Cycle is both a musical instrument and a meditation device. The app, for iPhone and iPad, is something called a “time lag accumulator.” You play notes on its simple keyboard, and these notes are repeated over and over, slowly fading after time. The result is hypnotic, relaxing and creative, all at the same time.
Cycle time lag accumulator
Cycle is pretty neat. The interface is an ever-turning circle. When you hit a key, a note is recorded on the circle, and will play every time its turn comes around. You can play multiple notes at once, and holding the key down records a longer note.
Photo: Cult of Mac
As time passes, these notes fade, so the new ones you lay down begin to take over, before they, too, fade into the darkness. It’s a metaphor for life, community and inevitability.
A great app for music composition — and relaxation
It’s also a great way to relax, as well as a composition tool for musicians. You can create soundscapes, and sketch the beginnings of ambient tracks.
With its latest update, Cycle adds 11 new sounds. It also brings support for Inter App Audio and Audiobus, so you can use Cycle with other music apps. You can also record your creations direct, and share them using WAV or MIDI. The MIDI option is especially tempting, because you can then use the fading patterns to control any musical instrument you like.
Get the Cycle music app for free
Cycle is completely free, so there’s no reason not to go and grab it right now. Unless you hate relaxation, I guess. Or circles.
Price: Free
Download: Cycle from the App Store (iOS)
