17 Jun
0

Novation brings us Groovebox – Beats & Synths Music Studio

Posted by PalmSounds in New App, Universal

Not content with their already excellent apps Blocs and Launchpad, Novation have brought a new app to add to their stable. Groovebox – Beats & Synths Music Studio arrived this week and it marks a shift in apps of this genre.

I first heard about Novation’s latest app back at SuperBooth and I really liked the idea behind it and also what they were trying to achieve too. Since then I’ve been testing the app and really enjoying it, and I hope you’ll really love it too.

You can check out the app for yourself of course, it’s free (with IAPs), and it’s universal too. The main thing that Groovebox does that’s different from other apps that help almost anyone to get into making music is that it helps you take the first step. With Groovebox you don’t have to start making patterns all on your own, Groovebox will give you a headstart, and I think that’s going to make a big difference to lots of people who haven’t mad music before but would like to.

Here are the app’s details:

If you love making electronic music, you’ll love Groovebox. Enter an inspiring world of music production on your iPhone & iPad.

Groovebox is a free, beautifully designed music studio app packed with inspiring synths and drum machines. In minutes you’ll be making beats, melodies, and playing with world-class instruments. Expand your own collection with more sounds and instruments available in the store. From the creators of Launchpad, Groovebox helps you produce music on iPhone & iPad.

A BEATS & SYNTH MUSIC STUDIO
Play with touchable instruments to quickly create your own beats and melodies, or draw in notes. Need inspiration? Groovebox has hundreds of patterns and sounds to get you started. Two powerful synthesisers, designed in partnership with Novation, deliver deep retro basslines and analogue harmonic melodies. The modern drum machine, with expanding drumkit library, will turn Groovebox into your go-to beat production studio.

SYNTHS DESIGNED WITH NOVATION
Designed in partnership with Novation, legendary synth pioneers, Groovebox packs a world-class sound. Each instrument uses a new powerful synth engine capable of recreating classic warm analogue sounds and rich modern harmonics.

EASY TO START, DEEP ENOUGH TO MASTER
Groovebox is designed to kick-start ideas, but it has serious features for artists and producers too. The advanced synth parameters* let you sculpt your own sounds. Included iPad mixer, note sequencer, key and scale modes let you control your sound. Export your sounds easily to a laptop to produce further. Sync to other apps or a laptop with Ableton Link. Connect using Audiobus, Inter-App Audio and even Export to Ableton Live seamlessly.

FEATURES

  • Discover and build ideas – Quickly explore sounds with hundreds of melody and rhythm patterns
  • Play touchable instruments – Create your own melodies and beats
  • Three powerful instruments – Drumbox, Retrobass and Poly-8
  • Build beats – Play drum pads or keys, sequence notes or use patterns
  • Sound innovation – Synths developed in partnership with synth pioneers Novation
  • Expand your sounds – Regular, fresh-content drumpacks, presets and patterns*
  • Production-ready sounds – Crafted by world-class sound designers and artists
  • Extendable Instruments – Expose more tweakable synth controls
  • Sequence your music – Draw notes and build patterns instead of playing them
  • Stay in time and key – Choose from any tempo, key or musical scale
  • Mix your music – 8-track mixer on iPad. Instrument focus mixer on iPhone.
  • Share your music – Easily create a mix of your music to share with others
    *Requires In-App Purchase

ADVANCED FEATURES

  • Jam with others – Audiobus, Inter-App Audio, Ableton Link and Ableton Export
  • Ableton Export – Easily send your project to Ableton Live
  • Full scale support – All keys and major, minor and modes supported
  • Project management – Rename, duplicate and delete
  • iPad Pro support – Optimised to use the entire iPad Pro screen
  • Send your ideas to a laptop – Batch export your pads as a .zip file, or use Ableton Export
  • Bluetooth speaker supported

SUPPORTED DEVICES
Groovebox is compatible with iPad 4th Generation, iPad Air 1/2, iPad Pro 9.7/12.9, iPad Mini 2/3/4, iPod Touch 6th Generation, iPhone 5/5C/5S, iPhone 6/6S, iPhone 6S/6S Plus, iPhone 7/7 Plus. Requires iOS 10.

