New Android Synth, Heat, Offers VST Integration

heat-vst-synthesizer

Nils Schneider has introduced Heat – a new virtual analog synthesizer for Android that also offers VST integration for Windows.

Features:

  • Full-featured virtual analogue subtractive synthesizer, optimized for mobile devices
  • Available as Demo and Pro version in the Google Play Store
  • Full VST 2.3 integration for Windows x86 and x64
  • Collaborative Preset Browser, store your delicious sounds online directly and share them with the community
  • Browse through thousands of sounds created by other people around the world
  • Design your sounds offline while on the way and use your sounds later in a VST-compatible sequencer of your choice

Here’s a demo of Heat in action:

Heat Synthesizer is available on Google Play as Pro and Demo version. The VST plugins are available via the Heat site.

42 thoughts on “New Android Synth, Heat, Offers VST Integration”

  1. I just tried it, and the latency is horrible. I suspect this is more to do with Android itself rather than the app, but it really isn’t playable or useful in it’s current state

    1. Are you the same Matt who left a review on the Google store?

      I think it would’ve been nice if you had mentionned the problem is because of android lag, because this app (which is beta btw) is really nice.

      1. I ammended my review, but I don’t think it’s worth paying for if the platform isn’t built to handle it, in the same way I wouldn’t buy Cubase if I was going to be running it in Wine on Linux

        1. Exactly, and this is why I thought it was important to let Google about this. Eventually they might listen if more and more people ask for a low latency driver.

    2. Hi Matt,

      thanks for your feedback. I was never annoyed by the latency and in my opinion playing was not perfect, but okay. However, sure I get your point and you are right:

      Version 0.8.3 already made its way into the Play Store, Google will release it in some hours. Among other issues I addressed, I reduced the latency by more than factor 2.

      I would be nice if you could contact me directly next time because as this software is still beta and this is my first ever android app created, I’m sure I can help, but if I have to crawl the internet to know about issues, its a bit difficult.

      One of the next versions will have the block size changeable in the options for even lower latency. Android 4 is capable of doing down to 11ms, but as I support everything since Android 2.3, the current version is “a safe value that will work on every device without problems”.

      Regards,

      Nils / Heat Synthesizer

      2. Hi Nils

        I’m sorry if I came across as harsh, I do like your software and I do think it has potential.

        I’m used to the snappy timing in iOS, but I’d love to see the synth market take off on Android, and this is a great looking bit of kit. If the latency comes down to 20 ms or less I’ll gladly buy the pro version.

        I hope that clears everything up 🙂

        1. Hi Matt,

          my processing takes place at block sizes of 512 samples only, this should result in a latency of 11,6ms, I do processing on Android at 44,1Khz.

          The latency on my Nexus 7 is fine, but on a Samsung Galaxy S3 of my co-worker the latency is a bit higher. So I guess it’s indeed the fact that the hardware manufacturers have to be blamed here, not my code.

          I did a test run with 64 samples only, it even works, though with less voice count. But the latency didn’t decrease any further, there is obviously latency added from the audio driver. I’m sorry that there is nothing I can do about it.

          I have to say that I don’t think that google can be blamed here, because on the Nexus machines, the latency is fine. I guess it isn’t Android itself, the audio drivers, different from manufacturer to manufacturer, seem to be the problem.

          Nils

  4. The VST thing is something I’d like to see more of. the iPad/iPhone deverlopers are missing a trick, even if it’s just a Wifi/MIDI/OSC passthru to the device. It’s be nice to have Anomoog on my mac screen

    1. YES!

      There are a few developers that are doing this – Audulus jumps to mind – but I’d like to see AU versions for iOS soft synths, patch sharing and the ability to use the iPad as a dedicated controller for the AU versions.

        1. What? Really?

          I have to write a mass email to warn Native Instruments, Propellerheads, Steinberg, Image Line, Reaper, Bitwig, Ableton, Rob Fielding, U-he, D16, Audio Damage, and all the other Windows devs about that. They all do not seem to be aware that they are all in the wrong! Somebody has to warn them!

          1. Can’t recognize a joke when you see one?

            Maybe it’s because a lot of developers HAVE shifted some of their resources to iOS: Steinberg, Propellerhead, Image Line, Audio Damage – the list goes on and on!

  7. I just download free version of the app. In terms of sound, it is quite competent and can get pretty good and dense pads and leads. Latency is an old problem of Android, and it’s not different in this synth. What really disliked this app is the ugly and poorly finished GUI. I think I could improve it.

        1. It is, when it adds so much latency to music apps that they are unusable.

          I feel sorry for guys like Nils, because Android makes his app laggy, and Google is doing squat to fix that.

