Pro Music Apps

The low end virtual analogue juiciness of the long-serving BassLine iOS app has been given a few welcome new features with the arrival of v.4.0.

What’s new

- MIDI note input
- MIDI controller input
- Gated sequencer mode with real-time pattern transposition
- OMAC Fast Switch sender support
- One-swipe App Switching on iPads running iOS 5+: Swipe left from the right of the screen to reveal the list of registered apps
- Audio Sharing via “Open in…”
- Intelligent Background Audio: Avoid battery drain by auto-shutdown after 15 minutes of not receiving any MIDI event
- iPad Retina graphics

BassLine
Developer: Markus Waldboth

Rated: 4+

Price: $3.99 Download Here

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Still one of my fav music apps on iPad, Rockmate is so refreshing and fun to play, especially with a bunch of….mates! Apart from an expected Retina visual update, there’s some new sounds, plus singers can now join the jam!

What’s new

Fingerlab is very proud to announce the new version of Rockmate V1.1 with the addition of new super cool features: microphone, Retina graphics, new sharing options, new drum kits and new keyboard kits, for an even better music experience with your iPad.

V1.1 spec:
-Microphone
-Retina graphics
-New exports: FaceBook, SoundCloud, AudioCopy
-6 new drums kit
-8 new keyboard kit
-3 octave keyboard
-Minor bug fixes

Rockmate
Developer: Fingerlab SARL

Rated: 4+

Price: $2.99 Download Here

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Apple’s drops another update for its popular GarageBand on iOS today…. Here’s a list of the latest and more recent improvements and new features -

What’s new today in Version 1.2.1

• Fixes an issue that could lead to crashing or missing songs when sharing to iCloud
• Resolves an error when logging into SoundCloud using a Facebook account
• Addresses minor issues related to performance and stability

What’s New in Version 1.2
• Start a Jam Session to play or record live with up to three of your friends using iPad, iPhone, or iPod touch*
• Conduct an entire string orchestra using Smart Strings
• Use the Note Editor to adjust or fine-tune any Touch Instrument recording
• Combine recordings to free up additional tracks using Track Merge
• Keep your GarageBand songs up to date across all your iOS devices with iCloud*
• Share your songs directly to Facebook, YouTube, and SoundCloud
• Perform retro and modern synth bass lines and grooves with new Smart Bass instruments
• Play synth melodies and arpeggios with new Smart Keyboard instruments

*Jam Session and iCloud are available on iPhone 4 or later, 4th generation iPod touch, and all iPad models.

GarageBand
Developer: Apple Inc.

Rated: 4+

Price: $4.99 Download Here

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If you’re still to get your musical fingers on Korg’s entertaining iKaossilator, now is the time as the company is celebrating the app’s latest update with a 50% off sale on all of its iOS apps! Read on for the details -

In celebration of the release of iKaossilator v2.1, Korg is offering iKaossilator at $9.99 USD – a 50% savings – until May 7, 2012.

In addition, Korg’s entire selection of top-selling apps, including iMS-20, iElectribe and iElectribe Gorillaz Edition are available at 50% off their regular price until May 7th, 2012.
Now is your chance to grab some of the most talked-about music-making apps out there at an unbeatable price!

What’s new

iKaossilator Version 2.1 Highlights
● Audio Loop Import
● Seamless operation in tandem with the Kaossilator 2
● Support for “AudioPaste”

- New Audio Loop Import function
Audio loop files can now be imported into each part of the sequencer. iKaossilator v2.1 has evolved into an app that provides not just MIDI loop sequencing, but also audio loop sequencing! To import, simply send your audio loop* via iTunes to iKaossilator and load it via the import menu in the sound list (the sound selection screen).

In addition to simply playing an imported audio loop, you can use a filter effect assigned to the touch pad to vary the character of the song just as you would on the Kaoss Pad. This represents a nearly infinite expansion of iKaossilator’s track-making and performance potential.

* Supported file formats: WAV, AIFF, MP3, AAC

-  Seamless Integration with Kaossilator 2
The Audio loop import feature also enables closely coupled operation with iKaossilator’s sibling — the “Kaossilator 2″. Loop recorder data created with a Kaossilator 2 can be imported into iKaossilator, or an audio loop created in iKaossilator can be loaded into a loop recording bank of the Kaossilator 2. When you do this, data such as the loop length and the BPM of the loop that you created is also loaded; resulting in a seamless transfer between the software and hardware.

- Support for “AudioPaste”
iKaossilator now supports the “AudioPaste” function that was developed by Sonoma Wire Works, which allows audio data to be copied and pasted between iOS apps. You can export audio data from the Korg iELECTRIBE or iMS-20, or from any “AudioCopy” compatible app, and then import it into iKaossilator with ease.

KORG iKaossilator
Developer: KORG INC.

Rated: 4+

Price: $19.99 Download Here

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This may not apply to everyone (especially outside the UK), but I thought it was still worth a mention, especially if you’re in the market for one of Roland’s new live  performance synthesizers, the Jupiter-80. It appears there is a special incentive running at the moment where new owners of this synth also pick up a free iPad2. The promotion is no doubt a tie-in with the upcoming launch of the JP Synth Editor App, which enables players to edit Jupiter-80′s SuperNATURAL synth tone.

For more details on this promotion, check Roland’s UK site .

HyperSpace, the waveform-sculpting 3-D oscilloscope synth is the latest edition of our Space series.

HyperSpace uses a unique algorithm to generate endless mesmerizing images from sound. It works similarly to a harmonograph, but uses its 3 voice oscillators instead of pendulums to create images. Each oscillator is mapped to a dimension in 3-D space. Playing a single note creates a wave, like on an ordinary oscilloscope. Playing two notes at once creates a plane as with the harmonograph, and playing a three note chord creates a volume.

