Month: July 2012

Animoog For iPad Review

Animoog by Moog Music Inc. Review based on use with iPad 1,2,and (3) The New iPad. Also available for iPhone and iPod Touch.

Moog Me!

Moog Music has a long history of providing the world with amazing synthesizers with legendary sounds.
It should be no surprise that they would join the iOS music world by crafting a synth app that comes packed with their signature style on a new platform.

Moog Music developed Animoog with the modern touch interface well in mind. They cut no corners and delivered this stunning professional quality synth with their new ASE (Anisotropic Synth Engine) technology. ASE in short allows the user to move through a sonic X/Y landscape full of unique timbres that respond, grow and morph with each touch on the X/Y panel.

Animoog was a hit right off the bat. Loaded with timbres from analog waveforms “captured from classic Moog oscillators, both vintage and modern…”it was easy to feel the Moogness with the first touch of the virtual keyboard. This synth delivers fat, gooey sounds that are both audibly and visually marvelous.

Complete with all the modules necessary to craft subtly evolving pads, to heavily modulated, bit crushed killer keys. Phat leads, pitch shifting blasts, ghostly FX, quiet and deep morphing bliss from all angles are well within or even outside the imagination depending on how one tweaks and manipulates each of the available tools.
It also has the classic four pole Moog ladder filter with High, Low and Band Pass modes.

Its tough to describe in words just how nice this synth is. It really must be heard (through decent speakers or headphones) to be fully enjoyed and appreciated.

Click HERE to visit Moog Music web page for all the facts, links to buy, details and nitty gritty specs. Its all there, you’ll see.

If you want to perform with it, go ahead its got MIDI capabilities and works great with any MIDI controller, or even a Moog Little Phatty.

Using Animoog in my process is a snap since it has background audio, general paste board support to easily move recordings around various compatible apps all on my tablet. Layering with overdubbing is endlessly fun and useful. If for some reason you run out of ideas or just want more presets, expansion packs can add more Moogy madness sounds via IAP download.

This is the real deal. Something of similar physical or home computer soft synth design with these same capabilities would be far more expensive than this iOS version that brings the very same quality.

I’m sure there is still some purist somewhere in his moms basement, hiding in his peanut butter fort, surrounded by racks of gear, miles of wires, and boards who will swear this is not possible. That would be a mistake. We have here another groundbreaking, indisputable example of how iOS music is for real.

Animoog is a stellar synth and easily a big time must have for any iOS synth enthusiast, performer, and producer. My 2011 Music App Of The Year.

What’s up.

I have been receiving a lot of great emails about people taking the plunge into creating music on iOS. It’s been very inspiring, and a huge honor to hear from folks who have read my blog, listened to my music and then deciding to take the leap. Nothing makes me happier than to hear from people all around the world who have felt my efforts were worthy of their time to just reach out and say hello. Then to also learn that I might have had an impact on their decision, is just an honor. I just wanted to say thank you, I’m very touched.

Lately I’ve been slow to review and update my blog page. I assure you all it’s only because the past few months have been challenging for me. A friend of mine Neal Murril, who was a very talented musician, and all around great guy passed away. I was very sad, and still am. Add to that various minor but energy consuming illnesses, and disc issues in my neck, all have prevented me from being very active with this blog of mine.
I have however been working on new music for a couple projects and of course personal fulfillment, but haven’t completed much that is what I would consider presentable yet.

I’m also trying to decide on a way to best present some more writing about my iOS music crafting process. I know I’ve said that a lot for a while. Honestly I wasn’t really convinced it was of significant interest, so I shelved that project. Recently though I have recieved a considerable number of communications requesting me to write more about that process in a way that might be instructional. Again, I’m honored by the requests, but also still not sure what the best approach is? I certainly don’t presume to have every detail figured out. I don’t want to be missunderstood as a know it all, cause I just don’t know everything. I suppose though I could write at least some sort of core concept piece that might be instructional, and helpful to some degree. Really in the end it’s more about how the individual sees how everything works together, and makes it comfortable to their styles.

I have been doing a lot of experimenting with technique to try and develope more complex sounds, and interesting arrangements. I really want to combine my love for ambient electronic with my inner rocker without being totally obscure in result or deviating to far from the ambient core. I guess I am trying to make ambient rocktronica in some sense? It’s by no means a new direction, or genre shift. I’m still mostly focussed on the ambient style that I love so much, and that will always be my heart and soul priority.
It sure is fun at least to try new things. One other new thing I’m working out is creating new instrumentation with percussive samples and the likes. Such as turning a heavy bass kick drum into a soft windy pad. Or the drumming sounds of fingers on a snare that become an arpeggiated melody.

Well, anyway to answer the recently and often asked question im hearing lately, Yes, I’m still here, working hard, exploring, communicating and yes I will post more reviews soon.
I’m still waiting for Fateless Records to launch his new website ( I’m so not holding my breath on that anymore, it’ll come together when he’s ready ), and waiting on a label compilation album to contribute a couple tracks for. If and when that ever happens it’ll be a free digital release. Im sure it will all happen eventually, I’ve just stopped looking forward to it in quiet anticipation.

StillStream, an Internet radio show has asked permission to play tracks from Technopolis Lost. I had to sign something a few weeks ago that will allow them to air my music on their show. I’m pretty excited about that and though I haven’t checked, I should be on their play list soon.
Sunday Synth, Atmospheres, Radio Happy, and Alien Air Music, have also been extremely supportive radio shows to include my music in their broadcasts now and then. There’s been several other stations mostly in Europe that I’m told have also kindly played a track or two of mine. All in all it’s more than I had hoped for, and I’m so extremely grateful for their support. All that hard work sending promos, “One Sheets”, and countless emails have had positive results. Every single airing is a blessing that excites me to extremes.

So all said, I’m just doing my usual thing. I’ll post more soon, if you want to see a review for something specific just send me an email and I’ll see what I can do.
Thank you so much for all the amazing support, and for reading my little blog. I’m sorry if I am slow to respond sometimes to emails, but I do read them all and enjoy getting them.