SynthMaster One Reviews

I’ve purchased some preset packs in-app, and now SynthMasterOne crashes whenever I use the load random feature. Basically unusable for me since I rely on that feature in apps I use for my sound design work. And yes, clicking through the list manually is an option, but if there’s a load random feature, it should work. Really frustrating because I’ve tried to get a refund on these in-app purchases and was denied. I’ve had issues with in-app purchases in Synthmaster 2 as well, and had to use a refund there while I was troubleshooting (and their customer service wasn’t too helpful either unfortunately). Which means I’ve basically hit my refund cap just trying to deal with in-app purchases all from this developer. I really like Synthmaster One and 2. These apps are easily some of the best synths on this platform. But I can’t really recommend getting any in app purchases through them until they fix these issues. I’ll update my review and rating if these get fixed.

This synth has a fair number of built-in wavetables. However, I bought this synth thinking it would allow me to use a custom wavetable. And while it does have an option to import wavetables... This doesn't mean it'll import that wav file you recorded of another synth, and let you use that as a wavetable. That's what I figured. I figured wrong.

Instead, it just closes the import window and says nothing, and nothing happens. I tried again and again. Long story short, you have to give it a very specific audio file, and they aren't really feasible to make by hand. You would need help from software that is specifically designed to create wavetables.

Such software does not exist for iPhone, as of the time I'm writing this review. Literally doesn't exist. Some apps exist for iPad, but none for iphone. And since I'm on iphone exclusively, I'm just plain out of luck. There's legit no way for me to create a wavetable that synthmaster one would be willing to import.

In trying to recreate a very specific sound from an organ at church. I haven't been able to recreate it with "synth one" by audiokit, so I came here looking for more powerful synth options. But without custom wavetables, this synth isn't a single smidgen better than the open source synth.

If you are in iphone, and looking for a synth that more powerful than synth one, this honestly isn't it. Unless you get lucky and one of the built in wavetables is the exact sound you happen to need.

There are two oscillators, subs, a multitude of modulation options, filters, LFOs, routing options plus scala support and MIDI MPE. Works well as an AU.

Being able to add your own wavetables is great for devices that support slide over. Slide over doesn’t work on iOS 12 on an iPad Mini 2 so there is no way to add custom wavetables. SynthMasterOne you try to drop files to will be darkened on an iPad Mini 2 rather than regular brightness for devices like the iPad Air 2 that support it.

I contacted the developer through their website weeks ago and they still haven’t addressed the issue. I’m using version 1.1.1 on iOS 12 on both an iPad Air 2 and an iPad Mini 2.

The version 1.0 of the SynthMaster One iOS manual has information and screenshots for the desktop version with instructions for wavetable import that do not work for the iOS version.

When I try to import my presets with custom wavetables to another iOS device by opening them from SynthMasterOne ’s iCloud folder or using AirDrop, the wavetables do not transfer into SynthMasterOne either. There is also no way to delete wavetables I’d added and their listed by the order I’ve added them rather than alphabetically without an option for sub folders. The developer could provide File apps import for better wavetable management.

If you’re using this in stand alone for live shows, it’s fantastic. That said, it is quite heavy on the cpu, and I’m on an iPad Pro 2018, so using this on every track in a DAW is going to deplete resources quite quickly. There’s also a UI bug that makes using the synth difficult, if not impossible to use inside of NanoStudio 2 (the UI is cut off and you cannot see some controls unless full screen). If the devs fix the bug, I’ll gladly update my review.

Update: bugs are fixed for the most part, but there is still an issue when dragging the LFO to modulate a parameter that is off-screen in the smaller AUv3 window (once you drag it, you cannot swipe to access controls on the next page). Definitely better, but not quite fixed all the way.

SynthMasterOne is a 5 star app hands down...and enough reviewers have said so that I don’t have to speak on it.

But it’s business practices are shady at best and deserve 1 star for the doubling of charges they do in the IAPs section...

If you purchase all banks separately , they charge you for whatever.. fine.. but then there’s a bundle snuck in there without any warning that you’ve already bought everything in this bundle.. and since reloading any one bundle requires you to do a fake repurchase, to then tell you:

[you already purchased this wants to download it again for free?]

to which I’d reply,

“No,, I wanna download what I payed for already! It was never free..”

So that practice description above is the way you get used to re downloading and restoring the your IAPs into other devices.. then while doing that,, if you accidentally tap that bundle purchase in the restoring process , SynthMasterOne will NOT notify you that you already own these and will proceed to charge your card 25 bux for everything you’ve already purchased. This must be where they make their bonuses.

“ Looks like we caught another one boys!
-Pints on me “

Finally you complain to Apple to get a refund, only to get told ,

“Not Eligible...”

Which when translated says,

“Cry Us A River........Twice!”

I preordered it and was expecting to receive it by the 8th, but today I just got the nice surprise that it was available. I played a few minutes with it and I’m impressed with the potential. It’s pretty much a desktop level synth on the iPad, plus the auv3 option is a very welcome feature. Thanks You. Looking forward to using it for productions.

