We’ve all been asking for more audio unit instruments, and here’s a new one to add to your collection …
Viking Synth is an emulation of the famous Moog® Voyager monophonic analog synthesizer. It has three continuously variable wave oscillators, two ladder filters with a Dual Lowpass or Highpass/Lowpass configuration, a multi-wave LFO, and two modulation busses. Viking Synth uses state of the art DSP technology to accurately reproduce the sound of the hardware. The same algorithms are found in the popular Rack Extension for Propellerhead Reason. You get a desktop quality plug-in at an iOS friendly price.
Viking Synth is an Audio Unit Extension Instrument that works as a plug-in inside host apps. Just open up your favorite host that supports Audio Unit Instruments and select it from the list of available Audio Units. Compatible with GarageBand, Cubasis, MTS, and AUM.
The user interface of Viking Synth is designed for quick and intuitive control. Knobs and sliders expand during tweaking and are designed so the current value isn’t hidden below your finger. The six pages divide the synth into logical sections that can be accessed quickly. The filter display acts as an XY pad for controlling cutoff and resonance. Simply double tap a knob or slider to reset it to its default value.
Presets
Viking Synth comes with 178 presets in the categories Bass, Bright Lead, Electro Bass, FX, Percussive Lead, and Soft Lead. The synth excels at thick bass and rich lead sounds. The 50 Electro Bass presets were designed by renowned sound designer eXode. Note that Cubasis and MTS do not currently support Audio Unit presets. Presets work perfectly with GarageBand and AUM.
Oscillators
At the heart of Viking are three adjustable wave oscillators. The continuously variable waveform knob gives the oscillators a unique sound that can’t be achieved with the fixed waveforms found in most synths. A noise oscillator provides three types of noise, one specifically modelled after the hardware.
Modulation
Two modulation busses and an LFO provide flexible modulation capabilities. All of the options hidden deep in menus on the hardware are immediately accessible with one tap.
Filters
The filters are classic transistor ladder filters modeled meticulously. Two DSP varieties are available allowing for either reduced CPU load or soft clipping plus three additional overdriven modes. The number of poles is adjustable for a wider range of filter sounds.
Compare Viking to the leading brand:
Viking’s oscillators are free running, not sampled, wavetable based, or generated from a zero point
Viking’s oscillators use advanced techniques to avoid aliasing
Viking’s oscillators have instability, which is controllable through the tuning drift control
Viking’s nonlinear filter uses circuit modeling and provides soft clipping
Viking Synth costs $4.99, which is a special introductory price throughout March. Find it by clicking below on the app store:
The wait is over, AUM has arrived, and it is awesome! Here are all the details of the app …
AUM is the flexible audio mixer, recorder, and connection hub for your iPad, iPhone and iPod touch.
Connect hardware inputs and outputs, Audio Unit extensions, Inter-App Audio apps, Audiobus, soundfile players, built-in signal processing and filters, in any configuration you want.
Route anything to anywhere with mix-busses, effect sends, audiobus ports, and external multi-channel audio interfaces.
Play hosted synths and instruments using the built-in keyboard or external MIDI controllers, or sequence them from other apps using Virtual MIDI.
Record mixes, individual tracks, or both, straight into the storage space of AudioShare (no copying of files needed).
Play back recordings, soundfiles and loops as channel sources in the mixer for backing tracks, further processing or mixing.
Route MIDI in any way you like using the MIDI matrix.
Synchronize everything with the sample-accurate transport clock and play in time with other apps or devices using Ableton Link, a new technology that synchronizes beat, phase and tempo of Ableton Live and Link-enabled iOS apps over a wireless network.
Includes built-in processing nodes for various stereo processing, Mid/Side balance and conversion, EQs and filters, limiting, clipping and saturation. Or use any 3rd party Audio Unit extension or Inter-App Audio effect.
All controls in the mixer can be controlled via MIDI, including parameters of hosted and built-in plugins.
“AUM is feature rich, powerful, intuitive, and simple to use.” – Scott Whitehead at DubSpot
FEATURES
High quality audio up to 32-bit 96kHz
Clean and intuitive user interface with crisp vector graphics
Extremely compact and optimized code, very small app size
Unlimited number of channels
Unlimited number of effect slots
Inserts and sends are configurable pre/post-fader
Internal busses for mixing or effect sends
Supports multi-channel audio interfaces
Supports Audio Unit extensions, Inter-App Audio and Audiobus
Audiobus state saving
Highly accurate transport clock
Metronome and optional pre-roll
Sends host sync to Audio Unit plugins and IAA apps
Play in time with Ableton Link
FilePlayer with sync and looping, access to all AudioShare files
Records straight into AudioShare storage space
Built-in nodes for stereo processing, filtering and dynamics
Latency compensation makes everything align at the outputs
Separate Inter-App Audio / Audiobus output ports
Built-in MIDI keyboard
Fully MIDI controllable
MIDI Matrix for routing MIDI anywhere
BUILT-IN SIGNAL PROCESSING
Stereo balance
Stereo to mono
Stereo panning
Mid/Side balance
Mid/Side – Stereo convert
Invert Phase
Parametric EQ
Low-shelf filter
High-shelf filter
Low-pass resonant filter
High-pass resonant filter
Gain
Hard clip
Saturation
Lookahead peak limiter
AUM is on the app store now and is 50% off for launch for a limited time only. It’s priced at $9.99 (£7.99)
It’s no secret that I’m a big fan of Mr HumbleTunes’s apps, and this latest in the line up looks awesome.
