Developer Arthur Kerns has introduced midiLFOs – a MIDI controller app that sends modulation control data to other music apps and external synthesizers.
It consists of four independent LFOs that are used to send 7 bit MIDI CC messages in repeating Low Frequency Oscillating patterns.
The LFOs can be the various standard shapes (sine, saw, triangle, square, sample and hold) but can also modulate each others amplitude and rate to create even more interesting shapes.
Here’s a video demo:
midiLFOs does not make music or sound by itself, it controls other MIDI capable synth apps and devices in your studio. You can use it to modulate the filter cutoff frequency of your favorite synth app, the pan position of the hi hats in a drum machine app, the feedback amount of a delay effect, or the pitch of an external hardware synthesizer. Or you can do all four at the same time.
Features:
- Four independent LFOs that send 7-bit MIDI CCs
- Easily configure CoreMIDI port, channel, CC# per LFO
- Easily adjust shape, rate, offset, lag per LFO
- Modulate the rate and amount of an LFO using other LFOs
- Sync LFOs to MIDI clock
- Map trigger, LFO rate, and modulation amount values to incoming MIDI
midiLFOs is available for US $4.99 in the App Store.
Would this work on a volca? Could make a huge difference to a volca…
Yes this works with the Volcas. I have a little Volca collection myself and controlling them was part of the reason I wrote the app. Be sure to look at the MIDI implementation charts for the Volcas to make sure the parameter you want can be controlled via CC. I’m not sure how they chose which parameters to include, but there are some strange omissions.
Here are some promo codes for the app for anyone interested in trying it:
F3YTRTERY97J
JKE3NXTXR3EF
99JPR4NM93PR
YKN7XMKHTEYE
TW6LELTPJNTJ
Hi Art,
Nice app, just messing with it. Is there an easy way to control how ‘big’ the LFO wave is or how much of it gets sent? I guess I can do this modulating one with another but I guess I’m looking for the equivalent of an amount knob.
Thanks in advance.
Update – Ignore me, I’ve found it. 🙂
Cool, thanks! Just used TW6LELTPJNTJ
Really looking forward to this one. Will be great for setting up some wonderful grooves and soundscapes. Also super cool that lfos can modulate each other!
Thanks. The last 4 codes have all been used.
I’ve actually been waiting for something like this to come along – particularly for the volcas. I have tried using other digital synths like my R3 but to avail. Thanks for this!
@art.kerns. Thanks for this app , had been waiting for somebody to do this .
Feature Requests:
MidiGate trigger function , so any first note on ( no need to specify 1) triggers LFO on , last note off turns off lfo
Also velocity & aftertouch would be doubly great ,
1. as external mod sources that could be mapped to Mod rate & mod amp
2. As selectable additional “false cc” output signals
Thanks
Hey sparkle, thanks for the suggestions. The MIDI note on/off toggle is something I realized after submitting it, I plan to add that. I also like the velocity idea. I’m trying to keep the app simple and easy to set up and use, I find that iOS apps like that are the ones I actually end up using. So in general I’m going to try to resist adding things. But I think I’ve got a way to do this one. Thanks again, and thanks to all who tried it.
Haven’t tried it yet, but I think this would be great for eurorack with something like Mutable Instruments’ CVPal.
Bought this and been using it on my electribe 2. The unit, with its cut down interface, is lacking modulation options and this is a great addition.
Excellent app.