Just over a year ago, Livid Instruments ended a successful Kickstarter campaign to bring its Guitar Wing wireless controller to life. The device is attached to the lower horn of an electric guitar or bass to enable wireless control of apps and DAWs running on a computer. After working closely with Apple engineers, the company has now announced support for the new Bluetooth LE MIDI protocol for Yosemite OS X and iOS 8.
Available to buy direct from the company since September of last year, the Guitar Wing sports three faders, five pressure-sensitive pads, 10 buttons, and a 3D motion sensor that can be used to control functions in software plugins, digital audio workstations, iOS apps, MIDI effects units and even lighting and visual platforms. It promises eight hours of use from its rechargeable battery.
It comes supplied with a USB Receiver that's plugged into a computer running any software that supports MIDI and, as the controller is a Class Compliant USB-MIDI device, it should work without the need to install drivers. For Apple device users, this latest update essentially means that Guitar Wing users can leave that USB Receiver in the box and directly connect to their OS X or iOS devices over Bluetooth LE.
"There were a number of technical challenges in this, but we wanted to shield our users from any transition, and make it as simple as a firmware update," said Livid's Chief of Engineering, Justin Moon. "As a result, all Guitar Wing users will benefit from the update, and the ones with Apple gear are going to have a great new way to use the Wing."
Existing users will need to ensure the firmware is v1.10 or higher to take advantage of the new functionality. For players yet to fly with the Guitar Wing, the controller carries a suggested retail price of US$199.
Source: Livid Instruments
