as you play them, accurately reproducing every nuance of your performance. The plugin ditches the note editing, quantization and individual CC tweaking of other MIDI recorders, to give you only the features you need, allowing the plugin to capture and playback expressive and dense MIDI streams, with MPE controllers and MPE MIDI plugins.

By stripping down the plugin to its essential features, MIDI Tape Recorder is also easy to use. With simple and intuitive controls, similar to a traditional four-track audio recorder, the app is fun to record, playback and loop MIDI performances. Here’s the full feature list from Uwyn.

  • Four independent tracks for recording MIDI channel voice messages
  • Sample accurate MIDI recording and playback
  • Real-time display of active recorded notes and other received messages
  • MPE support
  • Multi-level undo and redo
  • Overdub recording
  • Punch in and punch out recording for automated regional overdubbing
  • Automated storage and recall of all recordings inside the AUv3 host project
  • MIDI file import and export for the project or each individual track
  • Repeated playback with start and stop locators
  • AUv3 parameters for all controls
  • Snap to beat option for positioning playhead and start/stop locators
  • Detection of MPE configuration message (MCM) reception for each track
  • Envoy of MCM at start of play or when pressing the track’s MPE button
  • Host transport and host tempo sync
  • Clear all recordings or clear a single track
  • Crop session to new duration
  • Fully resizable UI
  • Activity indicators for MIDI input and output on each track
  • Optional tool tips for every operation
  • Optional per-track record enable, input monitoring, and mute
  • Four virtual MIDI cable inputs if the AUv3 host supports it
  • Support for AUv3 user presets if the host supports it
  • Optional routing of first virtual MIDI cable to all tracks
  • Fully open-sourced under Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International, an approved Free Culture License

MIDI Tape Recorder requires an AUv3 host to function. The App Store notes that the plugin currently works in Logic Pro X on some computers, but updates are on the way. MIDI Tape Recorder is free and open-source. Find the source code on GitHub here. Help fund future updates by donating to the developer here. Full documentation and FAQs can be found on Uwyn.