New Modular Synth For iPad, Modal Pro

modular-synthesizer-ipadDeveloper Dango Inc has released Modal Pro – a new app that allows you to build your own synthesizers and effects by connecting various modules together.

Features:

  • Flexible and Intuitive Patching
    Modal Pro allows you to connect modules whichever way you want. You can use any module to control any other module. You can even connect a module to itself. You’re not guaranteed to get an interesting sound, or even any sound at all but you’re guaranteed not to break anything. The touch interface allows you to rapidly connect and disconnect modules so that you can easily explore all sonic possibilities.
  • Easy-to-Use Touch Controls
    Modal Pro features interface elements such as its custom “double sliders” that allow you adjust each detail of the sound intuitively and accurately. Controls are adjusted specifically for each type of parameter.
  • Analog Modeled Oscillators
    Modal Pro’s oscillator modules are built to emulate the sound of classic analog synthesizer. Because they are modeled rather than sample-based you can modulate them freely, in real-time and at audio rate.
  • Two Workspaces
    Modal Pro features two workspaces where you can build instruments or effects.

    • The “Polyphonic Workspace” is typically where you build instruments, and offers up to 8 voices of polyphony. (Actual polyphony will vary depending on your iPad’s speed and complexity of the instrument.)
    • The Polyphonic Workspace is connected to the “Monophonic Workspace.” As the name implies, instruments that you build here can only play one sound at a time. This is the perfect place, however, for building effects that process the output of the Polyphonic Workspace.
  • The Preset Slider
    The state of an instrument or effect can be saved as a preset. These presets are stored in the “Preset Slider,” which not only allows you to recall these states but also interpolate between them, making fluid and sometimes surprising transitions between presets possible.
  • The Keyboard
    Modal Pro features a keyboard optimized for the iPad’s screen. The standard chromatic piano keyboard is complemented with many fixed-scale keyboards. Adjustable portamento allows you to slide notes individually.
  • Comprehensive Help
    Touch any module and the “Live Help” window will display a detailed description featuring not only an explanation of the module’s features but also advice about how to use it to get great sounds. Modal Pro also comes with a lengthy tutorial to guide you through every feature, building your own simple synthesizer and effect along the way. In following releases, more tutorials will be added to help you learn the basics of sound design.

Specifications:

  • Modules
    • Oscillators
    • Sine/Square/Triangle/Sawtooth/White Noise/Pink Noise
  • Controls
    • ADSR(Envelope)/Simple Curve
  • Modulators
    • Amplifier/Mixer/Crossfade/Ring Modulator/Sample & Hold
  • Effects
    • Triple Filters/Delay/Lo-Fi
  • MIDI Controls
    • Note/Volume/Preset Control
  • Keyboard
    • Width : 9 octaves(scrollable)
    • Portamento : 3 presets(None/Legato/Glissando, intermediate value selectable)
    • Scales : 24
  • Outside-App Communication
    • CoreMIDI, Inter-App Audio, AudioCopy
    • (Audiobus is planned for an upcoming release)

No official demo appears to be available at this time. Here’s an unofficial demo, via thesoundtestroom:

Modal Pro is available now in the App Store for US $4.99.

If you’ve used Modal Pro, let us know what you think of it!

11 thoughts on “New Modular Synth For iPad, Modal Pro

  1. Looks cool. But damn! Practice making a patch before you hit record! Don’t make a video of yourself reading the manual. lol

  2. Volume on the VCA seems to be out of sorts…..very low. All in all though App has good potential. I’m enjoying it…..

  3. The integrated tutorial is very well conceived and not tedious, even with a good prior knowledge of modular synthesis. I spent an hour this morning patching drones with it and really enjoyed the sound.

  4. I like that it provides a more beginner-friendly process (with nice inline docs) for building presets. Both Modular Synth & Audulus are pretty steep learning curves for us non-initiated.

  5. I there, I’m Modal Pro’s developer.

    Answering a few questions:

    Does Modal Pro look like Audulus? Yes. Yes it does. They’re both modular synths where signals flow from left to right. It also sort of looks like Reaktor, Quartz Composer, CPS, etc. Modal Pro has been in a state of limbo, about 90% finished for way too long; the basic interface layout was decided before Audulus came out. This is more a case of two developers arriving at similar solutions to the same problem. That being said, despite being in the same genre, I think the focus of the two apps is different.

    I designed Modal Pro specifically to be a tool that would be easy to pick up. I want it to be the app for those who want to dive into the world of synthesis but don’t know where to start, don’t have the basic knowledge to start patching their own instruments.

    I’m really happy that some of you appreciated the tutorial. It’s not an afterthought, it’s an integral part of the app. The fact that it’s easier to start making sounds with it isn’t a detail it’s the entire point of the app. I plan on adding more tutorials and even more detailed help in the future, so that Modal Pro is both an instrument and a classroom. That’s why it’s a “synthesizer workshop” — it’s a place to build and a place to learn.

    About the LFO: all oscillators can be tuned from 0.1 to 16,744 Hz.
    Assignable MIDI control: That would be nice… The functionality is actually half built, and so is likely to be available in the future. Currently, you can use the mod wheel controller to move the preset slider.

    Anyway, cheers, and I’m taking requests and suggestions!

    Jean-Marc Pelletier

  6. Awesome synth. First modular synth on iOS that is comfortable to control and has the abilitty of precise params tweaking. Would be cool to see new modules, but i think this is the matter of time. I want to see waveshaper with modifiable curve and maybe the input for modulating preset slider. By the way preset slider is the super feature.
    Sorry for my english – not my native language.

  7. I played with it a little more, and realised that i need lower border of than -36st transposition range. I want one of the oscillators act as lfo, but at the same time it must have frequency dependent on key. I can set the frequency lower than 8 Hz, but then i lose keytrack.

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