Synth apps on sale...

[Michael W]

Just picked up Magellan and Galileo Organ for $6.99 each (normally $14.99 and $9.99, respectively).

 

Addictive Synth is also on sale for $4.99, while Sampletank can be had for half price ($9.99).

 

(Just FYI, these are iPad apps.)

 

Happy Thanksgiving, whether you're in the US or not.

 

 

[GovernorSilver]

Virsyn's additive synth, Cube, is also on sale for $9.99, normally $19.99.

[allan_evett]

Yeah... iOS options have simply exploded in this past year or so. Some of this stuff is crazy-good, and more than capable for pro production - studio and live.

 

Going slightly OT here (though it's timely): I'm betting that there will be a slew of new synth apps introduced at NAMM, not to mention some cool hardware. Been picking up hints of things to come, little by little. I think 2014 is going to be an interesting year for geeking out, gear-wise.

[GovernorSilver]

Here's a MIDI over Bluetooth app - for those who like to use iPad apps in tandem with regular computers (eg. Ableton Live on computer, controlled by one of several iPad apps for Live). The $3 price is reportedly an introductory one.

 

http://secretbasedesign.com/apps/apollo

[kelp]

The sale price on Steinberg's Nanologue is FREE! (iPad reduced port of their Retrologue VSTi in Cubase).

[Michael W]

Here's a MIDI over Bluetooth app - for those who like to use iPad apps in tandem with regular computers (eg. Ableton Live on computer, controlled by one of several iPad apps for Live). The $3 price is reportedly an introductory one.

 

http://secretbasedesign.com/apps/apollo

 

Wow, that sounds really interesting - thanks.

 

I was playing Magellan on my iPad last night, listening closely with headphones... It sounds REALLY good. These synths on the iPad - ones that sell for $5-$20 - easily hold their own against VSTs that cost $100 - $200.

 

I haven't bought Cubasis for the iPad yet, but will... you have to wonder where all of this technology is taking us... What will tablet apps be like in three or five years? And how powerful will the processors be? My iPad Air runs all of these softsynths without breaking a sweat.

 

[Steve Force]

Certainly iPads can and will continue to be able to support more and more powerful applications. Softsynths are not that CPU (processor) intensive so I daresay iPads will become more mainstream in the coming years. Tha said, they are fragile and the I/O devices are still *pretty* fragile as well....

[GovernorSilver]

Random thoughts:

 

- The introduction of Inter App Audio seems to be taking the iOS music world in interesting new directions. Notice quite a few of these app sales are in celebration of adding IAA to said app.

 

- The developer behind Symphonix Evolution Pro is promising an update in which one can enter straight 8th notes, and hear them played back with swing time. I recently started using this app to write jazz etudes for myself. At present, I have to enter my lines as a mix of dotted 8ths and 16ths instead of straight 8ths. That said, this app does a decent job of importing a tune from iReal Pro as MIDI via the "Open In" function, and playing back the imported tune with swing feel. Thus, I'm personally looking forward to this future update.

 

- Looking forward to picking up a Miselu C24 when it's released to the general public. The Kickstarter campaign was a success, but I slept on backing the project until it was too late. It's a keyboard that doubles as an iPad case - perfect for my commute-time music-making. I dislike playing onscreen piano-style keyboards, even in great synths like Nave and iSEM, and the C24 would eliminate that problem.

[GovernorSilver]

Discchord's roundup of app sales for this week, including iSEM, iMini, etc.:

 

http://discchord.com/blog/2013/11/28/even-more-app-sales.html

 

Meteor and Beatmaker 2 are both on sale if you want to check out some other DAWs on the cheap, and see if their MIDI features are a match for what you like to do. Meteor's MIDI Editor is an $8 in-app purchase.

[GovernorSilver]

Sunrizer's developer just announced his apps have gone on sale:

 

Impaktor - very good drum app which is triggered by mic input (play your desk, book, whatever), kind of a poor man's Wave Drum. 80% off.

 

Sunrizer - virtual analog synth that a lot of IOS folks still love, especially for the Roland JP-8000 style Supersaw. It's the first IOS synth that I've heard can load Scala tuning files, for those of you into microtonal music composition - might still be the only IOS synth. 50% off.

 

Sunrizer XS - iPhone version of Sunrizer. 70% off

[joegerardi]

Dunno if this has been posted yet, but the AniMoog app is on sale for $ 4.99.

 

..Joe

[GovernorSilver]

Yet more apps have been announced on sale. I just picked up Quiztones for free, which is an unusual ear training app in that it's focused on mixing skills. This is the most comprehensive list I've seen yet:

http://idesignsound.com/

 

Another app not listed on the usual IOS music sites that is now on sale is The Orchestra: http://appshopper.com/music/the-orchestra-2

 

[GovernorSilver]

This doesn't seem to be as popular as OnSong for a sheet music organizing app, but it's free:

http://www.calypso-score.com/

[Michael W]

FYI, I use this app called App Hits to find iPad apps that have gone on sale. It will find apps by category, so you can search for music apps only. Very handy.

