Yamaha Releases Synth Arp & Drum Pad App

US New iPad app offers music creation on the move 28/06/12

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Yamaha Corporation today announced the immediate release of a new app. The Synth Arp & Drum Pad iPad app features a powerful built-in fully functional software synthesizer equipped with a rich choice of professional sounds, tones and editing features. Yamaha say that the synth Arp & Drum Pad is designed to allow creative access to instant music making and recording at all levels, from beginners to professionals across all musical genres.
Suitable for iOS 5 or later, the app's Yamaha's Synth Arp & Drum Pad app can be downloaded from the App Store at the special release price of £2.49 (RRP £5.49) until July 31. Here's the full details in Yamaha's own words...
Synth Arp & Drum Pad is an iPad application that allows the user to easily play and produce phrases from a variety of musical genres, ranging from dance music to hip-hop, rock, and pop.
The application features an arpeggiator with recorded patterns from 342 different types of instruments, which allows the user to play a variety of phrases with ease; drum pads that let the user play multiple chords and percussion sounds with just one finger; and 61 different software synthesizer timbres. These features serve to make playing these phrases, chords, sounds, and timbres easy and enjoyable. The application's MIDI loop sequencer/recorder enables the user to record and store sounds, and then conduct timbre processing on the recorded sounds for further playback. This allows the user to engage in serious music production. The application also supports Core MIDI, enabling it to play instruments and sound sources that are connected to the iPad via MIDI.
Main features

1. Download the application with its built-in software synthesizer and start having fun right away! Because Synth Arp & Drum Pad includes a built-in software synthesizer, you can make use of 61 different high-sound-quality timbres, including seven drum kits, without having to connect the iPad to any other device via cable. You can control the timbres using the Cut-off, Resonance, Attack, Release, and Portamento knobs, and make use of other effects as well, such as reverb and chorus. Use the on-screen ribbon controller to change the timbre.
2. An arpeggiator that allows you to play a variety of phrases with ease Synth Arp & Drum Pad includes an arpeggiator that can automatically generate and play patterns formed by breaking down chords into their constituent notes for individual playback. You can select from 342 different arpeggios, which have been recorded using a variety of instruments. For each arpeggio, the settings for the length of the notes in the phrase, the octave range, and the swing can be adjusted in real time. Arpeggios based on a variety of scales can be played by specifying the scale type and root note on the keyboard. At this point you can vary the timbre and the way in which the notes are played by moving your fingers around on the scale keys on the screen and varying the strength with which you tap the keys.
3. Drum pads that allow you to play multiple chords and percussion sounds with one finger The application includes 16 drum pads that you can strike and play drum rolls on with ease. For each of these drum pads, you can set the velocity and up to five notes (pitches). This allows you to play multiple chords and percussion sounds using only one finger. It is simple to create rhythm tracks using the step sequencer that is built into each pad. The drum pads also possess a learning function. Using either the keyboard displayed in the lower part of the screen or the keyboard on an external MIDI instrument, you can easily record to a pad. The settings for a drum pad can be saved to one of 64 different templates.
4. MIDI loop sequencer/recorder that enables serious music production Playback information for the arpeggiator and drum pads can be recorded in advance. This can be an ordinary recording, a loop recording of arbitrary length, or an "overdub," which involves playing back a previously recorded performance and adding new sound by recording over the top of it. In short, this application enables you to indulge in serious music production. The quantization and recording speed can be adjusted, and there are also Redo and Undo functions that allow you to make a recording over again.
5. Support for Core MIDI, allowing you to play MIDI instruments Connecting the iPad to a MIDI instrument or sound source using the i-MX1 interface (sold separately) allows you to play it from the Synth Arp & Drum Pad application. It is also possible to connect your iPad to a Yamaha Motif XF synthesizer via WiFi.* Just as with the Faders & XY Pad, Multi Editor Essential, Voice Editor Essential, Performance Editor Essential, Set List Organizer, and Cloud Audio Recorder for Motif XF applications, you can play this synthesizer wirelessly.

* The MOTIF XF firmware must be upgraded to v1.20 or later, and the WiFi connectivity settings must be made.
Pricing and Availability:
Available now. £2.49.
More information:

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