iPhone App Directory

Showing posts with label Instruments. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Instruments. Show all posts

Oriental Strings arrives for your iPad


Oriental Strings is the latest app from the developer of iSymphonic Orchestra. Here's all you need to know ...

Oriental Strings is a professional sound module app for oriental keyboard players and for musicians who simply want to resemble the typical sound of the Middle East in their songs. Connect an external MIDI keyboard to your iPad by using the Apple USB camera adapter or another adapter supported by Apple, or launch Oriental Strings as virtual instrument directly within your favourite DAW app on your iPad!¹

This app supports Apple's "Inter-App Audio" System (requires iOS 7 or higher) and the "JACK Audio Connection Kit" (up to iOS 6.1.3) for audio & MIDI connections from/to other audio apps!

The sounds of Oriental Strings were exclusively recorded with players who are professionally dedicated to oriental style of music. Typical string instrument sounds for the arabic genre are covered by this app. Besides rather exotic instruments like the Chinese erhu, typical western string instruments were used as well, but since the players of the recording sessions are focused on oriental music, those western instruments sound completely different than you might be used to from western orchestra players.

The sounds of this app were once again created by Kurt Ader, nominated as sound designer of the year for the upcoming NAMM winter show.

32 Sounds are included with this App:
  • Chinese Erhu 1 - 3
  • Chinese Erhu Trill
  • Turkish Strings 1 - 4
  • Arabian Strings 1 - 3
  • Tremolo Strings 1 - 5
  • Spiccato Strings
  • Oriental Spiccato Strings
  • Oriental String Quartet 1 - 3
  • Oriental Staccato Strings
  • Arabian Solo Strings 1 - 3
  • String Quartet
  • Oriental String Ensemble 1 - 5
  • Slow Oriental Strings

There is no in-app purchase in this app. So all sounds and all app features are immediately available to you as one buy.

General Features:
  • Scale tuning editor, which allows you to adjust the standard well-tempered scale to all kinds of oriental scales (save and restore them as presets at any time).
  • Low latency disk streaming.
  • Polyphony up to 140 stereo voices.²
  • Configurable audio latency down to 5 ms.
  • Integrated effects with 18 presets.
  • 16 parts.
  • MIDI velocity response curve editor to fine tune the feeling of your MIDI keyboard.
  • App can keep running in the background, so you can play on your keyboard while e.g. using Safari or another app to display scores or surfing the Internet.
  • Supports Apple's "IAA" system for audio & MIDI streaming between other apps (iOS 7 or higher).
  • Supports "JACK Audio Connection Kit" for audio & MIDI streaming between other apps (up to iOS 6.1.3).
  • Virtual on-screen piano keyboard with velocity support, scalable & scrollable.

MIDI Player / Recorder:
  • Record, save and load your songs in standard MIDI file format.
  • Unlimited amount of tracks.
  • Configurable target MIDI channel per track.
  • Unlimited recording and playback length.
  • Open MIDI (.mid) files directly from other apps (i.e. from Safari, Mail).
  • Download or upload MIDI files with iTunes.
  • Load your favorite songs as MIDI files from the Internet, and watch at the virtual keyboard how to play it.
  • Metronome.
  • Use the "Tempo Zoom" dial knob to i.e. slow down playback at any time and learn your favorite songs more easily.

¹ For more informations about supported adapters and MIDI keyboard devices, please visit our product website.

² Some sounds are using several voices per note. Polyphony depends on the exact device model being used. You find a polyphony table on our product website.

Anti-Spy Commitment: We take your privacy very seriously. None of our apps contain so called „spy” behaviors and we committed ourself to a very high privacy standard. For more informations about our privacy commitment, read our „Privacy Policy for Mobile Apps”.

Oriental Strings costs $54.99 on the app store:


Earhoof (Virtual Instrument for iPad) - Introduction (video)



Compelling stuff isn't it?

Earhoof for iPad arrives


Wow, this is a really interesting looking app. Here's the description:

Earhoof is a futuristic virtual instrument which turns your iPad into a rhythmic gradient of sound.

A sophisticated instrument creation tool, it allows you to layer multiple audio files and combine them with high quality digital signal processing. By continuously changing the sound parameters along the length of your device, Earhoof allows you to create highly expressive playable surfaces.

Its innovative internal rhythm engine allows you to easily play this surface, switching seamlessly between complex rhythms while remaining in complete control of the generated sounds. The result is a playing experience unlike any other, blurring the line between sequencer and instrument.
  • Includes over 80 carefully crafted presets, each one a unique multi-sample instrument
  • Intuitively draw curves to modulate DSP parameters for Gain, Pitch, Pan, Filters, Delay and more
  • Easily import your own WAV and AIFF files with iTunes File Sharing
  • Record or manually create your own rhythms
  • Audiobus and Inter-App Audio support allows Earhoof to interact with other music apps
  • Record your performances as audio files without ever leaving the app
  • In-app help manual will help you quickly learn the ins and outs of the program 

Earhoof is priced at $4.99.

Gestrument for iPad arrives


Another new instrument comes along to your iPad from the maker of AudioShare. I'm really looking forward to trying this out. Here's the app's description:

Gestrument - the revolutionary gesture instrument! Swipe your finger to play - it has never been easier to make music!

Developed by Jesper Nordin (www.jespernordin.com) and Jonatan Liljedahl (www.kymatica.com)
  • Play and compose music with the swipe of your finger
  • An intuitive tool for composers in all genres
  • Generate music within defined scales and rhythms
  • The ultimate tool for making truly new music in any genre
  • Improvise freely within a fully controlled musical framework
  • Use the internal GM sound bank or your favorite MIDI synthesizer
  • Use Gestrument to control other iOS apps or external MIDI programs through a MIDI interface or Network MIDI
  • Create and save your own presets and share with your friends or download new presets from www.gestrument.com
Improvise or compose within the scales and rhythms you choose. Use parameters like pulse density, scale morphing, rhythm randomness or pitch fluctuation to find new paths for your musical expression and creativity. Use the tutorials or define your own settings to fit the musical style you want to play and compose in. Play on up to eight instruments at once - all with different individual settings.

Gestrument works equally well for rhythmic music or sweeping soundscapes, for solo melodies or chord blocks, for long lines or short staccatos. It can help you make music in whichever genre you can imagine.

Gestrument works directly with its built in sounds and is therefore perfect for the amateur or beginner who wants to make music in an intuitive way. But it is first and foremost built for professional musicians and composers who can work with the settings to build advanced theoretical frameworks that they can later improvise or compose within.

The app is priced at $7.99.

Gestrument - Jesper Nordin

Thumbjam, the app that keeps giving


I just love how there are occasional batches of samples available for Thumbjam. Always excellent quality.

I love using Thumbjam, especially the cello, viola and other strings. They're so expressive.

ThumbJam - Sonosaurus LLC