Get some synth therapy for free from Moog and KORG on mobile. And do send us your music. Deals this week only.
KORG’s KAOSSilator and Moog’s Minimoog Model D are some of the most accessible, fun soundmakers on mobile – and they integrate well with other stuff – so you definitely owe it to yourself to pick these up while they’re free.
iOS users can grab both the Minimoog and iKAOSSilator. Android users get their own version of KAOSSilator which – literally I just started using on my Huawei handset as I write this. You’ll notice, because suddenly I’ll get distracted, and instead of writing words I whwwooooooooseeeeeeee whooopppp wadaddle weeeerrrrrrwwwww wherw wherw wherw wherwwww wherwww whoosh ! — uh, sorry. Okay, I see why some people communicate about synths on YouTube.
These are some steep discounts – the Android edition of KAOSSilator alone is normally US$17.99. (That’s why I didn’t buy it, since I own it on iOS already. But now – synth noises on my Android phone, too!)
Just please remember to disinfect your phone regularly with alcohol wipes or applying a bit of sanitizer to a lint-free cloth or paper.
KAOSSilator
KAOSSilator is a simple X/Y synth. Pick a sound, map a scale/tuning, make gestures with your finger, and record them with a phrase recorder.
It’s simple stuff, but that to me is the whole reason to grab it. And it’s one of the few apps that runs on both iOS and Android.
There is a weird phenomenon with free apps; they seem to garner more negative criticism than positive ones. My theory is, people who buy something are a self-selecting group. Some people seem to feel motivated to troll everyone, and free apps allow them to do that. So I do see a negative review on the Google Play Store. Let me disagree:
KAOSSilator, especially with its bass sounds, is genius for creating spontaneous little phrases you could use later to start a song. The constraints are a feature, not a bug.
I’m inclined to use it for sketching little phrases for later, but it also looks handy for jamming – and many people use it for that.
That said, KORG, I’m sure we would love to see a real KAOSS effect on mobile, too, if you’re up for it – especially routed into larger setups.
Also, major kudos on Android – this app is responsive and fun on my Android smartphone, which can be said of only a handful of apps. But between this and the stuff from warmplace.ru, plus the ability to actually navigate folders of media rather than fight with the iTunes prison, makes me a very happy Android smartphone owner.
Even on iOS with more choices, iKAOSSilator is a fantastic choice for your iPhone – handheld fun.
KORG iKAOSSilator on the App Store [iOS]
KORG KAOSSilator for Android [Google Play Store]
Minimoog Model D for iOS
The Minimoog Model D is simply a must-own. It’s one of the most beautifully crafted apps on iOS – and impressively competes with other hardware and software as one of the best ways to add a Minimoog to your rig, hands down. It does things the real thing can’t, like 4-note polyphony – and it adds an arpeggiator, loop recorder with overdub, stereo ping-pong delay with sync, and stereo modulation effect. But the core of it sounds and looks authentic.
And it supports everything. iOS developers should have a copy just as a reference.
• All 64-bit iOS devices
• AUv3 Audio Unit Extensions (Including GarageBand)
• Note-per-channel MIDI controllers (MPE)
• Ableton Link
• Inter-App Audio and Audiobus
• 7 and 14-Bit MIDI
• MIDI Program Changes
• Bluetooth LE MIDI controllers
• Share over AirDrop, Mail or other iOS applications
It also runs on both iPhone and iPad, though it really feels best as an iPad app.
Go deeper with modulation if you choose:
And yeah, someone compared it to the real thing:
Moog Music Minimoog Model D on the App Store
Also, it’s now cheaper to buy even a decent iPad and this app for less than the price of a certain hardware clone. If you’ve got the iPad already, it’s free. (And a lot of iPads support it; see the notes in the link above – so long as you’re on iOS 10.3 or later.)
Of course, given the likely duration of this quarantine period, what you really want is probably the Model 15 modular.
https://www.moogmusic.com/products/model-15-modular-synthesizer-app
Have fun, make some noises, send us some tunes!