Groovebox is on the app store and is free (with IAPs):

Advertisements
16 Jun
0

Bram Bos bring us a new modular synth, Ripplemaker (universal)

Posted by PalmSounds in Modular, New App, Synth, Universal

Bram Bos bring another excellent app to their portfolio. Ripplemaker: a West Coast Flavored Modular Synth

The freedom and versatility of a modular synth in a stylish mobile package.

In typical West Coast fashion the available modules, such as complex oscillator, lowpass gate, FM, mathematical utilities and slope generator, are designed for exploration and experimentation. The virtual patch cables will let you take your sound wherever you want to take it, from morphing basslines to evolving generative drones.

A modular playground
Even if you’re not familiar with modulars, wavefolders or control voltage you can dive right in, because all modules are prewired; offering a powerful monosynth without using a single cable. Then whip out the virtual cables and start patching. Ripplemaker is designed for fun – big enough to lose yourself into, yet intuitive enough to not get lost.

Standalone sequencer goodness
Sometimes you want to get away from your DAW and just play. That’s why Ripplemaker, beside being an AU plugin, also comes with a standalone sequencer app that helps you get creative. It has a random pattern generator with scale locks, a realtime probability-based mutation engine and it syncs with your other apps and hardware via Ableton Link or MIDI Clock.

Download the user manual on www.ruismaker.com

Connectivity beyond cables: obviously in a modular synth it’s all about cables. But Ripplemaker takes connectivity to the another level:

  • AUv3 (Audio Unit Plugin) Extension for use in iOS DAWs
  • Universal design (works on iPad 4+, iPhone 5S+, iPod Touch 6G+)
  • CoreMIDI, Virtual MIDI, Bluetooth MIDI,
  • Audiobus 3, including AB3 MIDI IN+OUT and State Saving
  • Ableton Link
  • MIDI Clock Sync
  • WAV export, MIDI file export, AU preset export
  • Ready for iOS11 Files access

This app requires iPad 4, iPad Mini2, iPhone 5S or higher!

Ripplemaker is available now on the app store for $8.99:

16 Jun
0

Hyperion Synthesizer arrived

Posted by PalmSounds in New App, Synth, Universal

Looks like an interesting synth. Here are the details:

Morphing waves technology for great space sounds. AUV3 (Audio Unit) and midi keyboard support! In Hyperion I have used everything I know so far to create most full and nice sounding FM synth based on my sound engine.

Hyperion Synthesizer has:

  • Morph speed control
  • Morph depth control
  • phase shift control
  • stereo shift control
  • tremolo sound effect
  • reverb effect
  • volume control
  • envelope controls
  • 4 morph modes
  • 7 harmonics modes
  • supports MIDI keyboards via USB (full velocity and pitch shift support)
  • works as Audio Unit instrument plug-in AUV3

28 Mar
0

Drum Session comes to your iPhone

Posted by PalmSounds in Universal, Updated apps

Drum Session now comes to your iPhone, which, in my opinion is a very good thing indeed. I’d like to see a lot more of this especially with some of my favourite iOS iPad apps. I’m sure you know the ones I mean.

Anyway, rant over. Here’s what’s new:

  • iPhone Support
  • new user interface design
  • smoother piano roll editing
  • bug fixes

13 Feb
0

zMors Modular 1.8 goes universal

Posted by PalmSounds in Modular, Synth, Universal, Updated apps

zMors Modular is excellent and now in 1.8 it just gets so much better. I’m a big fan of iPad apps that go universal. Here’s what’s new:

  • zMors Modular is now universal (add iPhone support)
  • new Presets from Stephan Bobinger
  • new module 8 channel performance sequencer
  • new module loop recorder
  • new module swing clock modulation
  • new module analog pitch correction
  • fix a bug when try move the keyboard
  • add knob labels to macro module
  • resort AUv3 list
  • allow select AUv3 presets
  • switchable audio engine via setting app

15 Jan
0

Parat+ is a new controller app that seems very fully featured

Posted by PalmSounds in Controllers, Universal

If you’re looking for a new controller you might want to take a look at Parat+. I can’t say that I’ve tried it myself but it looks and says that it’s pretty impressive.

