The fully-loaded Synth One iPad Synthesizer hits the App Store for FREE

The App Store is loaded with amazing music production tools. Many of our favorite instruments come by way of companies like Moog, but there are a few from smaller developers that really shine on the platform. While it has been hard to put down the iPad Model-D as of late, a new, open-source synth caught our eye recently.

Developed entirely by volunteers, in fact more than 100 of them, over the course of 2-years, the AudioKit Synth One Synthesizer is now finally available to everyone. Essentially we are talking about a fully loaded, completely open-source iOS synth for free. No ads, no In-App Purchases, just five oscillators of completely free iPad synth power.

While these open-source type projects can tend to bring some interesting ideas to the table, they don’t always provide the most user-friendly product from the get-go. AudioKit Synth One, however, is quite a powerful and relatively simple to use software instrument.

The hybrid Analog/FM polyphonic synth is loaded with 5 oscillators (2 DCO, FM, Sub, Noise), 2 LFOs with over a dozen pre-spouted modulation possibilities, a 16-step sequencer/arpeggiator, 4-pole low-pass, high-pass/band pass filters, a ping-pong delay and more.

Created by over 100+ volunteers around the world, this app includes MIDI support (play it with a MIDI keyboard or controller), sequencer, vintage-inspired analog filters, expressive arpeggiators, warm analog delays, and, over 300+ presets to get you started! Plus, it’s completely open-source. Use the code to learn how to build your own synth app or modify the app yourself!

It also comes packed with power 300 presets created by a squad of sounds designers and producers with a pretty notable collective discography. Just some of the names on that list include Rihanna, Kanye West, Owl City, Tegan & Sara, Mike Posner and more.

The new iPad instrument supports Audiobus 3 and inter-app audio (IAA) as well as MIDI support for external controllers (or via IAA). That includes MIDI learn on all controls and sustain pedal action. While there’s no official timeline just yet, the development team is promising Ableton Link, MPE via Roli Seaboard and AUv3 Plug-in support.

We are also expecting to see the full source-code (C++ and Swift) released soon via GitHub. Apparently the team just needs some time to clean it up before it sets the plans loose on the development world. We are going to need someone to build the manual and the Android port, but here’s to hoping we just get a slew of new and amazing instruments based on the hard work the AudioKit Pro team has been putting in.

Download AudioKit Synth One Synthesizer for free on iPad now.