[GovernorSilver]

I use a combination of the iPad Musician FB group, the App Shopper app (Wishlist feature), and the Audiobus forum to learn about music app sales.

[Michael W]

As I play with these iPad synth apps, I find that they're not really designed to allow for the quick change of sounds like one may need to do on stage.

 

These apps, like Magellan, should have the ability to create simple user banks that can be displayed as big grids on the screen, where a favorite sound can be called up just by reaching out and touching a box in the grid.

 

Perhaps some instruments have these kinds of quick, easy patch access interfaces, but I just haven't stumbled into them yet.

 

[Michael W]

I just saw that Cubasis is on sale for a couple of days only, and finally picked it up. Normally $49.99, on sale for $33.99.

 

Other music-related apps are popping up on sale, and I would expect deals throughout December.

 

So far, Cubasis seems to be exactly the kind of portable DAW I've been wanting for my iPad.

 

Now, I just need a slimmed-down, iPad version of Omnisphere. Eric Persing, how 'bout it?

 

 

[midinut]

I got Cubasis some time back on sale as well. Lovin it!

I'm with you Michael ... Eric should get off his butt and make iOmnisphere!

Just teasing Eric. We all know you're working your tail off.

 

And lastly ... At the sake of repeating myself ... Why doesn't Apple release an iOS version of MainStage. How hard could that be and I think it would have the potential to make for a cheap, yet versatile live or practice rig for many of us!

[GovernorSilver]

Cassini Synth is on sale - $2.99 down from $4.99:

http://www.palmsounds.net/2013/12/cassini-synth-for-ipad-on-sale.html

 

Keyboard Magazine's review goes into some detail as to what makes this synth unique in an IOS market full of VAs:

http://www.keyboardmag.com/article/icegear-cassini-synth-for-ipad/151717

 

 

[Bobadohshe]

I guess the Arturia V collection is on sale for 50% off. And I find myself not caring all that much. I might be salivating over such a discount if it were 2004, but I feel like a lot of those emulations are long in the tooth. Am I wrong?

[GovernorSilver]

Caustic 3 was recently ported to IOS from Android. It's not on sale as far as I know, but it's the closest thing to Reason on iPad. The developer did an amazing job of keeping CPU usage low, despite all the virtual modules you can rack up at once. You get a lot for $9.99.

 

[video:youtube]

[IndySteve]

I think it all depends on what you want. The Arturia emulations have appeal to me because I can remember when the originals came out and how they seemed to be made of unobtanium. It's fun to be able to fiddle with all those classic instruments. As to the fidelity of the emulations - I wouldn't know, only had a few minutes with the real things at the music store.

 

That being said, there are a lot of softsynths out there that aren't emulations that have a lot things to offer that are way beyond the emulated synths. My problem is that I already have more softsynths than I have the time or talent to fully use.

[midinut]

^^^^ What He Said ^^^^

[Marzzz]

Not too many years ago, we were saying pretty much the same things about laptops vs desktop computers for music. It's just a matter of time when iPads and tablets will have more than enough power to run all the music software we want/need.

[Michael W]

Not too many years ago, we were saying pretty much the same things about laptops vs desktop computers for music. It's just a matter of time when iPads and tablets will have more than enough power to run all the music software we want/need.

 

I think you're right, and can't wait.

 

I have been using Digital Performer for years, and started sequencing with Cakewalk for DOS back around 1991.

 

Last night I created my first tune using only Cubasis on my iPad and a keyboard controller. Can I tell you how easy and intuitive Cubasis is to use?

 

Working with the touchscreen is awesome. Freeze a track with a single touch of the screen. Drag and drop pieces of tracks with your finger. Add a new track with a single touch. Zoom in and out of the track window by pinching the screen. Damn, this is awesome.

 

I've read rumors of a larger iPad for sometime in 2014. If they make one of these, count me in. I definitely see something like this replacing my iMac/mouse at some point in the years ahead.

 

 

 

[Sven Golly]

Okay, this is one that I was waiting for, happy to see it so deeply discounted!

 

Lemur app on sale for half price

 

[mate stubb]

Lemur is marked at $25, what was it before?

[Sven Golly]

Lemur is marked at $25, what was it before?

 

$50.

 

Should I get Theo in here to do the math? :lol:

 

(I kid, I kid... )

[DulceLabs.com]

 

I was playing Magellan on my iPad last night, listening closely with headphones... It sounds REALLY good.

 

Magellan just dropped to $4.99 - just picked it up. Very nice with lots of cool features.

[GovernorSilver]

Magellan is one of those synth apps I've ignored (as well as Cassini), but so many people say its good so I'll probably get it soon.