27 thoughts on “New App Turns Your iPad, iPhone Into ‘Pure Acid’”

1. Shoot me now.

   This is the straw that makes me want to sell everything I have that plugs into something and get a banjo. The back of the camel is broken. I know this has nothing to do with this app in particular, which is probably just fine, but have we reached saturation point with this music technology yet? Every day new apps, instruments, emulations, plug-ins and clones – it’s like a form of cancer.

   Apologies all, I am officially a cranky old man now.
   Carry on!

   1. Here’s a banjo for you! lol Sorry, couldn’t resist.

      https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rk95tizhV2w

      1. And…I’m dead! 😉

   2. You won’t be missed
      See ya

      1. 🙁
         Mean

2. I can understand why you are bored with it. And actually, this kind of app is over-present in the store. There are many app’s that do the same and promise the same thing, and it’s not interesting having 10 emulation of TB-303, and none of them being really fun to play with. The Farlight CMI app almost failed too.

3. you may be a cranky old man but I thank you for the belly laugh nonetheless! (and get an old-school 4-string tenor banjo – if God had meant banjos to have 5 strings He would have given us Scruggs pegs …) :p

4. The problem is the music has become nothing more than canned cliche’s.

   The technology has evolved to both reflect and implement this declining trend in music, musical skill and musical imagination. In essence what we are seeing is basically the same thing as the cheesy electric home organs with built in rhythm boxes. All you had to do was push the “Bossanova” button, hold down a single key and then pretend that you were making music as the machine rolled out repetitions of some Bossanova riff. Wanna sound like a REAL musician?? Just up five keys, put your finger on that one and …BINGO …you are now a “talented musician”.

   The real problem is those who manage to push the right button on their iPad to get the same kind of boring pre-canned music that sounds like it was made by and for robots. They actually “think” that they are “making music”.

5. Rather than the problem being “those who manage to push the right button …. and ‘think’ they are ‘making music'”, I would say, if we want to cast blame, let’s cast blame on the forces in society which deny funds for music education and public arts.

   1. Yes. A surprising amount of young people respond well when presented with “difficult” music. The problem is they aren’t presented with it. Check Leonard Bernstein’s “Young People’s Concerts”.

6. I feel what the other commenters are saying about played-out 303, 808, 909 emulations/homages. I heard the demo video where it goes through the preset patterns or whatever. It was painful to listen to for the few seconds that I put myself through. It was clown-like. The acid sound is cool as hell but can’t go far for long…anything with a novel & unique character is prone for that.
   Aside from that, Jim Audio stuff is amazing. The GrooveRider app is everything the Electribe should have been (I still can’t believe that app can legal given how blatantly it takes cues from the hardware). I really can’t wait to see what other superb apps would come from this developer in the future!

7. Tiring. That’s what 90% of modern music is. Half of that consists of individuals that aren’t musicians trying to make music using technology because it’s “fun” using cheap cloned synths. Real music isn’t particularly fun to make, it’s difficult and you have to be honest with yourself. The other half is the peddled garbage for the masses to consume, your Cyruses and your Biebers.

   The remaining 10% consists of real musicians, underground scenes including the explosion of rap as the new rock n’ roll (mumble rap belongs in that 90%, however, and speaking of which I really miss rock n’ roll, punk too) and people that you absolutely have to GO OUT OF YOUR WAY to find and listen to in an era controlled by money driven AI that thinks it knows what you “want” to listen to. Tipper, Emancipator, Shpongle, Spoonbill, Kaminanda, Snarky Puppy, those are the real artists and driving forces behind legitimate electronic music with developed musical skills. I hate my generation and I’m in my early 20s.

   1. >> I hate my generation and I’m in my early 20s.

      Then I have some awful news for you, brah. That doesn’t get better! 😀 You’re behind the curve. The cool kids began hating their generation in their teens. I understand your complaint, though. People do let the tools lead them by the nose too often. Warren Ellis wrote “Attention DJs: every time you press Play, grin and say ‘I has maded dubsteps,’ God clubs a baby seal to death.” OTOH, to each their own fun. Its called Pure Acid, so if you’re mad about the lack of a piano, you have brain lesions. You can use it in an original manner, but like anything else, you gotta move past the presets.

