Donner MEDO Bluetooth MIDI Controller, Portable Electronic Instrument | Chord, Sample, Lead, Bass, Drum | Built-in Looper and Synth | iOS, Mac, Windows, Android | USB Cable, Silicone Sleeve Included

I bought this not expecting a lot from it. However, it is very, very good and a really flexible music production tool. Well made and the App is excellent. In my opinion it is far better than the Artiphon ORBA.

The product works as advertised however I have had a few issues with the bluetooth connection dropping and occasionally the unit freezes and emits one note continuously. Some of the sounds are not that high quality and a lot are gimmicky like animal noises. However it's quite a lot of fun to play with. The drums are fun to use and the expression by wiggling your finger or tilting the unit is an interesting feature. It may be more useful when plugged into a DAW for controlling higher quality synth sounds. I have not yet used the accompanying software synth which allows you to make your own sound patches, that may improve the utility of the device. Not so useful for live use as to use the looper you need the metronome to keep in time. It may be useful in a live situation to add a small synth solo or something without having to lug bulky keyboards and this is the use I bought it for.

Easy to hook up to the app. Very impressed with the built-in speaker. Great portable ideas instrument.

Having dabbled in keyboards and guitars for years, I've always thought of myself as a bit of a novice when it comes to music creation. My limited understanding of music theory often made complex setups seem daunting. So, when I got the chance to try out the Donner MEDO Bluetooth MIDI Controller, I was really excited.From the moment I started using it, I found it surprisingly intuitive and easy to navigate. I could create simple tracks for my YouTube videos without any hassle. This was a real breakthrough for me, especially since I typically relied on copyright-free music and occasionally faced issues with those tracks. Now, I can effortlessly craft my own tunes without needing bulky keyboards!One of the MEDO's standout features is its compact size, which, combined with its impressive battery life and quick charging, makes it incredibly portable. I can take it with me anywhere, whether I'm at home or out and about.The gesture control feature truly adds a fun dimension to the experience. I love being able to shape sounds with movements like bends, slides, and shakes. This interactive way of making music breathes life into my tracks in ways I hadn't anticipated, making them sound much more polished. It's remarkable how these simple gestures can create such expressive performances.I genuinely believe the MEDO is perfect for everyone interested in creating music, regardless of their skill level. You don't need to be a pro to produce enjoyable tracks. It's a fantastic tool for creativity, allowing me to explore sound in a fun, straightforward manner. Plus, with its built-in looper and extensive sound library, the possibilities are endless.In summary, the Donner MEDO is not just a synthesiser; it's an invitation to dive into the joyful world of music creation. With its lightweight design, diverse sound options, and playful gesture controls, it inspires creativity and experimentation. Most importantly, it's simply fun to use - even for novices like me!

I find it incredible that such a small device can be so powerful. Looking at the photos and video in the listing, the photo with three people and a dog, I got the impression that this Donner Medo Midi was a toy. It’s not-it’s far, far more than that.It arrived yesterday and it’s been sat on the table by where I sit ever since and might very well sit there for a long time to come. It’s hard to put down. Every time I pick it up I find something new. I used the QR code in the instructions earlier today and gained access to a far more comprehensive set on the Donner website. So many different combinations of keys to plumb even greater depths of what this machine is capable of.I wondered how to to pronounce Medo. Meeedo or Meydow, it’s the second.Connecting to Donner Play adds yet another dimension to this machine. I already had the app on my phone so I thought it would be an easy job to connect Medo through Bluetooth or via USB to my iPhone or laptop. Whatever I tried I couldn’t connect the Medo how ever many times I tried and whatever I tried. I could connect Medo to phone or laptop and use it as a Bluetooth speaker, but it wouldn’t connect through the app. I realised that it was more than likely me doing something wrong, but I needed help to figure out what was wrong/what I was doing wrong.I wrote the above over a week ago.On 15th August 2024 I sent Donner this email [email protected]:Good morning,I am trying to connect my recently purchased Medo to your Donner Play app using Bluetooth. I have watched the video showing how and followed the instructions without success and still can’t connect to the app.I can’t connect with a USB connection either but I’m wanting to use Bluetooth.When I press on Add Devices in Donner Play app the legend “finding devices nearby” spins without finding anything. I have checked all the parameters for connecting successfully. I have tried rebooting, a different phone and reinstalling the app to no avail.I would be grateful if you could help me with this.Regards,As of this morning 22nd August 2024 I haven’t received a reply.I want to complete this review as from what I have so far experienced this Donner Medo it’s superb. So please Donner, could you please reply to my email? I can’t review an item if I can’t access a lot of its functions.Although I believe this Medo deserves 5 stars I can only give 1 at present, until I hear from Donner. Assuming that I will hear from Donner at some time in the future.Update 03/09/2024I received a reply on the 28th August 2024. Donner listed a range of troubleshooting options-all of which I'd already tried. They closed their response by saying:" Our backend database has been repaired, and the recent Bluetooth connection problem has also been fixed. So we recommend that you try again. I hope you can connect to Bluetooth again."I turned on the Medo, opened the app on my phone and they paired within seconds.From the app it is possible to change settings, for example turning on or off quantisation for individual tracks, changing LED colours, sharing tracks and sounds with the community to name but a few. I still found issues with the app, some songs (for example) could be imported to the Medo for mixing but quite a number wouldn’t-the loading logo’s dancing notes just kept on dancing.Being a new product I feel that Donner need to iron out their teething troubles with the app. It has the making of being superb, at present it is but good. I’m sure with future software updates the full potential of this Donner Play app will be realised.To summarise. Donner have produced a fun synthesiser that is easy to navigate to produce songs, sounds and sequences. The synth sounds are okay, not brilliant but definitely acceptable enough to carry your ideas. The hardware is very good quality and built to a high specification. Likewise the firmware is also very stable. The app has problems, as mentioned earlier, but I’m sure they’ll all be ironed out in time.This Medo is a device that can be navigated by beginners whilst at the opposite end of the skills range has a lot to offer advanced users. Fun is the word that keeps cropping up with this Donner device. And without a doubt is very good fun. At £161.99 it is very good value. No, it can’t do everything-and at that price you can’t expect it to. However, if you compare it to machines in this price bracket, and quite a few that are considerably more expensive you will quickly realise what good value this Donner Medo is.