Petal.THE FIELD GUIDE / iOS APP
BUILD YOUR RIG / 04
YOUR GEAR, ORGANIZED

Give every device
a clear identity.

Devices hold the details your MIDI messages need: channel, controls, colors, and saved presets.

ChannelsControlsReusable sounds
01

Add and configure a device.

  1. Open the Devices tab and tap +.
  2. Select the available brand and device, or use the custom-device option for gear you define yourself.
  3. Set the MIDI channel to match the receiving hardware.
  4. Choose background and text colors that you can recognize quickly.
  5. Tap Save to commit the configuration.

A custom device lets you enter its name and brand. Device definitions can provide existing control information; you can also define controls in the device editor.

02

Create reusable presets.

Open a device’s Presets and add a preset. Give it a useful name, then add the MIDI messages required for that sound or state. The MIDI editor exposes the message type and the relevant control, program, bank, value, or parameter fields.

Keep preset names musical: “Clean”, “Wide delay”, or “Solo” is easier to scan during rehearsal than a hardware-specific number. Confirm the numbers and channel against your receiving device’s documentation.

03

Define controls for your gear.

The Controls area names MIDI CC controls for the device. A control combines a recognizable name with its control number. These definitions make preset editing and ramp selection easier to understand.

Use your hardware’s MIDI implementation chart to find the correct CC and value range. Different devices can assign completely different meanings to the same CC number.

04

Save before leaving.

Color selections and other edits in Edit Device are not committed until you save. Leaving a dirty editor through Back or swipe-back prompts you to Save, Leave, or Cancel. Save commits the changes; Leave discards them; Cancel keeps editing.

Why does a patch dot have the old color?

Patch dots use the device’s saved background color. Change the color in Devices, then tap Save. A dark gray device can produce a dot that blends into the platter.

Your music. Your cues. Your moment.Guide edition · October 2026
The basics / Meet PetalMeet Petal

A field guide to turning your MIDI rig into a performance that moves with your music. Build the changes once. Be present when they happen.

The basics / Meet PetalYour performance, connected.

Petal is an iOS app for organizing MIDI devices, reusable sounds, song timelines, and performances. A compatible connected controller handles th…

The basics / Meet PetalFour tabs. One connected rig.

♫ ↗ Songs Your library of songs, musical structure, and timed changes. ☷ ↗ Performances Arrange your songs into the order the nig…

The basics / Meet PetalFind your starting point.

New rig? Follow Your first performance . Already have sounds saved? Jump to the timeline . At rehearsal with something not responding? Open T…

The basics / Your first performanceYour first performance

Start small: one device, one saved preset, one song. Get that working before building your whole show.

The basics / Your first performanceA simple setup, step by step.

Sign in to Petal Choose Apple, phone, or Google on the welcome screen. Complete the provider’s sign-in flow. Sign-in is portrait; the authent…

The basics / Your first performanceBefore you press Play.

Check three things: connection , receiving channel , and saved changes . Keep your test message simple enough that you can hear or see the re…

The basics / Your first performanceBuild up in layers.

Once one cue works, add a second device or create a patch that combines several presets. Then add timed changes, ramps, and the rest of your p…

The basics / Connect your rigConnect your rig

Petal supports compatible MIDI controllers over USB or Bluetooth. The connected controller bridges your song program to your MIDI gear.

The basics / Connect your rigConnect with USB.

Connect your supported controller to the iPhone or iPad using the appropriate USB cable or adapter. Open Petal and allow it to discover and ve…

The basics / Connect your rigPair over Bluetooth.

Enable Bluetooth and grant Petal Bluetooth permission. Put the compatible controller in its normal advertising state and keep it close to your…

The basics / Connect your rigSeparate the two MIDI channels.

Your rig has two different channel choices. A device’s MIDI channel targets the gear receiving its preset messages. Petal’s Incoming MIDI cha…

The basics / Connect your rigWhen the connection changes.

Petal synchronizes playback timing with the connected device when the active transport changes and refreshes the clock mapping periodically. Let…

Build your rig / Devices & presetsDevices & presets

Devices hold the details your MIDI messages need: channel, controls, colors, and saved presets.