New Music Gear Monday: Synclavier Digital iOS App

If you weren’t around in the early days of digital audio, then you might not be aware that the field was originally dominated by two major players – New England Digital’s Synclavier and the Fairlight CMI. Although the Synclavier developed into a digital audio workstation that dominated the charts for a period of the 80’s, it started out as an extremely powerful FM synthesizer that predated Yamaha’s groundbreaking DX-7 by a number of years. Now the Synclavier and it’s unique synthesis engine is back in the form of an iOS app.

Synclavier Go runs on an iPad and it’s intuitive touch-screen interface makes it easy to use (the original hardware model was so deep that most artists needed a dedicated programmer). It comes packed with 900 authentic preset timbres along with multilayered effects, and repeat, arpeggiate, portamento (Legato) functions that can be set for each timbre.

The easy-to-grasp touch interface is divided into a Tour of the instrument, which amounts to a very informative user manual, the Library of sounds, and the Timbre section, if you really want to get inside a sound and manipulate it to your hearts content.

The app offers up to Up to 12 partial timbres, 16 MIDI tracks for multi-timbral outboard sequencing, and theoretically has unlimited voices (depending on iPad processor speed). It can be controlled via MIDI for keyboard, the pitch bend wheel, and other interfaces, but also has a built-in 3 octave touch keyboard.

Synclavier Go runs on all models of iPad with iOS9 or later, including iPad, iPad 2, iPad Mini, iPad Pro, and iPad Air (there are no plans for Android support), and has inter-app and inter-device audio support. It also features up to 24-bit stereo at 44.1 or 48kHz through either the headphone jack, or lightning port via USB. For those that remember the sampling option from the original unit, a poly-sampling feature is in the pipeline.

The best thing is that the app is only $39.99 and available from the iTunes App Store. If you’re nostalgic for the old large Knob control, that’s going to be available too for $399 (it’s currently on backorder). Compare that to the $60,000 it used to cost (in 1980’s money no less), it’s a real bargain.

And if you really want a Synclavier on your iPhone, a mini-version called Synclavier Pocket is available for free!

For more info go to the dedicated website or watch the video below.

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