About
​Welcome to Tempest MidiGear—born out of dislike for the plastic boxes that flood the controller market today. Lifeless, soulless hunks of mass-produced mediocrity that don't inspire. I looked at those boxes and said, “Enough.”
Tempest MIDIGEAR exists to build boutique MIDI controllers that look and feel like vintage synthesizers: real pots, metal switches, walnut side panels, rugged construction, and timeless design. Our controllers aren’t plastic gadgets covered in RPG lights — they’re expressive instruments that put musicians back in touch with their sound. Every unit is crafted to deliver the immediacy and tactile feedback of classic hardware, but mapped effortlessly to the modern world of VSTs and DAWs.
Every unit is designed, developed, and hand-built in Hudson, Florida—far from the cold, automated hellscapes that churn out the plastic box cluttering your desk. We’re talking sleek black aluminum enclosures that are lightweight, yet feel like they could survive a drop from orbit, handmade walnut side panels that scream vintage class, metal momentary buttons you will enjoy pushing too much, A/B toggle switch that doubles all potentiometers and buttons, and classic knurled aluminum knobs for precise control. No cheap plastic boxes here. No rubber pads for buttons. No cookie-cutter knobs, or flimsy switches. Just solid gear that looks good, feels better, and works like a dream.
Our debut masterpiece, the VS-1, was forged from our obsession with quality and built to work seamlessly with Valhalla Supermassive. This isn't some flimsy, off-the-shelf controller—it’s a finely tuned weapon for musicians who demand precision and personality. Whether you’re shaping vast, cinematic soundscapes or dialing in meticulous sequences, the VS-1 gives you that visceral, hands-on control that those soulless plastic bricks could never dream of. And the best part? It bends to your will, adapting effortlessly to any DAW or software you throw at it.
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Under the Hood
The VS-1 isn’t just knobs bolted and wired in a box — it’s a purpose-built instrument with a precision-engineered PCB at its core. Every control is mounted to the board for rock-solid reliability, using only top-tier components: smooth-turning metal B10K potentiometers with vintage feel, industrial-grade metal pushbuttons, a crisp toggle switch, and a detented rotary encoder built for years of use. No wobbly plastic, no off-the-shelf shortcuts — just boutique-grade parts chosen to deliver the same durability and response you’d expect from a classic analog synthesizer.
Tempest MidiGear isn’t just a brand; it’s a rebellion against the cheap, the disposable, the uninspired. We’re here to bring back the era when instruments were built to last, to inspire, and to be a joy to use—not just another piece of pawn shop inventory waiting to happen.
Ditch the plastic box. Embrace the craftsmanship. Create without compromise.
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Daniel Tempest
Tempest MidiGear Vision
At Tempest MIDIGEAR, we believe controllers should be more than plastic boxes covered in flashy lights and endless encoders. They have their place, but that isn’t our vision.
We think controllers should feel and behave like analog instruments — built with weight, presence, and soul. We craft boutique MIDI gear inspired by the golden age of synthesizers: knobs that fight back, switches that click with certainty, and metal and wood that embody vintage quality.
Not disposable. Not trend-driven. But timeless tools designed to inspire.
Our mission is simple: to bridge the digital and the analog — to make software feel like hardware, and to make control feel like performance. Tempest MIDIGEAR reconnects musicians with the immediacy and intuition that turn sound into music, and music into something organic.