Control your guitar rig using a piece of paper with the Poly Expressive MIDI foot controller

More and more musicians are integrating MIDI switching systems into their rigs, but we’re pretty confident none offer the flexibility of the Poly Expressive, which allows you to print off a piece of paper to reconfigure your rig and deliver full XY control of settings.

It sounds pretty out-there, but Chroma Coda’s Poly Expressive gives players horizontal, vertical and pressure control over external devices, which is determined using an app; then print off an A3 or ledger piece of paper, slide it into the PE’s sleeve, and you’re set.

Each curve/taper can be customised, as can the size of each XY segment, and the big plus of using paper is that you can easily swap between ’boards.

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A photo posted by on on Nov 20, 2017 at 9:12pm PST

Poly Expressive has tested the device with many pedal brands, amps (including Axe-Fx and Kemper), plus DAWs such as Bitwig Studio and Ableton Live.

It should be straightforward to integrate into most pedalboard rigs, too, since the whole system is powered by a standard 9V output at 100mA.

The device is currently seeking funding on Kickstarter, where $349 secures you a Poly Expressive of your very own.

Michael Astley-Brown

Mike is Editor-in-Chief of GuitarWorld.com, in addition to being an offset fiend and recovering pedal addict. He has a master's degree in journalism, and has spent the past decade writing and editing for guitar publications including MusicRadar, Total Guitar and Guitarist, as well as a decade-and-a-half performing in bands of variable genre (and quality). In his free time, you'll find him making progressive instrumental rock under the nom de plume Maebe.

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