    2. There’s also the SynprezFM which appears to sound very nice on android also… makes two nice products on this platform 🙂

  9. it’s a shame. sounds nice in the demo, interesting UI, integration with VSTs (a first, although Sunrizer is coming out as an AU soon, nano studio works on a PC/Mac).

    the main problem is, and will remain, that google aren’t likely to bother fixing the latency issues. android is a way for google to push it’s services to mobile users, which it doing extremely successfully, latency or not. people like us who want to tinker with music while out and about are a marginal constituency, at best. a lot of musicians are also already heavily invested in the apple ecosystem anyway, in which case android is bad choice for lots of other reasons

    there’s also the issue of fragmentation, which (precisely because android is so successful) is impossible to fix. the “which device and OS are you using” questions that people are asking here are, for the most part, irrelevant to iOS. the most demanding iOS music app i can think of, auria, runs on any iPad (like a dog on iPad1, admittedly), and on any flavour of iOS 5 or 6.

    anyway, like i said, a shame. the guy should port it to iOS, add audiobus and MIDI support, and make some money.

  11. Attention, presets (even your own!) are stored online ONLY! No saving without internet access.

    Even looks like you’re forced to share them with others – either way, it’s a no-go. Uninstalled immediately.

    1. I’m sorry to say that but you’re wrong about that. There’s local storage, too 😉

      Version 0.8.3 (released in some hours) allows saving/loading without even being connected to the internet.

      1. There IS local storage because it WILL be implemented? Huh?

        Btw, what’s the usage policy for users who don’t even notice their presets are stored on your server (it’s not mentioned, you only notice when you run a firewall), or maybe chose to do so? Do you reserve the right to use those presets for your work and/or make them available to others? I didn’t find anything about this in the FAQ, so I just ask…

        Apart from that, any developer who thumbs down critical comments on his work, while thumbing up his own, is really lame.

        1. There IS local storage but the local storage couldn’t be accessed without being online, a BUG. No shame for a beta, don’t you think?

          My work is game programming, I do this in my freetime, I don’t need the patches for “work” or whatever, I thought it would be a nice feature to have ALSO online preset sharing. If you don’t want it, don’t use it.

          And another thing: There IS a box saying what happens to the presets.

          To voting: Yes, I voted you down, because you’re flaming without even looking before how the app works and flame with assumptions that are incorrect.

        2. One more thing: You obviously didn’t realize that own comments can’t be voted, so what do you want to tell me?

          I’m outa here, thought it was a good idea to give some direct support during the beta, have fun continuing flaming about everything possible, I don’t want to read all this.

          Hey, it’s a freetime product. Its not business. If you have problems with the app, contact me how it’s supposed to be.

          1. In stead of appreciating the developer people are trying to prove what’s wrong.

            Why not put some brain so that gradually it can be developed more to bring it from ‘free time thing’ to a professional one. This is think a big step towards a new thing. See the future :
            VSTi played on andriod : A tab replacing VSTi Harware player ($400+)

            NILS : Want to communicate to you personally.
            Thanks
            S Ghose

  12. At last something good and most impotently useful for abandoned Android users 😉
    Really impressed 🙂
    Btw; How about porting to iOS devices – you’ll make a pretty penny out that 😉
    Just a thought…

    1. PS; I have just noticed after visiting your website, that you don’t offer integration with Macs 🙁
      Are you holding a personal grunge against “everything Apple”..?

      2. “Are you holding a personal grunge against “everything Apple”..?”

        Not at all, but why are all Apple users think so in the first place?

        I don’t dev for mac because I don’t have a mac.

  13. This actually sounds pretty good – and I think 11 ms latency should be usable. My ears woke up when I heard the FM – nice to have that! The multisaw is also a nice addition.

    This also reminds me of why I like Sunrizer, Addictive Synth, Cassini and Magellan.

    I would encourage more developers to make desktop plugins for their mobile apps – it’s one of the things I really like about NLog.

  14. I;m thrilled about using this on my Asus Transformer TF300T. One of the main reasons I wanted a tablet was for being able to play some music when mobile. The latency issue on android is a big disappointment and no I have no intention or desire to run on an iPad. I just don’t enjoy having my hardware that locked down and enjoy Android better in many ways, no offense to apple junkies, it’s just not my cup of tea. So I’ve used this a little on my TF300T and noticed some latency but I’m curious Nils about how I can test the latency for you. How would you recommend getting an idea of performance on this android device versus another?

  15. I think this is just a friggin great idea… make sounds on the go, bring em home and work on em some more… Any more like this (android user). I don’t care about latency, I just like sound design and being able to work on something more often = more development.

    On a side note, is the latency there with ICS 4.2?

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