8. Well there is classical and jazz .. but your gonna have to actually learn to play

9. I am sorry, but the gate keeping in this thread is off the charts! If there’s one thing you can bet on, it’s that every generation will pronounce “real music” dead at some point. “Real music”? Does Terry Riley’s “In C” qualify as “real music”? How about The Ramones? Joy Devision? Kendrick Lamar? BTW, the track PRIDE from his album “DAMN.” was produced on an iPhone in its entirety. Does this make it “fake” music now? And since when can’t we have fun making it? Isn’t fun at least in part the reason people put up with the music industry, which is all kinds of terrible? Come on, people! To quote the great Lou Reed:”One chord is fine. Two chords are pushing it. Three chords and you’re into jazz.”

10. Cmon people let acid die. It was cool in the 80s and 90s even in 2000 but cmon. I cringe when I hear that 303 and 909 these days. How times can you listen to Eddie Van Halen play his guitar noodling. Has anyone heard of progress? There is a ton of great electronic music being put out but none of it is acid stuff. Excuse me I go throw up now.

11. I bought this app and it is just bangin’
    Long live aceeeeeed

12. Anything that gets more people participating hands on with music is great with me. Otherwise they can’t appreciate what other people are making and doing, and then arts dry up. And along the way they get to access some of the same joy and wonder that we do. If you oppose this it’s because your privilege bubble is being threatened. Art is for everyone at every level. Seven billion people on the planet, and they are not all here to please you!

13. This app looks supergood, you can tell they have put a lot of work on it,
    If you don´t like the old rolands and acid, that´s ok, move on.

14. The degree of negativity here.. totally get it if this isn’t the canvas you want to paint on but why even take the time to denounce it if it’s not your thing? For some of us the “classic” playing field is one of joy and experimentation within the confines of these machines and history itself.

    Life is short people – have fun!

15. I’ve not interest in this and already have a 303 emulation and 606 emulation on my iPad. But I will say the Developer is very skilled and will squash bugs and push out updates consistently. His apps are not my thing but I own all of them but will not be buying PureAcid. I’m waiting for the big ticket on iOS, Drambo which should be arriving in the next few weeks, that will be a pinnacle app.

16. This app looks (and sounds) like a blast! If, as the guy above said, “real music isn’t fun to make,” I’ll be quite happy to cede that ground to the “real musicians” out there. Given the level of resentment in this post’s comments, Synthtopia.com’s readership must harbor immense talent. :-0

    1. What is “real music”? what a pompous thing to say.

17. THIS PURE ACID APP IS EPIC
    Well made, fun to use (yes I bought it) and sounds really good.

    This thread however is pretty lame.

    I came here to read upon peoples experiences and views about this app, but I got drowned in negativity and brain farts, personal psychological stuff from stubborn people (apparently the usual BORING suspects) not capable of putting things in musical perspective. If you are tired of technology and news updates, do yourselves a favour and get off the Internet. Please.

    All you over sensitive self proclaimed troll experts deciding for others what classifies as “real” music or who is a “proper” (electronic) musician by using the same old mantra of cliche criteria… old news for you: Music styles, instruments, apps and production gear can be dicussed all day if your goal is to justify them. Stop wasting your time and instead go out (yes into the daylight), make music yourselves or at least… be inspiring for others.

    Meanwhile…

    Have yourselves an awesome day!

    I know I will… having this Pure Acid App !!!

    Cheers.

    1. @Acid Techno Troll,
       what a great post, couldn’t agree more.

18. I’m in partial harmony with Roman Kendall as a fellow old crank, but any time I lay hands to this stuff, its amazing. I’m lucky. I lived in a time & place where I got to see numerous killer bands and lay hands to a lot of the now-vintage gear. I understand the “problem” of the overload. I already have thousands of sounds to paint with and as much as I like new gear, I always have one prominent thought: Where the hell am I gonna to >PUT< that????? What I already have is making the windows in the attic bulge. Awwww, such a hard life.

19. Whenever someone tells me what “real music” is, I delight in doing the opposite. I mean, it just thrills me to no end. What’s wrong with me?!