Morningstar releases MC4 PRO and publishes Quad Cortex Mini setup guide

June 1, 2025 · 1 sources

Morningstar released the Morningstar MC4 PRO and published a setup guide on June 4, 2025 describing the controller as a companion to the Neural DSP Quad Cortex Mini. The guide states that the MC4 PRO "pairs exceptionally well with the Quad Cortex Mini," and that the banks shown in an accompanying video are available for download and can be loaded into any unused MC4 PRO bank.

The guide frames the pairing around the Quad Cortex Mini's four footswitches, compared with 11 on the full-sized Quad Cortex. It says the MC4 PRO's four footswitches can serve as dedicated Page 2 switches, giving access to all eight footswitch functions without toggling pages, and can jump directly between Preset, Scene and Stomp modes, with the MC4 PRO's display showing the active mode. It also describes assigning one switch to bank up and one to bank down, long-press actions that open dedicated Scene banks for all eight Quad Cortex Mini scenes, and a Favorites Bank built on standard MIDI Program Change messages.

Morningstar lists several claimed advantages for a Quad Cortex Mini plus MC4 PRO setup over a full-sized Quad Cortex: a 33% smaller footprint, fitting on a nano-sized pedalboard, costing approximately $100 less, expanded MIDI control for pedals, software and DAWs, and more flexible rig configurations. The guide does not give an MC4 PRO price or a release date beyond describing it as newly released.

The guide also addresses the Quad Cortex Mini's Page 1 and Page 2 footswitch system, which it says makes the current page not always obvious during a performance and adds a step to toggle between pages. It describes the MC4 PRO as restoring control and flexibility, and states that the goal is not to replace the Quad Cortex Mini's switches but to make both devices work together.