Pitch Wheel

A controller found on keyboards such as MIDI controllers and synthesizers, which takes its shape in the form of a wheel mounted perpendicular to the surface of the keyboard. The wheel itself is imbedded in the surface such that only the top half protrudes. The pitch wheel is used to smoothly pitch bend or raise or lower the pitch of notes held on the synthesizer or keyboard. The pitch wheel transmits a MIDI pitch bend message, a special MIDI control message specifically designed to produce a change in pitch in response to the movement of a wheel or lever.