Frekvens is a frequency shifter and delay effect. Unlike a pitch shifter all frequencies are shifted linearly and then fed back into itself using the stereo delay unit. The frequency shifting is achieved with single sideband modulation using a hilbert transform and an infinite impulse response filter for fast computations. Frekvens also comes with a high and low pass filter and a lfo for modulating the delay play head.
Mr NLog had been teasing this for a few days now, but as it turns out it was well worth the wait!
Here’s all you need to know about iSpark …
iSpark is an all-inclusive beat-making solution allowing to create rich tracks from A to Z while experiencing an unequaled workflow. It includes a large variety of drum kits and individual instruments based on the most renowned drum machines and top-notch sound design. It is the result of a simple recipe, care for rhythm, innovation and uncompromising ergonomics combined with the personality of the greatest drum machines.
What you can do with iSpark: iSpark allows you to play drum patterns in-real time and to tweak your sound on-the-fly. Its optimized and performance-oriented layout gives you a direct access to an extended range of sonic parameters. It also integrates a powerful and flexible 64-step sequencer enhancing your creative freedom and effectiveness.
iSpark unites our multi-rewarded TAE® technology coupled with a modular engine and crystal-clear multi-layered samples. Beyond drum and percussive sounds, iSpark blasts the frontiers of beat-making through a range of singular sonic effects, warm analog synth textures and melodic elements.
Details: Main screen The main screen is all about performance. Its layout, inspired by our SparkLE controller, gives you immediate access to a comprehensive set of fundamental controls and parameters. Its lower part allows you to play and record your drum patterns in real-time, step by step, to jump between your patterns and to set their length.
Mixer In the mixer, you can adjust the volume and panorama of your instruments, set two individual effects for each of them, and modify the sending levels to the return effects. The VU meters help you to balance effectively your instruments.
Studio The Studio is the iSpark laboratory of sound. This is where you will customize your kits and all the instruments that compose it. For each instrument, you can choose the samples that are used and adjust a comprehensive list of parameters.
Sequencer In the sequencer screen, all the steps of your different instruments are right in front of you. You can thus create your sequences in a flash. Besides, the automation tool allows you drawing modulation curves with a simple glide of your fingertip.
Song The Song mode gives you the possibility to chain your pattern in order to create a whole performance. Organizing your song is as easy as a drag-and-drop. Switch to “Perform” and discover two large XY modulation touchpads that will bring your songs to life.
Connectivity: iSpark offers a total and seamless compatibility with the existing Spark environment. Maintain continuously your creative flow by transferring in a heartbeat your projects, patterns, your kits and individual instruments between Spark 2 and iSpark. Connect the dedicated SparkLE controller to iSpark and associate the flexibility of an app-based instrument to the effectiveness and comfort of hardware. The compatibility with AudioBus and Inter-App Audio offers a smooth integration of iSpark in you iPad-based setup. With iSpark, your mobile setup found its beat-making solution.
Main features: Pristine quality sound engines including: TAE® analog synthesis, physical modeling, and multi-layered samples provided by our top-tier development partners
640 Instruments / 40 kits
Classic drum machines
Electronic kits
Acoustic kits
Shuffle and shift modes to humanize grooves
Choke groups to mute instruments naturally
Song mode with 16 segments
Song segment triggering from hardware
Performance master effects: repeat, tape, reverse, strobe, pan, mix, bit crusher, 8-mode filter and Roller
16-track mixer with high-quality effects: multiband compressor, bit crusher, multiband EQ, chorus, delay, reverb, distortion, phaser, plate reverb, destroyer, flanger, space pan, limiter, sub generator
Real-time automation on all parameters
Compatible with SparkLE controller
Ableton Link integration
Possibility to share projects, kits and instruments between iSpark and the desktop version of Spark 2.
A quite strange new app arrives today, from the makers of SynthDrum Pads. Looks quite intriguing though.
Here are the details:
8 oscillator ribbon mono synth with fine tunable chord memory.
The XYPad allows smooth pitch control and immediate jump to play back of 8 “Chord Slot”
Chord Slots are the saved, fine or corse oscillators pitches. RS-08 has 8 Chord Slots.
the XYPad allows instant call back of a Chord Slot making RS-08 a grate synth for playing one finger chords, or rich and dense cluster chords, or super saw like textures.
