The Morningstar MC4 PRO is a compact MIDI foot controller: a floor unit that sends MIDI commands to your pedals and rack gear from four soft touch footswitches, rather than processing your guitar signal itself. It is part of Morningstar's PRO series, and Morningstar describes it as delivering "the full performance of the PRO series in our most space efficient design"1. The UK retailer ThorpyFX calls it "the perfect compact controller without compromise"2.
Presets, banks and footswitches
The preset structure is deep for a controller this size. Morningstar specifies 128 banks, with 4 pages per bank and 4 presets per page, adding up to 2,048 total presets1. That works out to 4 presets per page, so you page through a bank or change banks to reach the rest.
The four soft touch footswitches are the playing surface, and the hi-res color LCD shows what each is doing1. ThorpyFX's listing highlights "a unified high-resolution display, Bluetooth MIDI, wireless editing, and fully loaded I/Os" as the PRO series features carried over2.
If four switches are not enough, external aux switches can be added. American Loopers makes a Mini Aux Switch with two programmable, click-less switches that is compatible with the MC4 PRO as well as the MC3, MC6, MC6 PRO and MC8 PRO. The maker says you can configure either switch to do whatever the switches on the Morningstar do, giving examples including Bank Up, Bank Down, Preset recall, MIDI Clock Tap Tempo and Expression3.
Connections and MIDI
The MC4 PRO's rear panel carries a full set of MIDI inputs and outputs. Morningstar substitutes 3.5mm TRS (Type A) for DIN5 on the input side, and explains the trade-off in its own words1:
"By substituting DIN5 with 3.5mm TRS (Type A), MC4 PRO is able to retain a MIDI input on its rear panel, while still"1
The full input and output list from Morningstar's product page1:
| Connection | Count |
|---|---|
| 3.5mm MIDI In | 1x |
| 3.5mm TRS MIDI In | 1x |
| 5-pin MIDI Out | 1x |
| 3.5mm TRS MIDI Out | 1x |
| USB Type C (Device) | 1x |
| USB Type C (Host) | 1x |
| Omniport | 2x |
| Relay Switching Port | 1x |
So yes, there is a conventional 5-pin DIN MIDI output for connecting to older MIDI gear, alongside TRS MIDI and USB. Bluetooth MIDI is built in, with wireless editing listed by ThorpyFX among the controller's features2.
Power
The MC4 PRO needs 9 to 12V DC center negative and draws a minimum of 350mA at 70% screen brightness1. If you use the Relay Ports, the minimum rises to 500mA1.
The 350mA minimum current draw rules out most daisy-chain supplies' spare outputs. If you plan to use the Relay Switching Port, Morningstar specifies a minimum of 500mA, so size the supply accordingly1.
Size and build
Morningstar lists the MC4 PRO at 115mm wide and 110mm deep, in a blasted aluminum enclosure1. That footprint is the point of the design: Morningstar positions it as the most space efficient way to get the full PRO series feature set on a pedalboard1.
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Questions
How many presets does the Morningstar MC4 PRO hold?
The MC4 PRO holds 2,048 presets in total, organised as 128 banks. Each bank has 4 pages, and each page holds 4 presets, so a bank gives you 16 presets at a time and you move between banks to reach the full set.
Does the Morningstar MC4 PRO support Bluetooth MIDI?
Yes. Morningstar's retailer listing for the MC4 PRO names Bluetooth MIDI and wireless editing among its features, alongside a unified high-resolution display and fully loaded inputs and outputs.
What power supply does the MC4 PRO need?
The MC4 PRO runs on 9 to 12V DC center negative and draws a minimum of 350mA at 70% screen brightness. If you use the Relay Ports, Morningstar specifies a minimum of 500mA, so a supply rated for at least that is needed for relay switching.
Does the MC4 PRO have a 5-pin DIN MIDI output?
Yes. The MC4 PRO has a 5-pin MIDI Out on its rear panel. It uses 3.5mm TRS (Type A) for its MIDI input, which Morningstar says lets it keep a MIDI input on the rear panel while still featuring the DIN5 output.
How big is the Morningstar MC4 PRO?
Morningstar lists the MC4 PRO at 115mm wide, 110mm deep and 52mm high, which is 4.5 by 4.3 by 2.0 inches, making it the most space efficient design in the PRO series.
What are the Relay Ports on the MC4 PRO for?
The MC4 PRO has one Relay Switching Port among its outputs. Relay ports let a MIDI controller switch non-MIDI gear, and Morningstar specifies a higher minimum current draw of 500mA when the Relay Ports are in use.
Sources (3)
- MC4 PRO MIDI Foot Controller, Morningstar
- Morningstar Engineering MC4 PRO, thorpyfx.com
- Mini Aux Switch (1/4" Jack) For Morningstar MC3 MC4 PRO MC6 MC6 PRO MC8 PRO, American Loopers (www.americanloopers.com)
