Decomposer has just released a full-featured version of their Sitala sampler for the iPad and iPhone, for beat-making on mobile devices.
Sitala is a 16-pad drum sampler that includes a free 808 kit, a handful of controls to shape the sound of each sample, beat slicing, automatic silence detection and trimming and a bunch of other stuff. DJ Fresh recently called it, “The state of the art in break-slicing.”
https://youtu.be/_KYDZ0lAkoA
On iOS, Sitala can be used either as an AudioUnit plugin for GarageBand, Cubasis, AUM, AudioBus or any other music creation app that supports Apple’s AudioUnits. Sitala developers commented that “[t]his is a big deal since GarageBand’s default drum instrument doesn’t let you swap out the samples at all. It’s also possible to use as a standalone for finger drumming or driven by a MIDI controller (Bluetooth or USB-on-the-go).”
The new iOS version of Sitala has all of the features of the desktop version and also introduces a special-for-iOS sample browser that lets the user quickly browse whole directories of samples rather than having to import each sample individually. This has only been possible since iOS 14, and developers say that Sitala is the only sampler to date on iOS that can do this.
The iOS version also moves to a MPC-style 4-by-4 grid of sample pads (unlike the Roland-style layout of the desktop version), “since that makes more sense for the iPad and iPhone layouts.”
Pricing and Availability.
Sitala is available now in the Apple App Store for $4.99 US until the end of June (price is usually $9.99).
The desktop version of Sitala remains free and is available on the Decomposer website.
Desktop version also works on linux
It’s nice to be able to load a batch of samples fast. The tone control is pure design genius. As you turn the knob it changes functions with LP, HP, mid bump and the display shows you what it is doing through it all. The ability to map MIDI controls to the tone function means that you can get some cool effects. It’s not clear if velocity can be mapped. I need to check that.
I wish it had separate fade-in and fade-out. I also wish that it had fade shape that went from exponential, logarithmic, and s-curve– perhaps using one knob S-curve– morphing to exponential– morphing to linear — morphing to log– the back to s-curve (left to right)
Free app? It’s $4,99 USD
Sorry about the confustion – it’s bean out as a free Mac app for a while and is now available as a commercial iOS app.
We updated the post to make this more clear!