Crudebyte has introduced iSymphonic Orchestra, a new app for iPad that turns the device into a orchestral sound module.
According to Crudebyte, “iSymphonic Orchestra was designed with the goal to deliver you superb, extremely realistic and stunning orchestra sounds”.
Sounds:
- 1. Orchestra Strings Spiccato & Legato
- 2. Orchestra Strings Slow 1
- 3. Chamber Arco Strings
- 4. Legato Orchestra Strings 1
- 5. Full Sordino Strings 1
- 6. Legato Orchestra
- 7. Staccato Orchestra 1
- 8. Staccato Orchestra 2
- 9. Tremolo Orchestra
- 10. Pizzicato Strings
Features:
- Low latency disk streaming.
- Polyphony up to 140 stereo voices.²
- Configurable audio latency down to 5 ms.
- Integrated effects with 18 presets.
- 16 parts.
- MIDI velocity response curve editor to fine tune the feeling of your MIDI keyboard.
- App can keep running in the background, so you can play on your keyboard while e.g. using Safari or another app to display scores or surfing the Internet.
- Hermode Tuning: Makes the sound more brilliant by controlling the pitch of the notes in multivoiced music to better frequency ratios than with fixed tuning. This dynamic tuning imitates the tuning behavior of well educated musicians of i.e. orchestras and choirs.
- Supports Apple’s “IAA” system for audio & MIDI streaming between other apps (iOS 7 or higher).
- Supports “JACK Audio Connection Kit” for audio & MIDI streaming between other apps (up to iOS 6.1.3).
- Virtual on-screen piano keyboard with velocity support, scalable & scrollable.
MIDI Player / Recorder:
- Record, save and load your songs in standard MIDI file format.
- Unlimited amount of tracks.
- Configurable target MIDI channel per track.
- Unlimited recording and playback length.
- Download or upload MIDI files with iTunes.
- Load your favorite songs as MIDI files from the Internet, and watch at the virtual keyboard how to play it.
- Use the “Tempo Zoom” dial knob to i.e. slow down playback at any time and learn your favorite songs more easily.
Note: The developer says that this app is very demanding. They recommend closing background apps.
No official audio demo is currently available at their site. Here’s a video demo, via Toz Bourne:
iSymphonic Orchestra is available for US $54.99 in the App Store.
That’s pretty nice overall and the price is not excessive. However, note the maker suggesting that you close all other apps. There’s the line between pad-power and Zimmer-power. You can do meaningful work with this, but you’ll need a desktop machine to hold a fuller library for this purpose. I can also compliment the tone. You would not expect many fancy articulations here, but the central playability is unimpeachable. Its like a small slice of Garritan Personal Orchestra.
I disagree. The central playability (even from just listening to it) is impeachable. Granted, making strings sample sets is incredibly hard work. But just judging from the demo audio, not enough careful pre-planning went into the project. Great care needs to be taken to make sure the samples can be played both with long chords and with melodic lines. Crescendos should be done with controls and not in the sample.
The demo really does help us hear some of the shortcomings.
On a positive note, it is nice to see Hermode tuning in an iOS app.
“The central playability…is impeachable.”
Making one subject to impeachment?
Maybe you meant unimpeachable – Making one NOT subject to impeachment? ?
Or impeccable – meaning “ideal”?
Yeah, impeccable I reckon. There, fixed it.
That’s not $54 worth of impressive. Not when i can get similar sounds with a $5 Garageband app!
Wow, sourds like doo-doo to my ears.
Wow, there’s nothing quite like a roomfull of cellos playing legato!
I say ‘unimpeachable’ because the ensemble parts are quite full. The less detailed sounds show some burrs, but if you’re that concerned, you’ll buy Garritan or something similar. I use MOTU’s Symphonic Instrument for most of my orch needs. It was close-mic’d and has an interesting subtle grit to it, which I like. Several sounds here are very close to grouped strings in Si. If you’ve heard a few such plugs, you can compare the pluses more accurately. I don’t disagree with part of the responses, but this is aimed at someone who is NOT looking to whip up a full soundtrack. Its for padders who just want some better string backing here and there, or the occasional mad composer who will love the thing as is. There are some great plugs to be had for pads, but this is a situation where you have to treat it as a module and not a total solution. This is $50 for just strings, while the full-orch package of MOTU Si lists at $279, with Garritan PO running about $150. No harm or foul in it. You simply have to gather what works for you.
Wow, that reminds me of the soundtrack from Doom. Even the Sampletank’s Miroslav bank sounds a lot better.
sorry but as viennese that grew up witch classical music i gotta say it sounds horrible ^^
Music Studio is waaaay better than this and far more affordable . Devs charging this much are saying “hey, our app is better so pay more”.
Wrong move! Charge £9.99 and u might get some custom
It wil be removed from the AppStore after a year cause sales will be poor