This iPad synthesizer lets you play almost any sound

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SyndtSphere iPad synth
SyndtSphere lets you dial in sounds, and the sounds between sounds.
Photo: Cult of Mac

SyndtSphere may be just about the most flexible music instrument ever. It is also an iPad app. Klevgränd’s SyndtSphere can be a piano, a violin, a flute, a bass, but it can also be anything in-between. If you ever struggled to find the exact sound you wanted out of a synthesizer, then should try SyndtSphere, because you’ll probably find it there.

SyndtSphere, the intuitive iPad synth

Klevgränd makes all manner of iOS music apps, mostly synthesizers and cleverly-designed takes on classic effects. SyndtSphere is a synth with a keyboard at the bottom of the screen, and a kind of infinite sound field above. Imagine a globe, and on that globe are various sounds. By spinning the globe, you can pick the Smooth Piano spot, for example, or Lush Strings. This is a smooth, intuitive way to select instruments, but you can also stop the “globe” anywhere between these points to get an infinite number of in-between sounds.

In practice, the “globe” looks more like a bunch of spokes radiating from a central port, but the principle is the same. There are seventy different sounds, and you can balance the “dial” between any of them. I’ve heard stories from musicians and non-musicians who like using it because they can easily narrow in on the sound that they have in their imagination. Take a look:

Playing SyndtSphere is addictive, and fun even for non-musicians. And if you are making music, then you’ll appreciate the built-in delay (echo) options, as well as the ability to use the app standalone, or as an Audio Unit plug-in. SyndtSphere is also available free for the Mac, as an AU or VST plug-in.

Price: $1.99

Download: SyndtSphere from the App Store (iOS)

Price: $Free

Download: SyndtSphere from the Klevgränd (Mac)

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