Artiphon Instrument 1 MIDI controller for iPhone demoed

Amid the barrage of iOS MIDI controllers announced last year, the Artiphon Instrument 1 stood out as being one of the more interesting.

This expressive device (it's pressure-sensitive) holds your iPhone at its centre and can be held in multiple positions. This means that you can play it as if it were guitar, bass, banjo or - when it's laid down flat - as a drum pad. It's been two years in development, has CoreMIDI compatibility and will be targeted at professional musicians.

TechCrunch caught up with the Artiphon Instrument 1's creator Mike Butera at the recent CES - check out the demo video above. Expect it to be released later this year at a price of around $800.