iSequence for iPad Review

By Chris Kirby on July 12th, 2010
Our Rating: :: POWERFUL
iPad Only App - Designed for the iPad

Regardless of your musical expertise, iSequence can grow with you.

It’s probably best if I begin this review with a caveat; I’m not a musician. Though I’m a ravenous consumer of all sorts of music, my experience with the electronic whirligigs that make so much of today’s music is severely limited. I say that because, at first glance, iSequence looks like a simple electronic toy for musical novices. Once you begin exploring the app, however, you discover an amazing level of depth and sophistication, far greater than a $14.99 app should deliver.

Before you begin creating your first song, it’s highly advisable for you to read the quick overview and tutorial provided in the help section of the app. Here, you’ll learn about the terminology and the method that developers BeepStreet have used to organize a significant number of features into a very small space.

The heart of iSequence is the pattern editor. The editor provides 8 tracks with 32 events (represented on screen by small blocks) per track to customize. Simply choose a sound bank from the many provided and you are free to customize each track however you please. In fact, iSequence is much more than a simple 8 track recorder, as you are not limited to just one instrument per track. You can actually load several different instruments into a single track, allowing you to create fairly sophisticated pieces of music.

Once you have completed a pattern, you can add it to the pattern sequencer where you can loop the pattern or create an endless number of additional patterns to form a complete song. The pattern sequencer is remarkably easy to use and intuitive, allowing you to clone existing patterns or slightly edit them into new forms on the fly.

The final element of iSequence is the mixer, which, obviously allows you to mix the various tracks in your song and manipulate the BPM to your satisfaction. However, it also provides a smattering of effects that can be applied to individual tracks as well.

For those looking for more than the initial sounds iSequence app provides, BeepStreet has an online store accessible through the app where you can buy additional sound banks. Plus, users can create custom samples and upload them to the app, making iSequence a platform that can effectively grow with the user.

One of the primary complaints leveled again and again at the iPad is that it is not a content creation device. Apps like iSequence put that old argument to rest by providing significant content creation tools in an easy to use and inexpensive package. Those who don’t have a tremendous amount of experience creating music will nonetheless find the program easy to use and fun to play with. More experienced creators will discover quite a lot of bang for only a few bucks.

iSequence HD

iPad Only App - Designed for the iPad
Buy Now: $4.99

Our Rating: :: POWERFUL
Read Our Full Review >>

Released: 2010-05-06 :: Category: Music

Apps mentioned in this post: iSequence HD


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