The XYPad combined with careful setup of “Chord Slot” and glide control can yield great Micropolyphony performances.
RS-08 is a unusual synthesizer loosely inspired by the compositions of György Ligeti.
Key Features
8 oscillators
High Pass filter cutoff
Resonant Low Pass Filter
Amp ADSR
LP AR
On Board Effects; Chorus Reverb, Delay, Haas Spreader
XYPad (Master Pitch on X, Chord Slot change on Y)
8 Waveforms
Glide (like portamento)
Stagger (delays the pitch change of each oscillator)
99 Patch Save Slots
RS-08 | 8 Oscillator Ribbon Synth costs $3.99 on the app store:
Another Blamsoft Audio Unit effect arrives. Here’s the app’s description:
DC-9 Overdrive is a circuit modeled overdrive plug-in that emulates the famous Ibanez® TS9 Tube Screamer. The DSP algorithms in DC-9 take into account the entire schematic, using the latest modeling techniques. This gives you an authentic analog sound that matches the character of the physical circuit. DC-9 is an Audio Unit Extension that works inside host apps. Just open up your favorite host that supports Audio Units and add it as an effect. The controls expand when touched so they can be easily seen while tweaking. DC-9 brings the distinctive overdrive crunch to your favorite iOS DAW.
DC-9 gets its name from the Diode Clipper circuit used to create the distortion. Accurate modeling of the clipper by circuit simulation gives DC-9 an edge over the common distortion plug- in. The effect was carefully tuned using A/B comparisons to the original stop box. Blamsoft brings their experience creating top notch plug-ins for the desktop to iOS. The same algorithm is found in the popular Rack Extension for Propellerhead Reason. You get a desktop quality algorithm at an iOS friendly price.
But it is ‘lite‘, and not free, but cheaper than the full version which is $17.99. The lite version can be had for just $5.99, which is a lot less.
Here’s the app’s description:
Rytmik Lite Chiptune Synthesizer is an ultimate tool for chiptunes and oldschool gaming music creation allowing you not only to play with wavetable synthesizer but also to create music clips or whole songs.
Rytmik allows you to share your songs with other users through the Rytmik Cloud and can also serve as a music player for songs uploaded on Rytmik Cloud with it. On top of that, users can exchange their songs and cooperate on their composing.
Once your work is complete, you can save it in WAV format to local storage.
And that’s not all!
Every instrument is a wavetable synthesizer. With the advanced effect module, you have more power to shape sounds with the ADSR envelope, vibrato, portamento, noise shaper, or digital delay. Drawable waveform synth module allows users to draw and modify their own wave and use it as a sample oscillator – with that you can use Rytmik as a sonically unique chiptune synthesizer.
Rytmik Lite with Rytmik Cloud will of course include more features and additions to the popular series to enrich your experience with playing with sounds and creating music on the go.
Key Features
Share your songs via Rytmik Cloud
Export your music in the WAV format or export to AudioShare
A drawable waveform synth module
Advanced effects like the ADSR Envelope, Digital Delay, Noise Shaper and more
Almost every effect parameter can be modulated via the step sequencer
So I mentioned a couple of days ago about a bunch of the other apps from Coffeeshopped LLC which had been updated and that there was a new app, Patch Base, too. However, I omitted to actually tell you anything about the new app!
A bit of an oversight on my part really. Never mind. I’ll put that right now.
Here’s what you need to know about Patch Base.
Patch Base is a multi-synth patch editor, enabling easy visualization, editing, and organization of patches for your hardware synths.
See what patches on your synth look like
Edit the parameters of your synth in real time, while you play
Save patches in Patch Base, and optionally back them up for free using iCloud
Access your patch files on your computer via iCloud Drive
Create random patches, and “init” patches as starting points for new sounds
Play your synth for sound testing using the on-screen keyboard
Patch Base currently supports the following synthesizers, with more to come:
Casio CZ-1, CZ-101, CZ-1000, CZ-3000, CZ-5000
DSI Mopho and Mopho Keyboard
Oberheim Matrix-1000, Matrix-6, Matrix-6r
Yamaha DX7, DX7II, TX7, TX802, TX816
The app is free for download and to try out, ensuring that the app works with your hardware setup. For full access to all editor features, each editor is available as a separate In-App Purchase.
CZ Touch from Coffeeshopped LLC gets updated, and it’s big …
“A big makeover! CZ Touch now supports improved patch saving and iCloud sync for backing up your patches and accessing them elsewhere. Bluetooth MIDI Connections are also now supported directly from the app.”
This update is happening alongside the release of Patch Base, a new all-in-one synth editor from Coffeeshopped. Patch Base includes all of the functionality of CZ Touch, plus support for lots of other synths. A limited version is available for free download.
