With its accelerometer, digital compass, and sound generation capabilities, the iPhone has become a popular platform for theremin simulator applications. Rather than making you navigate the iTunes store for each app yourself, we've put together a round-up of all the theremin apps we could find. Many of these are also available for the iPod Touch or iPad. If you know of one that's not listed, please let us know and well keep this list up to date.
Aetherphone - MICE Software
Price: $0.99
Aetherphon features both pitch (forward/backward tilt) and volume (side-to-side rotation) controls, 4 waveforms, and a spiral oscilloscope-like display. The synth engine seems to be playing individual notes rather than a continuous tone, but perhaps a future update will make it just a bit more theremin-like.
Air Melody - Masao Suzaki / Air Melody Lite - Masao Suzaki
Price: Free (lite version) / $1.99 (full version)
(Lite Version)
(Full Version)
Air Melody features an innovative set of controls for both pitch and volume and allows you to play along with tracks via iTunes. Be sure to read our full review of AirMelody to learn more about this great app%21
Price: $1.99
Bebot definitely wins on the cuteness factor, and its synth engine isn't bad either%21 This touch-based application allows timbre and effects modification and even has a built-in theremin sound preset. It also supports multi-touch, allowing you to play multiple notes at the same time. As you slide your finger around the screen, the little animated robot "sings" along with your tune.
Cosmovox - Leisuresonic
Price: $1.99
Cosmovox is a fun little pitch-only theremin app. Tilt back and forth to modify pitch. Settings allow you to play in "continuous" (theremin-like) mode, or snap to various scales. It also allows quite a bit of tweaking to the timbre.
iTheremin - NISHIO Hirokazu
Price: $9.99
We haven't actually tried this one ourselves yet due to the price. Given all the other theremin apps out there, it's hard to imagine why this one is so expensive. If you've tried it, let us know and feel free to provide a review%21
Otamatone - YOSHIMOTO KOGYO
Price: $2.99
An iPhone adaptation of Yoshimoto's Otamatone toy. Play with one or two fingers, tilt back and forth to control volume. Cute.
YouTube: Otamatone - YOSHIMOTO KOGYO
Sound Scope Free Video Theremin - The Strange Agency LLC
Price: Free%21
The title "video theremin" is a bit misleading as Sound Scope doesn't really use the built-in camera. Instead, you pinch and gesture on the screen to control the sound. It's still quite fun to watch the oscilloscope-like visuals change in time with the sound being produced. You can also select from sine, square, or sawtooth waveforms.
Tcmin - Tcpp / Tcmin Enhanced - Tcpp
Price: Free (lite version) / $0.99 (enhanced version)
(Lite version)
A pitch-only theremin app that's free to try out. The enhanced version adds selectable waveform, resonant LPF filter, and reverb controls. A slider allows volume control, but it's not really set up for use as a real-time control during a performance.
(Enhanced)
Theremin - Frontier Design Group
Price: $0.99
FDG's app features a photo of Leon Theremin himself wailing away on his theremin as you perform. Settings allow lots of control over the sound generator, including waveform, vibrato, pitch range, and snapping to the chromatic scale.
Thereminator - Yonac Inc.
Price: $2.99
Thereminator is a touch-based simulator that allows both pitch and volume control depending on where you touch the screen along the X and Y axes of the grid. Settings allow control of tremolo, echo, frequency display, and note duration. The sound generation on this app is particularly good in our opinion and is quite close to a real theremin.
Therimax - 3rd Street Media
Price: $1.99
Therimax is a musical instrument designed for the iOS. Using the camera, a hand-held magnet, or the touch screen, Therimax allows you to create music without physical touch, without frustrating callouses or irritating music lessons, and without knowing a lick of music. All simply by waving your hands in the air. The era of gestural music is at hand!
Read a more in-depth description of Therimax here.
Feeds:
0 Comments