There are two oscillators to crossfade between. These can be set to standard shapes as with older synths, but HyperSpace also lets you sculpt the waves with touch! Changing the wave shapes of course alters the sound, but it also alters the generated imagery. The variety of imagery generated with this simple algorithm is truly astonishing.

Features:
• Selectable keyboard scales for easier jams
• Fat keys option for fat fingers
• Three voice polyphony
• Two LFO modulators
• Lowpass filter effect
• Echo effect
• Audio Copy
• iTunes file sharing
• Works on iPad and iPhone 4s/4/3GS

HyperSpace 3D Synthesizer
Developer: The Strange Agency LLC

Rated: 4+

Price: $0.99 Download Here

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WaveSynth Pro is “easy and full-fledged musical instrument app specialized in performance”, a wave table, 16 multi-timbral synthesizer application for iPad with 128 preset sound tones and 1 drum set defined by General MIDI specification.

WaveSynth Pro has 2 mode for playing various musical instruments sound tone such as piano, guitar, trumpet, strings, flute, drums, percussions and so on.
“Performance Mode”: Playing 2 layered instruments. 4 presets stores each instrument and various parameters.
“GM Mode”: Recommended for playing GM compatible MIDI files. Instrument and parameters of each part can be edited, and performance of each part is also displayed.

The keyboard can be selected by 1 octave keyboard or 2 octave keyboard on the display. In every sound tone, most suitable octave is assigned automatically or to be chosen by manual.
Also touch velocity support using accelerometer allows rich performance.
In addition to normal keyboard play, various expressions could be added by the Pitch Bend Controller, Portamento, Mono Mode.

Also WaveSynth Pro supports CoreMIDI compatible MIDI interfaces for full 16 channel MIDI Input / Output. Please use your iPad as a perfectly GM sound module !

Specifications:
* 128 preset sounds and 1 drum set defined by General MIDI specification
* Performance Mode / GM Mode
* Touch Velocity Supported
* Pitch Bend Change Control
* Portamento On / Off
* Mono Mode On / Off
* Hi-Quality Reverb / Chorus / Delay Effect
* Supported CoreMIDI compatible MIDI Interfaces
* 16 Part Multitimbral

WaveSynth Pro
Developer: CRIMSON TECHNOLOGY, Inc.

Rated: 4+

Price: $4.99 Download Here

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6 or so months after the iPad version debut, here is a pocket friendly, though equally quirky, version of cascadr, which is also free.

Cascadr experiments with the idea of playing a sequence of notes and a number of speeds – simultaneously. Rather than the sequences being played in time with each other (for example, 30bpm, 60bpm, 120bpm…) they are played at intervals of 1bpm – which generates an interesting cascading effect.

There are eight notes in this sequence, and each note’s pitch can be chosen over a range of 2 octaves (on a chromatic scale) starting from A4 (or 440Hz). It’s also possible to alter the volume of each note, so emphasis can be placed on specific notes. Simply touch the column that represents the value you wish to change and drag up or down. When you change a note or note volume, the change will be heard straight away.

Perhaps most importantly, you can choose the speed of the sequences. As the idea of this application is to play sequences with this cascading effect, you can only choose the speed of the first sequence. So, if you choose a speed of 10bpm, the next sequence will be played at 11bpm, the next at 12bpm and so on.

Along with functions for starting and stopping the sequence, there is a ‘re-sync’ function that allows you to restart the sequence from the beginning, meaning that all of the sequences will be put back in sync again.

There are also 8 ‘save slots’. Just select ‘Switch slot’ from the menu at the bottom of the screen, touch a slot number, close, and continue composing! All changes you make are automatically saved to the current slot.

FInally, there is a ‘MIDI On’ button that will switch the app from outputting audio to outputting MIDI. You can connect the MIDI output to virtual MIDI ports between apps running on the same device and also MIDI via Wifi.

While there may be some ‘shock-horror’ at the lack of syncopation, Cascadr can produce some really ambient melodies and rhythms – along with some interesting chords as the sequences slide in and out of time. Just set your sequence, speed, play and listen.

Have fun with it!

cascadr xs
Developer: Michael Aldridge

Rated: 4+

Price: Free Download Here

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Owners of Moog’s excellent Animoog can now access this new sound set via an in-app purchase.

From ethereal lead sounds to sci-fi insanity, the Devine expansion pack takes total advantage of Animoog’s uniquely expressive keyboard, modulation and timbre array.

The Devine Expansion Pack includes 32 original presets handcrafted by Richard Devine himself. Also included are 43 new Timbres nearly doubling Animoog’s sonic vocabulary.

Check the official page - http://www.moogmusic.com/products/apps/devine-expansion-pack-animoog

Check out some of the sounds

Animoog
Developer: Moog Music Inc.

Rated: 4+

Price: $14.99 Download Here

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File this one under quirky noise generators. Could be handy for sound designers though…

[Description from the developer's website]

Welcome to The Droner, experimental noise & drone station for iPad.
On the left, you can see the routing schematics of the synthesizer.
Be careful, you don’t have a classic or a regular machine in your hands.
Indeed, it can produce very unique and strange sounds textures and you have to learn to handle it.

You have to use it with earphones or to use a line input on your
sound-system in order to render the best results.

You can record while playing with it.
The PCM file will be saved in the document folder of The Droner application on your iPad.
You use iTunes to manage the files in this folder to backup them on your computer, or remove them.

Click here for a demo of the type of sounds you can make.

The Droner
Developer: Julien Bayle

Rated: 4+

Price: $3.99 Download Here

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