Let’s be honest, arpeggiators can sometimes feel like an afterthought. Many synthesizers include them, but more often than not, they’re simple, one-trick ponies with limited control and little personality. They’ll feel tacked on and not something that was truly given any thought in the first place. So when the passionate and creative Chris Brown (no, not that Chris Brown), decided to create his Midicake ARP where the sole focus is on being a generative arpeggiation machine, I was extremely intrigued. In discussing the need for this machine, here’s what Chris had to say:
“After 20+ years of making computer music, I wanted to change it up and focus on more live/real-time compositions. I took a leap into the world of synths and sequencers (I finally had some money saved up). This was hugely rewarding. It opened up a whole new dimension, and I love it.
However, I started to feel a limitation in “DAWless Jamming” that was… well… not having enough hands to control and direct the performance. I saw a need for a controller that added more layers to live performances without needing constant input. I tried the NDLR, which is a great bit of kit, but it didn’t fit the workflow I had in mind. l’d been playing around with DIY MIDI controllers, and I started experimenting. The Midicake ARP is the result of those efforts.”
The years of hard work and experimenting feel evident upon first opening up the package. Midicake ARP feels like a labor of love—engineered with care and packed with enough flexibility to make both studio nerds and live performers giddy. From the moment you take it out of the box, the ARP oozes quality and capability. But what makes this little box so impressive isn’t just what it does today—it’s how frequently it evolves, thanks to a firmware roadmap that keeps pushing the envelope. Let’s dig into what makes the Midicake ARP a great purchase.
A Hardware Arpeggiator, Reimagined
At first glance, the ARP looks like a compact, slightly futuristic pad controller. This box houses four fully independent, polyphonic arpeggiator tracks, each of which can run its own rhythm, chord structure, and play mode. You’re not stacking arps with zero variability here (that would be a bit of a waste wouldn’t it?)—instead, you’re crafting intricate, generative performances in real time.
Each of the four channels can be assigned to its own MIDI channel, allowing you to control up to eight devices simultaneously (four channels, over two MIDI outputs). And because each channel operates independently, you could be sequencing chords on one, pads on another, and two wild rhythm lines on the rest—all without breaking a sweat. You get full control over the length, direction, gate time, swing, and more for each pattern, and it’s all tweakable on the fly via tactile knobs and a bright OLED display.
Build Quality That Stands Out
But as I mentioned earlier, this thing feels like it’s built like a tank. I must say, given that many indie manufacturers tend to prefer plastic or cheaper materials, this feels like Chris spared no expense in craftifing the Midicake Arp. The unit is housed in a sleek, aluminum enclosure with beautifully soft rubber buttons that give just the right amount of tactile feedback. The knobs are firm and responsive, and the overall presentation feels thoughtful from top to bottom, even down to a lovely little note on the back plate, from Chris himself.
The device is VESA mountable (100mm) and takes up minimal real estate on your desk or rig. You power it via USB (no external power needed), and you get standard MIDI In/Out/Thru via 5-pin DIN, as well as USB MIDI in both directions. There’s even a USB-A host port, so you can plug in a MIDI keyboard directly for instant playing or live performance input.
Three Modes, Infinite Potential
However, as I mentioned,m ARP isn’t just about repeating notes in different directions. It operates in three core modes—Arp, Chord, and Pad—each unlocking a different style of performance. Arp mode is what you’d expect, but with deep parameter control and modulations that go well beyond the basics. Chord mode lets you trigger predefined or custom chords, turning ARP into a powerful harmonic sequencer. Pad mode is more about triggering blocks of MIDI data, and it’s ideal for creating supporting textures or triggering complex layered sounds.
What makes these modes so fun is how seamlessly you can switch between them, even within a performance. You can chain chord progressions, invert them on the fly, and use a clever “voice leading” system that intelligently transitions between notes to make everything sound musical, no matter how wild you get.
Modulation, Macros, and Madness
Each track in ARP has its pair of modulators that work like LFOs but go far beyond traditional wave shapes. These modulators can be assigned to nearly any parameter: gate length, swing, direction, velocity, pattern length—you name it. A third modulation source called the “FX Modulator” provides step-based modulation with randomized or predefined sequences, enabling evolving patterns with a natural, expressive feel.
Then there are the Macro knobs: four encoders you can assign to multiple parameters across tracks. These let you sculpt big, sweeping changes with a twist—perfect for live sets or real-time jams. Thanks to recent firmware updates, the Macro knobs can also be configured to send external MIDI CC messages—giving you hands-on control over other synths, effects, or DAW parameters alongside sequencing.
A Living Instrument: Constantly Evolving
One of the most admirable aspects of the Midicake ARP is how the Midicake of today, may not be the same Midicake of tomorrow. Chris is constantly tinkering based on feedback, and his own personal wishlist, and as such firmware updates are frequent—not just for bug fixes, but for meaningful new features. The most recent major firmware update (v8) introduced a significantly expanded chord engine, allowing up to 12-step chord progressions, real-time chord inversions, and intelligent voice leading to smooth transitions between harmonies.
While it’s not necessarily rare to see a device get post-release firmware support, it’s unique just how often and how substantial these updates are. Updates seem focused on consistently turning this device into something more than it was at its birth and 8 firmware versions later, this is quite a capable machine.
Studio and Live Compatibility
Whether you’re DAW-bound or rocking a hardware rig, ARP plays nice with nearly anything. It supports MIDI clock sync (both in and out), MIDI Thru, and real-time control. Want it to follow your DAW’s clock? No problem. Prefer ARP to act as the clock source for your synths or grooveboxes? Just as simple.
USB MIDI means it works with software instruments right out of the box, and the DIN ports ensure seamless integration with synths, samplers, grooveboxes, or anything else with MIDI support. Thanks to its USB-A host port, you can plug in a MIDI keyboard directly without the need for a computer at all—ideal for live rigs. The only notable omission is CV/Gate support, so analog synth users will need a MIDI-to-CV converter in the chain.
Creative Possibilities Are Endless
It’s hard to overstate just how fun and creatively liberating the Midicake ARP can be. With four independent tracks, each with their own timing, modulation, and mode, you’re free to build entire arrangements that morph and evolve in ways that feel human. It’s not just sequencing—it’s composition on autopilot, with enough control to steer the results in musical directions.
From ambient textures to IDM grooves, film scoring beds to dancefloor arps, there are countless ways to make the ARP sing. You can pair it with older Elektron machines (where the older versions did not have arpeggiation) to add arpeggiation where none exists. Or use it to generate unexpected harmonic content that inspires entire songs. There’s a real sense of play and experimentation baked into the design, and it rewards curiosity with beautiful surprises.
Pricing and Value
The Midicake ARP is officially priced at £335 GBP (excluding VAT) when purchased directly from Midicake’s UK-based online shop. Depending on your location, this typically translates to around $450 USD (as of 05/14/2025) after currency conversion and shipping.
It’s only available directly through Midicake’s online shop, so you’ll want to factor in shipping and any import duties depending on your region.
It’s not mass-produced, and it’s not a stripped-down budget option. It’s a boutique-grade, hand-crafted product built with care and intention by a single developer who truly understands the needs of musicians.
Final Thoughts
Overall, given its frequent updates, great feature set and magnificent build quality, the Midicake ARP stands out as a thoughtful, high-quality, endlessly inspiring piece of kit. But more than that, it’s a testament to what small, passionate creators can accomplish. The fact that one person made all of this, is something worth applauding.
In a sea of releases from heavy hitters with hundreds or even thousands of employees, we value any chance we can get to feature smaller creators like Chris, and we hope you will too. Give the Midicake a try, we think you’ll find it as fun as we did.
Midicake ARP is available now at midicake.com.
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