The Best MIDI Controllers for Synths, Guitars, and More (2026)

One needn’t enjoy the music of Rush to respect the multitasking that happens while the Canadian prog trio (RIP Neil Peart) was onstage spinning impeccable note-for-note re-creations of their studio work. A key component of bassist/vocalist Geddy Lee’s workflow was the Moog Taurus, which is an archaic monophonic synthesizer that’s controlled by an octave’s worth of organ-like foot pedals that sit on the ground under his rack of synthesizers, which he later transitioned to a MIDI-controlled Ableton-enabled computer.

Newer, heavier bands like Brutus and Russian Circles have carried the torch, the latter utilizing a vintage Taurus up until a band of tweakers ransacked their trailer in 2021. Brian Cook, the bassist of the instrumental metal trio, has since been reunited with his beloved Taurus, but in the meantime he utilized a Keith McMillen Instruments 12 Step paired with a Moog Minotaur Model to re-create the squelching, thundering low-end he’s famous for wielding while he plays a baritone guitar with his hands.

The 12 Step 2 expands on the original with five-pin DIN input and output, as well as expanded expression options with each of the 12 pedals that are laid out just like an octave on a keyboard. Both the pressure and the tilt of each pedal can be mapped to unique CCs, allowing things like filter, attack, and resonance to be adjusted as you bear down on each press. The computer-based editor is simple to understand, and each pedal can send chords with up to five notes each for a richer sound with minimal tap dancing. You’ll need your own module to generate sounds with the MIDI messages sent by each pedal, but the USB output can be routed into a phone, tablet, or laptop for easy control of synth plugins on any sort of device you have. The 12 Step 2 is light, durable, and thin, making it easy to drop on top of your guitar pedals before you stash them in a road case for safe keeping. The same can’t be said about a Moog Taurus or the Roland PK-6, which is 3 inches high and 10 pounds, versus the 12 Step 2, which is 1 inch high and only 1.25 pounds.