Pulse Code has released Modular Synthesizer – a modular software synthesizer for iPhone 4S or newer, iPod Touch 5th generation or newer, and iPad 3rd generation or newer.
Here’s what they have to say about it:
Modular looks, acts, and sounds like a hardware modular synthesizer to give you features that musicians want such as pulse width modulation, oscillator sync, 4 pole ladder filters, and 1v/oct filter tracking. Traditional modular systems are expensive and out of reach for the average artist. Modular is here to bridge that gap and allow everyone the opportunity to use these powerful synthesizers.
Modular provides modules in every category for free. Enough to build a vast array of sounds. Buy only the modules you need or get the bundle which includes all modules including future modules. Owning a module means you use as many as can fit in the modular rack. You want to build a monster 6 oscillator synth? You can.
Features:
- ‘Analog sound’
- Bandlimited oscillators
- Oversampled filters
- Beautiful graphics
- Dynamic workspace
- Intuitive navigation
- Controls that give detailed values such as filter frequency in Hz and oscillator tuning in semitones
- Minimal menu interface
- Keyboard with 10 octave range
- Arpeggiator
- In app help and tutorials
- Audiobus support
- Soundcloud export
- CoreMIDI support
- Record live performance
- Email recordings
- Import / export patches via iTunes file sharing
- Background Audio
Modular Synthesizer is a free download in the App Store. Additional modules are available via in-app purchases.
If you’ve used Modular Synthesizer, let us know what you think of it!
It is sooo awesome, so far. I have only enountered 1 major bug; when navigating the interface likes to run away, it keeps moving up and left like it doesn’t want to be touched. But I am sure this will be addressed shortly. Also there are a few modul ideas I have but don’t really matter, like we got 2 delays, can we get an actual reverb? Also so sort of 3 band eq would be nice. But all in all this is fantastic!!!!!
About reverb and EQ: since the app supports Audiobus, I’m just running it through AUFX:Space. Works fine on my iPod Touch 5G. It also works on the 4G, but with noticeable latency at the on-screen keyboard.
I get the Audiobus to other app thing, I just think having it all in app would be awesome. I use my iPad for 2 things (I have iPad gen1 & a 4s) so I only run one app at a time for max performance and it’s usually Lemur, but I don’t record audio in my apps and “bounce” them to some service, I record the audio output like I do any synth. So, a reverb in-house would be nice…
in a modular enviroment it makes way more sense to include the fx in the synth app.
at least until we have a virtual CV/gate bus.
the reason of going modular for me is to re-use the outputs for modulating other stuff with it, and that would not be possible if i use an audiobus fx unit like turnado.
speaking of which … i would like a compressor module that takes external audio as sidechain input
so we could use modular as audiobus fx unit and use a dm1 as the input, and let this be the sidechain input … that would be great 🙂
iPad 3 or newer eh? Well that rules it out for me. Too bad they will have to limit potential sales in this manner but I guess it must need a lot of processor juice.
I think it comes down to the developer software available… I have an iPad gen1 and an iPhone4s and luckily it runs pretty great on iPhone (aside from the bug I pointed out earlier). I have to say that this is a great tool for experienced and learners alike!
It says third generation or newer but I checked at the App Store where it says iPad 2 with iOS 6 and above. Downloaded it and it seems to run fine on my iPad 2.
Sounds like dirt, unfortunately. 🙁
What don’t you like about the sound? ie – the sound of the filter, something about the sound of the oscillators, etc.
oscillators and filters sound super digital to me
ok so iam not the only one ^^ damnit, i hoped it was just the preset sounds, gonna check it out later
working like a charm in iPad 2….hours of fun
10/10 awesomeness abounds!
Sounds fabulous, it’s possible to create a huge variety of different sounds with this, yes, even dirt!
I love it so far except for some minor bugs. I followed a setup from the quick start guide and a couple of cables just refused to connect even if it lighted yellow. As for future improvements, maybe a double tap on the keys would stretch them to fit the screen automatically instead of manually pinching.
was the module at the bottom right corner ? i had the same bug, also its snapping to the bottom row all the time, which makes it so annoying that i deleted it again hehe
I like their take on IAPs – I purchase will include all future modules, and 50% off at the moment. Bargain.
+1 on:
– Hours of fun
– Interface keeps moving around when zooming in at times – highly annoying
– The $5 module-updates-for-life IAP is definitely a steal – jump on it quick
Really a great app I was expecting !
But some bugs a really disturbing … The most is that racks are moving to bottom right when I try to tap a module … This is crazy but makes the app Almost unusable.
Visually Modular is a knockout. It looks fantastic. Pity it doesn’t sound as good as it looks. Modular’s sound is flat and uninspiring. If modular systems actually sounded like this no one would own one.
sad but true
I beg to differ Ian…I downloaded this App this morning….listened to some fo the pre-sets…set some up of my own as well…..and said..’good golly miss molly’ ..bought the full gambit….I love this app…great release…so its not a hardware analog…sooooo….I listened to this beast straight off of the IPAD II with Sennheiser headphones…and it sounded awesome….