Here’s the app’s description:

Parat+ is an Open Sound Control (OSC) and MIDI controller app allowing intuitive and sophisticated control of networked sound and visual computer software and hardware devices. Parat+ has powerful gestural touch screen controls and multitouch gestures available in the most efficient and intuitive ways possible. Developed by practitioners for practitioners, Parat+ is a tool for the musician, artist and technician using technology to advance their art.

Much more than a virtual ‘fader box’, it allows you to record, remap and set controls instantly and intuitively. Swipe and multitouch gestures record, loop and remap the interval of each fader and responsivity curve. Rescale, enlarge, pause and interrupt to modify your controls in realtime. Control sound levels, effects parameters, synthesis, lights and more via OSC and MIDI simultaneously.

Parat+ combines powerful software and hardware parameter control with data automation and manipulation. It is fully compatible with OSC enabled software such as:

  • Max
  • PD
  • Processing
  • Digital Performer
  • Reaper
  • Reaktor
  • Ardour and more.

All other software and hardware including DMX for lighting rigs can be controlled via MIDI.

The fader-style controller modules at the core of Parat+ can control parameters and functions of any MIDI and/or OSC enabled software and hardware. Multiple OSC targets can be defined to optimise user flexibility.

The Faders offer unparalleled realtime control via the multitouch three point control feature which allows the user to remap the interval and responsivity curve of each fader in realtime.

The touch gesture features include:

  • One finger gestures to control the fader value.
  • Two finger gestures to adjust the fader’s minimum and maximum values.
  • Three finger gestures to adjust the minimum, maximum and responsivity curve.

Use absolute touch mode to have the Fader value jump to whichever finger position is applied and relative touch mode to avoid any sudden jumps due to changes in finger position, allowing for seamless transitions in volume etc..

Each Fader can also be remotely controlled and automated by the Gesture Recorder, internal LFO generators, audio analysis and sensors, external OSC sources and MIDI controllers.

Use Parat+ as a central control hub for any performance and production setup, and shape OSC data streams sent to Parat+ to control your software and hardware parameters. Incoming OSC data (e.g. data from sensors, analysis modules and generative algorithms) can be modified and modulated using the the scaling and modulation features of Parat+ Sources and Faders.

Gesture recording and playback allows looped and one-shot automations of unlimited length.

The simplicity and coherence of the tools enable any novice to venture into custom built controls, while the accustomed performance system developer will appreciate the time saved for complex setups.

The philosophy behind Parat+ is to extend and assist your practice without imposing an approach. The app has been designed with the knowledge that creative work requires tools that can grow with their users, allowing individual and intuitive creative application while maintaining flexibility and diversity. Artists who are familiar with programming will appreciate the intuitive approach to data handling and parameter mapping. Users who lack experience with sophisticated technology will find themselves empowered to embrace cutting-edge interactive technology in the most intuitive and approachable manner. By keeping technical concerns to a minimum, the user is free to make artistic and aesthetic choices guided by their own creativity, avoiding the constraints of conventional software and controllers.

Parat+ is on the app store and costs $16.99

18 Dec
0

Klevgränd brings a new synth “Pads – Lush Pad Synthesizer” has arrived, is universal, and AUv3

Posted by PalmSounds in Audio Units, New App, Synth, Universal

1screen406x722

Klevgränd are steadily building a very credible and impressive set of apps to their name, and Pads adds nicely to that.

Pads is basically a wavetable synthesizer with a noise/grain generator and a high cut filter. With a carefully developed ”wobbler” that detunes the waveforms and makes small inconsistencies to several internal parameters and a nice sounding chorus, this synthesizer is able to create some really interesting and non-statical pad sounds.

Noteworthy features:

  • AUv3, works with AUv3 compatible hosts like GarageBand, Cubasis, Auria, AUM etc.
  • 30 handcrafted presets created by professional musicians
  • Filter, Attack and volume can be modulated by velocity
  • Controllable grit/grain level, sampled from a real hammond organ with a broken tone wheel
  • Controllable wobble factor that adds analogue unpredictability

Important: Pads in stand-alone mode does not support IAA, Audiobus or MIDI. You can try it out using the keyboard at the bottom, but that’s it. We recommend using Pads with AUv3 compatible hosts.

  • iPhone 6 or later is recommended.
  • iPad Air 1 or later is recommended.

A full documentation is available at https://klevgrand.se/products/pads

Pads costs $4.99 on the app store now: