Misa Introduces Tri-Bass MIDI Controller

Australian company Misa is all about enabling live bands to play electronic music, and their new Tri-Bass is a great example of that.

Misa Tri-Bass MIDI Controller

The Misa Tri-Bass is a MIDI controller built for use with synthesizers or computers while fundamentally feeling like a bass. It has two main parts: a touch sensitive neck with three “strings” and a touch screen on the body. In standard playing mode, the touch screen has four sections to control four MIDI channels for different sounds while the neck controls pitch.

Tapping on one of the four sections plays the corresponding sound from your synth. The note can be sustained by dragging your finger upwards on the section. More tweaking to your effects can be done by dragging your finger across the x-axis. Besides standard mode, the Tri-Bass has a sample pad mode that divides the screen into six sections like a sample pad and another alternative mode for sliding chords with portamento.

The Tri-Bass is built from wood to give a more traditional feel to its futuristic features. It runs on a rechargeable internal battery, but also comes with a power adapter, MIDI cable and a MIDI-to-USB cable.

Misa Tri-Bass MIDI Controller back

The Misa Tri-Bass is made in Sydney, Australia. It’s available for $650 ($180 for shipping) with a current wait time around 7 to 8 weeks. For more info, check out the Misa website.

Misa Tri-Bass Details:

  • MIDI Controller – (makes no sound of its own)
  • Touch Sensitive Neck
  • Touch Screen
  • Wooden construction
  • Internal Rechargeable Battery
  • MIDI Cable, USB-to-MIDI Cable Included

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Leave a Reply to Filip Stevens Cancel reply

  1. definitely not what we mean, when we say “bass” but still powerfull instrument, surely will be used by artist, who are seeking fresh sounds and unconventional ideas, I’d like to have some fun with one, but still I prefer standard bass.

  2. Looks 50% fun 50% dumb

  3. I am totally stoked for this. Their first product was the Kitara which was more guitar like. I suggested a couple of years ago a bass version since we are typically pressed into playing key bass as well. In my case about 40% of a nights material is on keys and I suck at keys. This is the perfect solution for me. The price is great (compared to the kitara). Tracking is perfect and the ability to control 4 synths at a time is really powerful.

  4. I can’t wait to get my hands on one of these.

  5. It does not really have the scale length of a bass.

  6. useless, nothing better than normal bass…

  7. I wonder how good it would be for Notation in programs like Finale or Sibelius?
    Seems pretty cool.

  8. I feel that it will be hard to find a spot in a band for this. I also feel that it doesn’t really meet the specs of what a bass is.

  9. Once again I feel it necessary to point out that not all music that a musician can dream up requires the same instrument every time. We often see “Fender P-Bass” purists dissing anything that isn’t a P-Bass….. and 4 string players pissing on anything with one string more. Well the same applies to electronics. Here is an instrument that in most situations it would be used in would likely wind up in the hands of the “Bassist” , simply because (despite its electronic nature) it most resembles a conventional bass. Most of what we do as Bassists is a cognitive thing not an instrument thing….. if I played the Saxophone… I’d play it with all the thought process of a Bassist…. If I play this instrument, I will approach it with all the thought process of a bassist. Therefore it is, for all intents and purposes, a bass. Which tool you hold in your hands is only as important as it’s ability to get your musical ideas out to the listening audience. The right tool is the one that accomplishes that act.

  10. I dig it. I could see using this on dance tunes.

  11. Awesome. Put another “string” on there, and I’m sold.

  12. I think this looks fun :)

  13. There are so many small minded comments on this thread that it actually saddens me slightly, come on people open up a bit.

  14. Is this available for Xbox or PlayStation?

  15. Very Nice to play dancemusic

  16. Following on from my comment further down below “I can’t wait to get my hands on one of these.” … I got my hands on one ^_^

    Here it is: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PQOKqjaVXfw