Definitely seems quite powerful, providing full configurability on the waveforms. Unfortunately audio issues prevent this from being useful for me (at least on my iPhone 11 pro max, haven't tried on my iPad yet) - keep getting digital clicks when I play notes, usually right after hitting the key, though it's pretty intermittent. Also, the knobs at the top are so close to the edge of the screen that turning them often ends up pulling down the iOS widget sheet or notifications sheet. Fix the audio issues, and this would be an awesome synth!

This is a few inches away from being my #1 synth. It’s good good. Great interface and playability. Global pitch bend settings are essential for mpe and this has it (you’d be surprised how many “mpe” synths don’t have global pitch bend settings which literally makes it unusable as a mpe synth). But they keys get stuck too often when playing in MPE mode. Which makes it unusable for live gig performance. I would also appreciate it if after touch was built into the presets.

Really really great synth, incredible sound, great look, etc. but when I create a preset and save it it doesn’t show up in my browser when I need it and am looking for it. It’s weird. I can only pull it up by clicking the arrow over after I’ve created another new sound. So now I’m creating stupid random presets just to access my good ones. I will give it that last star when this is fixed.

I’m late to the party, but so glad to have discovered SynthMasterOne. Drag and drop modulation on iOS should be the gold standard. And the unison engine is so lavish, yet not taxing on the CPU. If you could possibly have your wavetable folder accessible in the Files app, that would make it easier to add additional wavetables. It feels great to use a synth that I truly believe in.

This is by far the best synth release on the IPad. It does what you expect from a real synth and more. Worth every penny.
Just one major gripe for the Developers

This is a touch device not a pc so we don’t have a mouse.
Patch list selection is very difficult due to the small area available. Width height needs to be twice height to make selection quick and easy for the performer. Currently it takes several try’s to select a patch so this is really bad for performer when trying to Change patches quickly. Maybe make this an option in settings called
Double Browser.

Wasn’t on my radar and then got it free when they gifted it during quarantine. Now it’s on every track of mine regardless of genre and on my desktop. It hardly needs any mixing and has nice tight envelopes. Great work!

Every time I reopen my project I get an error message saying I have a missing AU ( which is not true ). I would then create a new SM1 track underneath the non working one, and drag down the midi notes in order to hear the track again. Of course I have to find and rebuild my sounds all over. My iPad 6 is already updated and also deleted SynthMasterOne then reinstalled it just to encounter the same issues. Please fix, thank you...

Great quality synth w/awesome variety but a very poor system for presets and waveforms. This has been addressed raptors a degree but it still does not function well; loading presets directly doesn’t work, attempting to access the cloud leads to registration tab that appears even when you’ve already registered and there is no login option,

Help! Was impressed with the synth sounds and the synth but got it for the vocoder which did not work for me in AUM or GarageBand after watching a couple of vid tutorials and going along step by step a few times. Please help me fix this issue or give me a step by step how to.

I own dozens of hardware synths and more soft synths than I can count. On iOS, this is the synth I go to when I want to design sound. It just sounds so good and is so versatile.

Dev, Please take a look at Au parameter sorting in BM3, it’s somehow not grouped correctly now.

This thing is massive. I haven’t even started importing my own waveforms it already has a ton of versatility. It’s pretty uniquely powerful and you can even expand on that by introducing more stuff! If I could name my top 3 fav synth it would be LayR, SynthMaster one, TeraSynth, Factory and Zeeon.

Every few minutes I get stuck notes with external controllers, regardless of what I'm playing. Only in SynthMasterOne and no others so apparently not an issue with my MPE controller.
Any presets I tweak and save or write myself from template won't load without SynthMasterOne crashing.
This happens in standalone mode OR as an AUv3 plugin.
Unfortunate.

I have sticky keys. I imagine it something that will be fixed quickly but it's disturbing. I have to shut down and clear to "unstick" the key/keys that are stuck.

I am raising my review from the embarrassing 1/5 stars to 4/5. The update did resolve the issues I had with it. Very happy I did hold out for the problems to be fixed because I do have tremendous faith in the company, their hard work, and the resulting products.

Carry on you guys!
Italo Forever

If you’re using this in stand alone for live shows, it’s fantastic. That said, it is quite heavy on the cpu, and I’m on an iPad Pro 2018, so using this on every track in a DAW is going to deplete resources quite quickly. There’s also a UI bug that makes using the synth difficult, if not impossible to use inside of NanoStudio 2 (the UI is cut off and you cannot see some controls unless full screen). If the devs fix the bug, I’ll gladly update my review.

Update: bugs are fixed for the most part, but there is still an issue when dragging the LFO to modulate a parameter that is off-screen in the smaller AUv3 window (once you drag it, you cannot swipe to access controls on the next page). Definitely better, but not quite fixed all the way.

Finally got around to getting this monster of a synth. I love the GUI. It's logical and intuitive, without sacrificing power and versatility.

The sound is fantastic. It seems to be scanning mod sources at a very high rate. The oscillators and filters sound terrific. It includes a very capable Mod Matrix, and a powerful arpeggiator. The effects are nice sounding, too. It's rare to see so many strengths in an iOS synth. It seems nothing as been sacrificed. What a beast!!

It is a treat to see tuning maps implemented both at a global level and preset level. Only a few to choose from, I'm hoping to load more scala maps (if possible).