8 Legendary* Midi Controllers YOU should know about.

We here at Ten Pound Sterling understand that unique music is channeled through MIDI, the greatest hit records of our time and the past have been written around epic, extensive, and expensive drum machines and sequencers. We plan on reimaging midi capabilities with true human interaction, but lets pay homage to the past and the present by listing 8 Legendary Midi controllers and Drum Machines that you should know about!

#8
Rolands TR-808

This beast of a drum machine has a cult following due to its versatility and the capability of sculpting personal tone, the sonic capabilities are almost endless and it was a cost effective drum machine at the time of release in the 1980's. There are countless hits composed with this machine, including Marvin Gaye's "Sexual Healing", and every song on Kanye West's album "808s & Heartbreak" The TR-808 has a modern successor called the TR-8 which is superiorly crafted and much less expensive, The TR-8 also has a DJ Controller as well. Yet the TR-808 is still one of the most influential music inventions of all time, and will continue to inspire generations to come.

#7
Alesis HR-16B

Alesis is known for price effective quality without any compromises in sound, their flagship line of drum machines in the 1987 did just that! Costing a fraction of the competition's product, while holstering a whooping 49 sounds that could be resampled and sequenced. This American company gave musical access to home studio users and provided sounds that anyone could easily use without studying complex interfaces. Music should not be expressed only by a select few musical elite, but by all those capable; Showing homage to a drum machine that does just that is the reason why this controller makes the list.

#6
AFISHALS Tremor Drum Kit.

This MIDI Controller is a behemoth! Boasting and upholding 16 large drum heads with RGB Lighting canisters that react to sound, The Tremor is one of a kind and custom. Created, Used, and Toured on by AFISHAL; he performs live remixes of popular songs such as "Avici's Wake Me Up(

) "and original tracks inspired by his musical background and corporate interests.
This MIDI controller is sync'd with Ableton Live to trigger pre-recorded elements at the stroke of an RGB Backlit Drumstick.
This is the only MIDI controller you can not find on the market within this list, but is still incredibly note-worthy.

#5
Misa Kitara - Tri Bass

This Keytar makes the list for its innovation with touch-screen and fretboard modulation capabilities. Created by a Single Man named Michael out of Sydney Australia, the MISA Brand is rare and under found. Yet the Kitara made waves literally, with 24 frets and string based emulation as well allowing people to integrate seamlessly with any DAW & VST to jam along with their favorite pieces. The built in effects are awesome, and so is the pressure sensitivity
and accuracy of the touchpad on the Mahogany wood Body. The Kitara has been long discontinued but has a successor which can still be purchased called the Tri-Bass, which has fewer emulated strings, and more frets. This keytar is far superior to your traditional key-based keytar and makes guitarist and bassists feel right at home, which is why the MISA Kitara midi controller makes the list.

#4
NaoNet Crystal Ball

Just like the T8, NaoNet has the right ideal when it comes to integrating Human Movement and Gestures to trigger MIDI Events. The Crystal Ball looks like something out of a Sci-fi Movie, while being extremely cost-effective. NaoNet packed 5 Optical Sensors into the controller and a 24 playable pad matrix for seamless engineering
to integrate scenes triggers and musical notes as well. Forget Faders and Knobs, just use your hands and watch the crowd react to your magical movement and intuition! NaoNets Crystal Ball is unlike any other controller on the market which is what allows it to stand above the crowd and make this legendary listing.

#3
ROLI Seabord Rise

Sand is quite grainy, high in sodium, and can come in many different shapes, sizes, & color. ROLI Decided to turn sands shape into an innovative MIDI controller that blows its competition out of the water and allows keyboardist's & pianist’s alike to play in a different fashion. The Seaboard Rise is entirely unique with depth and pressure sensitivity
On the forefront of its engineering, the board feels organic and its format is designed for legato stylings with 5 Dimensions of Touch. You can dig & wiggle your finger into the sand for natural vibrato to taste,
the faders and modulation matrix are just as intuitive. The Seaboard is compact, lightweight, and can generate sounds you couldn't possibly believe with your favorite VST's.

#2
Akai MPC X

Akai is known for the MPC, its been around since the 1980's and the kings of finger drumming know the name very well.
The Next Evolution of the MPC finally here, a Standalone MPC with a built in computer and dedicated DAW for Arranging and Mixing Laptop/computer free with the option to plug in via USB as well.
with 16gb of internal data for saves, and 10gb of high quality sounds. The X has a 10" inch Touch Screen LCD Display for editing your tracks and changing modes with your 16 knob & pad matrix.
This iconic X is a midi manipulator in itself, with 2 midi in's and 4 midi outs allowing you to add your favorite pieces of gear to a device that is already midi capable. Weighting just under 15 pounds, this legendary titan of a Drum Machine is destined to be a part of every serious producers studio.

#1
Remidi T8

The T8 is a glove based midi controller that is set to rival the MI.MU gloveset. The Remidi T8 has gesture based input along with pressure sensitive pads along the finger tips and palm.
Allowing people to create music by hitting their fingers on their head, body, instrument, even clasping their hands together and shifting the plane of movement; which is a revolutionary ideal that any musician
could integrate with their live-shows. The Remidi T8 is completely unique in format and brings natural human movement to your hit records and gigs, We here at Remidi are definitely pushing the boundaries of
MIDI Capability in the most lightweight form along with Wearable Technology. The Bluetooth module within the wristband communicates with your computer & spandex glove wirelessly, allowing you to move with ease.
Seamless integration is inevitable with your DAW's, DJ & VJ software. Remidi currently expanding manufacturing capabilities and refining their mobile application for on the go music making awesomeness on your Andriod
or Iphone.