Awesome App Pulse Code!!!
i hooked it up to an SSL duality console and PCM speakers and it sounded really really bad, at least the preset sounds
i work at an audio technic college and really embarressed myself when i showed the students my cool new ipad modular ^^
why vote me down? its a fact ^^ they where laughing at me hehe
Probably for
A) name dropping and showing off
B) poor spelling
Two things
The pres on a duality sound pretty thin to begin with.
If you plugged the headphone out of your iPad into either the line level input or the mic level input without going via a DI box, or using a dock connector line level out, there will be an impedance mismatch which will also, potentially make it sound thin.
Oh yeah…I do have the real deal hardware modular in my studio as well…but heck…I’m not comparing…..this app is another great expression of creativity that spaws creative endeavors while on the road!!
This looks very promising.
A few problems I would mention:
– The notion of splitters is really annoying, that’s just the wrong thing to bring over from the analog world. Why could we patch from destinations and source straight away? Seems veeery stupid not to do so. Like tap and hold would split the signal.
– It would be nice to create a visual represantation when the connecting cable “engages” to a plug. I mean like a glow around the plug or something. This way if you misplace the plug you just lose the cable and you can start if over.
– The CV amount only goes to 50%. Why not 100% or even more? Should I add an amplifier module just for the sole purpose of sending a stringer signal? This too doesn’t seem to be well though out (or tested). But hey, we’re the testers after all, aren’t we? 🙂
– few minor bugs which I am sure they will fix in the meantime.
Sweet acidy sound. Love it 🙂
I gave my £3 to them in the hope they will fix these issues.
Free App? – check
Gourgeous interface? – check
IAP at bargain price for all modules? – check
Sounds good? – check
Audio bus? – check
MIDI IN? – check
Reminds me why Propellerheads’s Reason would be so great on the iPad? – big check 😀
MIDI out would be welcome some time in the future.
i like it so far, a few issues are:
preset sounds sound very digital, hooked it up to an ssl duality and pmc speakers
interface is a bit laggy, like demounting units needs a few seconds till it gets that iam longpressing right now
modules seem extremely limited, basically theres are four modules,mthe rest is just duplicated with a few extras, which makes little to no sense
hope there is more to come 🙂
also fullscreen modes are a bit strange in their behaviour
another thing i couldnt do is route the cv and gate to more then one destinations, i wanted to build a supersaw but thats not as easy as it should be, even in analouge i can do that … probably its my fault gonna check that out later
Been thinking some time now to get into analog, this gives me the oportunity to try out modular without need for space or $. Loving it so far (so might take the dive into hardware modular after all)
For the app just three things I would like
– different color wires for sound and cv
– more modules 🙂
– more rack space :-))
best $5 spent in ages!!
used it for 30min now, and sorry to say that but i will wait till there is some interface update and more modules.
like someone earlier said ther is a bug where it constantly scrolls to the bottom row by itself, and it modules are in the last row next to the in/out section you cant attach cables to it
also, having to plit everything makes it extremely limiting
to make four oscillators a filter and an ADSR i need so many splitters that the rack is full ^^
every patchcord is the same color, but thats a minor issue.
there are 24 modules for what is basically 1osc 1adsr 1filter 1lfo and a few gimmicks just because there are at least two versions for everything, a lowbudget and the one that you use.
but this is no actual hardware, so whats the point of having four envelope generators if i only use the adsr module ^^ or two oscillator modules where one has variable pulsewidth when i could just leave it at 50% all the time to get the functionality of the other one ? ^^
i really was hoping for a seq/arp module for example, a sampler module, an EQ etc …
as it is now its no fun to use and as i said earlier, very digital sounding
I just cannot stop playing with this app. It runs very well on my iPad Mini, but there is a lot of latency on my iPhone 4 – this was expected, and I don’t really use my phone for synth apps anyway, so it’s not a big deal.
Also, I agree with the other comments about suggestions for the future: Splitting is a little cumbersome. I would like to color code my cables. And a step sequencer module would be indispensable. (I’ve been meaning to try it out with Little Midi, but I just haven’t gotten around to it.)
If you even half-way like this app, $5 seems like a small investment to make to encourage the developer to fix bugs, update, etc.
I exported some loops from the arp and played them back through a decent system. They sounded good. Much better than I expected based on previous posts. Especially for FREE… and the IAP price is cheap.
You couldn’t honestly compare it to an analogue synth, in sound, but there’s definitely worse on the ipad. It’s looks like a Modcan/Moog cross~breed, (can you still say that?), but a little too rich for my 4g. Definitely could see using it to whip up little sketches for patches later, and the knobs interface well. Meh, that auto slide glitch sucks for sure, but what’s 5 bucks?
Simply lovely and IAP of 5 bucks or so is no brainer.
Just get it 🙂
the app is just perfect, except that sometimes the view just scrolls out to the bottom left corner which makes impossible to patch anything. unfortunately this app is vulnerable to IAPFree allowing to get all modules for free. sure developers should look inside and update it.