***Edit*** Now available in the App Store

While KvR started publishing news about iPod, iPhone, iPad and so on, here is a first presentation for a new small toy.

HandSynth is a simple (while deep) synthesizer with a touch/accelerometer control interface.

It is designed to have as few controls as possible, while giving full realtime control on the sound synthesis.


Parameters

It relies on a "Theremin-like" control logic, where two antennas are replaced by inclination around two horizontal axis: left-right for pitch, near-far for volume.
Touch controls are available for additional realtime control.
A "keyboard" mode is available, too, where angles (accelerometers) control modulations.
A "position" mode on the keyboard makes realtime pitch, filter, volume modulations available, for slide, bowed, tremolo, vibrato and special effects.

Main features are:

- parametric waveform synthesis (discrete summation formulae)
- multimode filter (classic and more "exotic" ones, like multiband in "Shy" VST synth)
- delay with feedback filter (for evolving echoes)
- chorus
- drive
- one_screen multitouch interface for full realtime control
- (to be decided) semi-automatic harmonies (select a chord while playing)
- presets and libraries
Last edited by quintosardo on Mon Dec 20, 2010 12:39 am; edited 8 times in total

hmm, there was one called synthpad came out just this week in the app store
sounds pretty similar from the description.. no relation?

No, just the name was too trivial

Renamend to "HandSynth".
"Keyboard" mode added.

Have you seen BeBot? It's pretty cool.

http://normalware.com/

Yes, I've seen that (I didn't test it, though).
Looks very nice!
It looks more on a "toy" side, even though I should try it to know it

Yeah, the little Robot animation makes it look like a toy, but you can turn him off (and there's a nice display showing lines where the notes are so you know where to slide to).

Check out the YouTube video of Jordan Rudess playing it. That "pedal steel" stuff he's doing at the beginning is amazing, and actually something you can't do on a "real" synthesizer with traditional keyboard controller.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KFG7-Q0WI7Q&feature=player_em bedded

I got a friend to buy it and put it on his iPhone so I could try it. I was quite impressed (and Admiral Quality is not easily impressed! ) That's a lot of synth for two bucks.

I agree, that "slide" thing is the first great result while experimenting with this touch-screen concept!

I like that small robot. It is the "algorithms" and "waveforms" side of that sw that makes it look a bit like a toy, but it is great, anyway

The accelerometer control adds still another dimension to the synth. That's a really cool set of controllers.

iPad gives a lot more room for controls, but iPhone is still more common, I guess, and iPhone is a bit more handy with its small size... this is why I started from iPhone.

It is almost here.

Modulation features are incredible, thanks to this multitouch screen and accelerometers...

Working on a short video to show the "performance" attitude.

It includes a bank of 100 presets. External libraries can be loaded.


Parameters


Algorithms


Keyboard with slide and modulation features (yes, you can play those small keys, thanks to a "keyboard" algorithm and multitouch)


100 sound memories and external libraries


On-screen help

Cool.. I'm a bit of an app junkie !

Have you thought about making a vst version that you could export patches from the i version to?

Yes, thinking about that

That would be so cool - sound designing on the train knowing I can use the results on my pc.

Up and working, waiting for Apple review

cool stuff.. see it in the app store soon then!