Hexaphone – iOS Keyboard [for iOS]

Hexaphone is now free and open source!

https://github.com/glenn-barnett/hexaphone/

Hexaphone is a musical keyboard for iOS designed for real-time performance and improvisation. It provides a simplified musical scale, background drum loops, a unique Motion Filter, song recording and sharing, and audio export via AudioCopy or WAV file.

Hexaphone was created to give musicians a flexible tool that's small enough to fit in your pocket, but powerful enough to deliver big, expressive musical performances.

Most iPhone instruments are hindered by the small screen size. The keys are too small, which means it's easy to play a wrong note. Hexaphone embraces the small screen size, solving the space problem by providing a simplified, six-note keyboard. The six notes are selected based on the type of music you want to play. The "wrong notes" are removed from the screen entirely, freeing up room for bigger keys across more octaves.

Choose a six-note scale based on the type of music you want to play (Blues, Dance, Trance, and many more), fire up a beat, and off you go!

Using samples from a Nord Lead 3, Hexaphone produces a wide range of sounds, including funky 70's tones, overdriven synth sounds, and modern pads.

Hexaphone's one-of-a-kind Motion Filter is a 24db resonant lowpass filter that you control by tilting the device – producing an effect similar to a wah-wah pedal.

Hexaphone allows you to record your melodies, synchronized to the beat. You can lay down a quick bassline, record it, and then play along with it as you add a melody, chords, etc.

Play along with 16+ included drum loops – or play your iPod in the background. (Double-tap home button for iPod Controls)

Hexaphone allows you to share your recordings with other users via small data files, or export WAV audio via AudioCopy or iTunes Document Sharing.

Features:

* High performance graphics and sound – grace notes, complex rhythms and staccato expressions all come through clearly

* Multi-touch support – up to five simultaneously

* 11 Scales which allow you to change which notes are on the keyboard – 6 notes per octave over 5 octaves (31 total notes):
* Blues (Hexatonic)
* Dance
* Trance
* Minor (2 variants)
* Major (2 variants)
* Plus: Lydian, Mixolydian, Phrygian Dominant and Chromatic

* 16 Patches which change the sound of the keys:
* Power Square: Gritty synth tone
* Power Saw: Heavy distortion
* Tonewheel: Cool organ tone
* Funky Square: Wah-wah sound
* Trance Pad: Ideal for chords
* Plus many more!

* 16+ Drum Loops to play over
* 5 Hip Hop
* 3 Chillout
* 4 Rock
* 4 Dance

* Keyboard shows 13 notes at a time, slides with your touch, and snaps to half-octave increments

* All notes can be labeled with their musical interval – minor 7th, root, major 3rd, tritone, etc.

* Record your playing into files, and then play along with it. Manage your recordings – save, rename, delete.

* Tunable to any key, so you can play along with other instruments

Hexaphone is best enjoyed through the headphone jack to bring out the bass sounds.

Hexaphone was designed to run on all iPhones, but it really shines with the 3GS and iPhone 4. 3G users can improve performance by turning off the KEY ILLUM feature.

For live performances, use Airplane Mode to avoid interruptions.