MVStudio’s MV08 redesigns the 808 for the touchscreen generation

Many 808 emulations are designed to look and feel like Roland’s original hardware - the TR-08 that was announced last week is a prime example - but MVStudio’s MV08, an iOS app, is slightly different. This promises the sound of the classic drum machine, but with an interface that’s been redesigned to suit a touchscreen workflow.

MV08 is sample-based, and adds per-voice pan and pitch controls to the original control set. You also get two editable send effects per voice, as well as master 3-band EQ and distortion.

The sequencer has also been improved in comparison to the original, with the voice controls being sequencable on a per-step basis. Patterns can be up to 64 steps long and at either 16- or 32-step resolution, and you can store eight banks of 16 patterns.

Compatible with Audiobus, Inter-App Audio and Ableton Link, MV08 can be purchased now from the Apple App Store. It costs £3.99/$3.99

I’m the Deputy Editor of MusicRadar, having worked on the site since its launch in 2007. I previously spent eight years working on our sister magazine, Computer Music. I’ve been playing the piano, gigging in bands and failing to finish tracks at home for more than 30 years, 24 of which I’ve also spent writing about music and the ever-changing technology used to make it.