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iPhone/iPad iOS music making app round-up: Week 70

By Si Truss
published 22 August 2012

New instruments, effects and audio tools

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There have been a number of recent additions to the world of iOS music making over the past few weeks. Just yesterday we reported on Clavia's free Nord Beat step sequencer for iPad and the new iOS incarnation of Pioneer's rekordbox application.

Further back, Dream Theater keyboard player and app addict Jordan Rudess has two new instruments out - Tachyon and SpaceWiz. While Wave Machine Labs have released probably the most advanced mobile DAW to date in the shape of Auria (full MusicRadar report coming soon.)

For now though, here's a round-up of the other new music making tools and significant updates to hit the App Store this week.

Page 1 of 5
Page 1 of 5
Refined Stochastic Technology S.709 2.0, £1.49/$1.99
Compatibility: iPhone, iPod touch, iPad (requires iOS 4.3 or later)

Refined Stochastic Technology S.709 2.0, £1.49/$1.99

We first covered S.709 back in May - it’s an experimental iOS synth that utilises the device’s touchscreen and accelerometer to give you deep control over a sine wave output.

Version 2.0 makes this novel little app even more fun, however, adding the ability to audio paste sounds from other apps in order to use S.709 as a ring modulator. Audio copy and email export have also been added.

Check out a video demo.

Buy now from the App Store.

Page 2 of 5
Page 2 of 5
iceGear Cassini for iPad, £1.99/$1.49
Compatibility: iPad (requires iOS 4.3 or later)

iceGear Cassini for iPad, £1.99/$1.49

Cassini, the latest offering from notable iOS developer iceGear, is already a popular instrument for the iPhone and iPod touch. The iPad edition only improves this great little app - offering plenty of tweakable features, a nicely designed interface and excellent sound.

Buy now from the App Store.

Page 3 of 5
Page 3 of 5
AudioAppStore SpeakerAngle, 69p/$0.99
Compatibility: iPhone, iPod touch, iPad (requires iOS 4.3 or later)

AudioAppStore SpeakerAngle, 69p/$0.99

New Genelec-branded app SpeakerAngle isn’t exactly the sexiest iOS tool out there, but it’s likely to prove very useful for a lot of producers. It provides a tool to help position and balance a set of stereo or surround sound speakers - handy for getting those studio monitors setup right.

Buy now from the App Store.

Page 4 of 5
Page 4 of 5
Retronyms Tabletop 1.6, free
Compatibility: iPad (requires iOS 4.3 or later)

Retronyms Tabletop 1.6, free

We’ve been closely monitoring the progress of modular iOS audio tool Tabletop since it arrived last year, and with each update it’s been living up to its promise more and more.

The latest update adds a free microphone input recorder, in the form of Magic Mic, along with hip-hop endorsed Auto-Tune-alike the T-Pain Effect (which is available as an in-app purchase).

Download now from the App Store.

Page 5 of 5
Page 5 of 5
Poorly Dressed Ape Easy Strum, £1.49/$1.99
Compatibility: iPad (requires iOS 5 or later)

Poorly Dressed Ape Easy Strum, £1.49/$1.99

Easy Strum is a new autoharp-style iPad instrument from excellently named developer Poorly Dressed Ape. It allows users to strum several different instruments - harp, piano, glock, celesta, sitar and marimba - to play chords around preset scales. Usefully, it can also send MIDI info via Wi-Fi in order to control software instruments.

Buy now from the App Store.

Liked this? Now read: The best iPhone/iPad music making apps in the world today

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Si Truss
Si Truss
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I'm Editor-in-Chief of Music Technology, working with Future Music, Computer Music, Electronic Musician and MusicRadar. I've been messing around with music tech in various forms for over two decades. I've also spent the last 10 years forgetting how to play guitar. Find me in the chillout room at raves complaining that it's past my bedtime.


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