What's New

Updated for new iOS versions

App Description

MIDIFlute is an Irish Flute/Whistle MIDI controller for the iPad.

The fingerings are based on those used for the 6-hole keyless Irish flute or whistle.

MIDIFlute doesn't produce any sound on its own, it is designed for playing hardware and software VST-style MIDI synthesizers via a CoreMIDI compatible interface connected to the dock connector or virtual MIDI instruments like Roland Sound Canvas for iOS, IK Multimedia SampleTank®, or Sonosaurus ThumbJam running on your iPad.

IMPORTANT: Since this app requires as many as 8 fingers on the screen at the same time, before playing, disable "Multitasking Gestures" on your iPad (in the iPad Settings app, under the General section, turn the Multitasking Gestures switch to the off position).

Please visit the app support website to see some live demo videos and for the settings you will need to enable in the synth app you are using to have it work with the control surface.

To get started playing, first show the on-screen hole labels by touching the '?' icon at the lower right corner of the screen.

Start by touching the top half of the flute starting with the tips of your left index, middle, and ring fingers on holes #6, 5, and 4. The holes light up when touched.

Next touch the bottom half of the flute with the tips of your right index, middle, and ring fingers, on holes #3, 2, and 1.

To play the second octave, touch the "Octave" bar next to the flute with your left little finger while using the same fingerings as the first octave.

Touch the "Stop" bar at the top of the screen with your left thumb to stop the sound while fingering a note. This can be used for repeated notes in the place of doing a cut or tap.

Finger vibrato may be done with the middle finger of the right hand on many notes. The amount of vibrato is adjustable using the MIDI control sliders.

Touch the "Semitone Down" bar next the flute with the right little finger to lower the pitch one semitone. This may be used to play the notes F-natural, G#, D#, and Bb.

Touch the MIDI icon at the bottom left corner of the screen to show/hide the MIDI controls. All settings are saved and restored the next time the app is run.

You may select the volume, attack velocity, vibrato depth and MIDI chanel using the sliders.

The entire range may be transposed up or down up to one octaves (zero transpose is "C") in semitone increments using the transpose slider.

Use the "Transmit MIDI Port" switch to choose between "Omni" sending MIDI data to all CoreMIDI apps (matches previous versions of MIDIFlute) or "Virtual Port" sending to a named CoreMIDI virtual output port. When the "Virtual Port option is selected, MIDIFlute will show up as an input option in apps that support virtual ports like Sonosaurus ThumbJam and MidiBridge. "Omni" mode is selected by default.

All MIDI settings are saved when the app quits and restored the next time it is run.

Touch the 'Shhh' icon at the top left to send a MIDI "All Notes Off" message quiet any "stuck" notes if they occur.

Settings for use with other MIDI synthesizer apps:

Sonosaurus ThumbJam:

- In "Preferences", under "Options", enabled "Background Audio".

If using the "Virtual Port" transmit port option, enable the input port under Preferences / MIDI Control / MIDI Input Connections.

IK Multimedia SampleTank:

- In Settings (touch the gear icon), enable "Background Audio".

IK Multimedia iRig MIDI Hardware MIDI Interface:

- For simple direct connection, in MIDIFlute, set the "Transmit MIDI Port" option to "Omni" .

- If using a MIDI filtering app like MidiBridge to modify the data stream, in MIDIFlute, set the "Transmit MIDI Port" option to "Virtual Port".

Other CoreMIDI compatible synth apps will have similar settings.

Be sure to visit the AppCordions.com website for MIDI setup and demo videos!

iPad Screenshots

(click to enlarge)

MIDIFlute MIDI Controller screenshot 1 MIDIFlute MIDI Controller screenshot 2 MIDIFlute MIDI Controller screenshot 3

App Changes

  • November 22, 2012 Initial release
  • November 27, 2012 Price increase: $0.99 -> $4.99
  • November 30, 2012 Price decrease: $4.99 -> $0.99
  • December 05, 2012 Price increase: $0.99 -> $2.99
  • December 06, 2012 Price decrease: $2.99 -> FREE!
  • December 11, 2012 Price increase: FREE! -> $2.99
  • March 03, 2013 Price decrease: $2.99 -> $0.99
  • July 09, 2015 New version 3.0.1
  • January 04, 2016 Price increase: $0.99 -> $9.99
  • January 09, 2016 New version 3.1.1
  • February 03, 2016 Price decrease: $9.99 -> $4.99
  • February 23, 2016 New version 3.2.1
  • March 09, 2016 New version 3.3
  • June 13, 2019 New version 4.0
  • September 16, 2023 New version 5.0