Seven Best iOS Synth Apps

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Unfortunately for Android users, it is hard to argue with the fact that Apple’s mobile hardware has a lot more good synthesizer apps to choose from. The quality of these apps also tends to be better than what is possible on Android, which is good news for iOS owners who are also synth fans. Since there are so many synthesizer apps that are released on iOS, it is impossible to create a definitive list of the best ones, but here are seven synth apps on iOS that you won’t regret purchasing. We’ve already covered some of the best Korg vintage synth iOS apps, so this is a selection of the best of the rest.

Thor Polysonic Synthesizer

by Propellerhead Software AB

App Store Link: https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/thor-polysonic-synthesizer/id660195946?mt=8

Thor Polysonic synth

Thor has long since been one of the top synths within Reason by Proppelerhead and this app faithfully recreates it on iOS. It’s not a complete copy of the desktop version of Thor, but packs virtually all of the most important features. For those not familiar with Thor, it offers six different types of oscillators that can be combined in nearly endless ways. In addition, it has four filter types, three envelopes, 16 step sequencer, support for background audio and Audiobus as well as a large selection of presets. If you want value for money, then you can’t go wrong with Thor.

Nave

by Waldorf Music

App Store Link: https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/nave/id596036905?mt=8

Nave

Waldorft has already made a name for themselves in the hardware synthesis market, so it is no surprise that their iOS app is just as good. It offers a mountain of programming options that is wrapped up in a sleek and intuitive interface. Nave is a wavetable synth and its sound engine features an amplifier, filter, wavetable oscillators as well as quite an impressive range of effects. All this would have meant nothing if Nave didn’t sound good, but thankfully it doesn’t disappoint here either.

Tera Synth

by VirSyn

App Store Link: https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/tera-synth/id898308034?mt=8

Tera Synth

Tera Synth is another modular analog synthesizer that made the leap from desktop to iOS. It has Audiobus support and can integrate with other music apps thanks to inter-app-audio. In terms of modular analog synthesis features, Tera Synth offers 25 sound modules, four low frequency oscillators, four standard ADSR envelope generators, four multi segment envelopes with tempo synch, as well as close to a thousand factory presets. Of course, unlimited user presets can be shared and Tera Synth also has a onscreen keyboard to play melodies live.

SythMaster Player

by KV331 Audio

App Store Link: https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/synthmaster-player/id944155926?mt=8

SynthMasterPlayer

The desktop version of SynthMaster has won a couple of awards and KV331 has clearly put as much thought into this iOS version. One thing to remember about SynthMaster Player is that its target audience is those who prefer working with presets over their own sound designs. However, there are plenty of preset parameters that you can edit and the free version comes with a pretty decent selection of presets. To really make the most of SynthMaster Player you’ll want to upgrade to the Pro version, which provides access to hundreds more as well as the option to purchase additional preset banks.

iProphet Synthesizer

by Arturia

App Store Link: https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/iprophet-synthesizer/id898449685?mt=8

iProphet

As is obvious from the name, iProphet is a digital recreation of one of the most timeless classic synths ever, the Sequential Circuits Prophet VS synthesizer. Arturia  has done a great job capturing the sound of the Prophet, right down to all of its factory presets, which makes it a lot of fun to use. Arturia has also thrown in a couple of features that wasn’t possible with the original hardware, so you can come up with even more unique sounds. Although it has been released a while ago already, it is compatible with newer versions of ioS and definitely still worth a look.

Lorentz Synthesizer

by iceWorks, Inc.

App Store Link: https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/lorentz-synthesizer/id1016055431?mt=8

Lorentz

If you are looking for a live-oriented analog modeling synthesizer, then Lorentz is definitely worth a look. However, it also features a resonator that can be used if you need a more aggressive sound for your mixes. It’s definitely priced right for those who have a casual interest in iOS synthesizers and the interface is intuitive enough that it won’t scare away newcomers either. Lorentz is definitely a good choice if you are new to the wonderful world of synth programming and want to try it out instead of just sticking to presets.

TF8 Synth

by Pier Lim

App Store Link: https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/tf8-synth/id1198622286?mt=8

tf8 synth

Pier Lim won over quite a few people with his TF7 Synth for the iOS and TF8  is even better. It is a virtual analog synthesizer that features two main oscillators, two sub oscillators, two filters, two LFOs, an arpeggiator and much more. It features a wallet friendly price, but it is versatile enough to be used for live playing and for recording. This is thanks to the morph pad, which is used to change parameters on the fly. In addition, it has a responsive user interface and everything is laid out in a straightforward manner.