This video, via Olympia Noise Co., takes a look at Ondes, a new ‘expressive instrument’ for the iPad.
Here’s what they have to say about it:
For those who may be wondering about the name, Ondes is French for “waves.” But if you know a little something about the history of electronic music, you might also recognize the word.
The Ondes Martenot is an early electronic instrument with a sound not dissimilar to that of the more widely known Theremin. Unlike the Theremin, which is played by moving your hands in space, the Ondes Martenot has a keyboard and a sliding ring which allows the player to glide between pitches. Below each key is a little indentation for the finger to stop on. These indentations allow for precise pitch intonation, something that is neary impossible to acheive on the Theremin.
Because several 20th century composers (notably Olivier Messiaen) composed for the instrument, the Ondes Martenot is still taught in some music conservatories to this day.
Ondes is our little homage to this very cool instrument. But it’s not a “virtual Ondes Martenot.”
We’ve taken the original instrument as our inspiration, re-conceived it for touch screen, and added some great features that make Ondes an expressive and fun instrument of its own time and place.
Pricing and availability are to be announced, but they say it is ‘coming soon’.
Be sure not to mistake this with “Petites Ondes”, sub par.
Looks pretty nice. Simple interface, decent tones. I wonder how difficult it will be to get the hang of and make sound good. Seems like it has potential to be pretty expressive and decent sounding.
The ability to bend each note of chords is always fun to dink with, and can be just the think for certain transitions.
Nice and smooth, I like it.
Interesting, but maybe just a sound toy? Can anyone say wether this will be used for track creation?
Can you hear it in a track? If yes, than it can be used for track creation
Define “track”, unless u think of someone using it in an audiobus “experiment” :p
That’s not a track!
Well, it is an “instrument” that plays “notes” so theoretically someone could “play” it in a “song”
Yes theoretically is a very appropriate word:)
I’ve used tea kettles, pots and pans, shoes tumbling in a dryer, a box of broken glass, and a mic’ed light bulb in tracks before. So, yes, I can hear this in a completed track.
Nice! Where can we hear it?
Hi there, this is the developer of this app. And I have to say, I have *already* used this on a track, to play chord changes as well as to double a piano melody. It’s actually quite easy to play melodies and chords — there is an adjustable ‘snapping’ control for setting up how much it snaps to pitch. Ok, just wanted to chime in 🙂
Hi Ben
Great you joined in:)
Forgive me but for the most part I’m a devils advocate and a sceptic. Been making music with iOS apps for nearly a year now.
What it comes down to is I’ve yet to see any big things come out of ios music despite great great apps and a lot of talk. Seems peeps like to grab as many new apps as possible and they usually get forgotten after a couple of weeks when the next big iPad synth or groove box comes out.
Not hating on your app at all mate, in fact it’s quite intriguing and hoping it sells well for you:)
Oh no worries, I didn’t think you were hating. iPad is still a very young platform for music as far as I’m concerned and I think people are still figuring out what works and doesn’t on a touch screen, and how to integrate it into recording and performing setups. Obviously there is still need for hardware and even good old fashion computers. But as the technology continues to improve I think iPad will keep becoming more viable as a musical tool. My main goal with this one is for it to be extremely “musical” and playable as a real instrument. We’ll see…. 🙂
Ok , best of luck with it as a real instrument. More of those needed for iOS, like Orphion, Thumbjam- real expressive stuff:)
I think tho that iOS IS viable right now as a solid alternative to desktop or hardware or complimentary to it. It’s just that no one really has gone the distance with it and shown the world.
There are lots of dudes experimenting and putting stuff out but nothing pro level yet afraid to say. Like you say, the platform is still young.
I’m sure in the right hands your app will be put to great use:)
Cheers for talking!
I’m still hankering after a Haaken Continuum – does all of this & much more on a very playable surface (unlike the other stack of cold squiggly rubber sausages).
looks nice and simple. similar play as on the animoog (except that it has more voices).
am sold on that, it actually looks like you can put a bit of feeling in to it.