Kristopher Yang has released Spool, available as a FREE download with an optional in-app purchase that unlocks the Pro version.
Tape Synth is an app for iOS designed for combining a pocket synthesizer, sampler, and tape emulation interface into a lightweight app (weighing in at a mere 2.2 MB), spool. brings vintage character straight to your iPad and iPhone.
At its core, Spool. is designed to mimic the quirks and characteristics of physical tape reels. Instead of giving you perfectly clinical sine or saw waves, the synth engine embraces subtle pitch fluctuations (wow and flutter), warmth, and harmonic saturation. Whether you are crafting ambient soundscapes or dusty lo-fi hip-hop leads, the tape emulation gives sounds instant nostalgia and organic life.
Spool. isn’t just a synth engine—it also functions as a sampler. This hybrid workflow lets you:
- Synthesize on the go: Dial in pads, leads, strings, and pulses using intuitive control layouts.
- Sample external audio: Capture real-world sounds, field recordings, or acoustic instruments and process them through the app’s tape engine for instant lo-fi transformations.
In a market where audio apps can easily take up gigabytes of storage and tax your mobile CPU, Spool. is streamlined for performance. It launches instantly, making it an ideal tool for sketching out melodic ideas on the train, sampling sounds on a walk, or adding ambient layers to a live setup without cluttering your device.
Features include:
- Tape-Modeled Engine: Recreates the warmth, harmonic saturation, and subtle pitch instability (wow and flutter) of physical magnetic tape.
- Integrated Sampler: Allows you to record and capture live audio, field sounds, or acoustic instruments directly into the app and play them back with tape-processed character.
- Multiple Sound Modes: Offers dedicated engines and presets for crafting custom pads, leads, strings, and pulse-based synth textures.
- Tactile Performance Controls: Features responsive onscreen controls designed for real-time sound sculpting and expressive live playability.
- Ultra-Lightweight Footprint: Coming in at under 3 MB, it installs almost instantly and runs smoothly without draining your device’s memory or CPU.
- Mobile-Optimized Interface: A clean, distraction-free layout tailored specifically for touchscreens on iPad and iPhone, making fast sound design simple without menu diving.
For more information on Spool, click here:
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