Laplace Physical Modeling Synthesizer For iPad

laplace-resonator-synth

iceWorks has introduced Laplace – a new physical-modeling synthesizer, based on resonator synthesis, that makes it easy to create bowed string, plucked string, blown pipe and metallic sounds.

Here’s the official video introduction:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ARU5BIS47YQ

Here’s a model of the Laplace synth engine:

synthesis_diagram

The next video demonstrates some some tweaking with Laplace:

Specifications:

  • Inter-App Audio
    • MIDI
    • CoreMIDI / Virtual MIDI Input
    • MIDI Controller Mapping with MIDI Learn mode
    • External Midi sync
  • Arpeggiator
    • 16 step sequencer – On/Off, Glide, Octave, Accent, Staccato
  • Exciter
    • Click – Stiffness, Color, Decay, Damper Noise
    • Noise – LPF, HPF, ENV
  • Resonator
    • Flavor, LPF, ENV, Pitch ENV
    • Sine – Pitch, FM, ENV
    • HPF
  • Effectors
    • Chorus
    • Delay
    • Reverb

Laplace is available in the App Store for US $4.99.

If you’ve used Laplace, leave a comment and share your thoughts!

22 thoughts on “Laplace Physical Modeling Synthesizer For iPad

  1. Wow! What a surprise! Another synth.

    A little more attractive in design than the last one featured.

    But when u have Nave, Thor, Sunrizer, the PPG synths by Wolfgang, Z3TA, Grain Science, and quite a few more, isnt it about time devs focused on “what’s missing” on iOS?

    Like the one all inclusive daw with some decent instruments to boot, unprecedented audio editing, ALL necessary fx made decent and a global+ send eq that stretches beyond the meagre 3 provided in most apps?

    Is there no developer on earth up to the task?

    I think lots of serious iOS users would be seriously happy to stop having to buy so many apps, run out of storage on their devices and lol, get bewildered about how many apps to choose from to use in a track?

    Having said that, me love Cassini long time so I’m sure this synth is also good.

    Shame I can’t have it on my forthcoming iPhone 6+ too though hint hint:)

    1. You point is well-taken. I’d really like to see a professional level MIDI editor (a la Digital Performer), but there really isn’t one (yet).

      However, there might be a thousand subtractive synths and maybe only 3 Physical Modeling synths. I’m really glad SpringSound and Laplace are 3 & 5 bucks respectively.

    2. I would like to see an Ableton or Bitwig version for IOS. The latter is most likely, since the developers of the first have a tendency not to listen much to their users.

      1. It is perhaps likely that propellerhead could release a skimpy version of reason at some stage. If u go on twitter and read what their iOS geezer @kallepa says and how he politely interacts with peeps who use apps for music, there is some chance.

        But I fail to get why he released some almost pointless voice toy tho

        We do know that for a long time that beepstreet ( who made sunrizer ) have been working on updating their isequence to make it more relevant, but since talk of their forthcoming synth, they too have gone silent.

        I blame the audiobus fans for this. Their answer is to route everything to something like auria, cubasis or BM2. So devs just keep churning out small pieces of the puzzle and expect artists to piece them together.

        While that approach is good for some, I know there is frustration at having to purchase new apps constantly, wait for updates and all that. And this is why no one has yet broken through to the mainstream with a solid and fully pro iOS track released on a real label that actually gets music on the dancefloor and radio,

        There is still a hobbyist approach, a lot of enthusiasm towards experimenting. This is cool but its not the real deal.

        If someone actually developed a truly serious “all in one ” tool then we might see more quality and less quantity.

        The developer who creates an all inclusive daw that has everything one needs to craft from start to finish will not only become a rich one but will also shut the sceptics up and bring in a whole new audience.

        The beauty of iOS is obviously its affordability, mobility and expressiveness/ immediate contact with thinks like waveforms and such without the need of a mouse or trackpad. You don’t even need to plug a midi keyboard in if u don’t want to.

  2. I wasn’t expecting much but it sounds good. Delightfully digital, kinda reminds me of my beloved Sculpture but a bit cleaner. Definitely missing in the iOS synth arsenal, good buy for the price.

  3. This covers the basic ground well. I’ve been using Logic’s PM synth Sculpture for a while and it requires a serious change in your approach. It takes a while to get used to the inherent chaos factor, but once you get a handle on exciting a model rather than triggering a sample, it becomes easier to use. Just make sure you have a limiter handy, because at times, weird resonant peaks can bitch-slap your cochlea. There are broader PM synths around if you want to delve deeper into design, but this is still a great intro to the lexicon.

  4. I Love all the quality ios music apps! The Laplace Modeling synth sounds great, you can buy a bad quality *bucks coffee or you can order this cool sounding ios synthi. I prefer a good italian coffee and that modeling synth 🙂

  5. Is there any physical modeling synth that can simulate the harmonics generated by other strings that are unmuted in a piano or guitar? Natural harmonics are a huge reason why proper instruments sound warmer than electronic instruments. If a physical modeling synth could accurately model them, you’d be able to get some killer sounds.

    1. Also, check out Applied Acoustic Systems physically modelled instruments. I have their String Studio and Chromaphone, and they enable sympathetic resonance. They also have two physically modelled guitars.

  6. The title says physical modeling, but the company advertises it really as a ‘resonant synth’, not the same! Besides, only sample based systems can provide accurate real world instruments in software form, and iOS devices would be stripped of storage space by the time you loaded one up hence why East West hasn’t made one yet! (ahem….)

    1. If this synth uses Karplus-Strong (which it sounds like it does) then that is a form of physical modeling.

      Pianoteq uses physical modeling and creates an excellent result that I defy listeners to distinguish from the real thing.

      On another note, the fact that this came from iceWorks (cassini dev) made it a much easier decision. The presets show an impressive range. Filters, noise & oscillators sound good to me. Cassini has remained updated over the years. I expect this will get good support.

  7. Tried this immediately and it sounds pretty good and it beautifully executed. Technically its not really physical modelling (i.e.: you’re not going to create a life-like saxophone patch on this) but it does simulate plucked/hit instruments quite well and it has a little FM synth on the side to add a bit of colour. Good choice of model & parameters, and a very easy & straightforward user interface which is far from obvious.

  8. I was playing with Komplete Kontrol and lamenting that it would be fun to have the ability to run some of these plug-ins directly from an iPad, but I can’t imagine the kind of space that it would take up, even of the processing overhead made it possible. Wonder what iPads are going to be announced next week?

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