# bitKlavier

> Software for a prepared digital piano, creating unique musical textures and rhythms. (iPhone/iPad app by Dan Trueman.)

- Source: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/bitklavier/id1039640781 (this page in markdown: same URL + `.md`)
- Developer: [Dan Trueman](https://appshunter.io/developer/1039640780)
- Category: Music, Education
- Price: $4.99
- Rating: 4.80/5 from 6 App Store ratings · 5 written reviews indexed
- Age rating: 4+
- Requires: iOS 12.0 · 1.4 GB
- Released: 2015-10-03
- Data updated: 2026-06-19
- Monetization: paid
- User reviews in markdown: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/bitklavier/id1039640781/reviews.md

## What is bitKlavier?

“The études, some fast and virtuosic, others spare and introspective, unfolded to beautiful and haunting effect in a haze of pitch-bending, echoes, distorted rhythms and eerie timbres.” 
—The New York Times, about the Nostalgic Synchronic Etudes, made with bitKlavier

bitKlavier is the software that drives the "prepared digital piano;" it has been used by a number of composers for creating new music, and has been featured in performances around the world.

Like the prepared piano, the "prepared digital piano" feels just like a piano under the hands and often sounds like one, but it is full of surprises; instead of bolts and screws stuck between the piano strings, virtual machines of various sorts adorn the virtual strings of the digital piano, transforming it into an instrument that pushes back, sometimes like a metronome, other times like a recording played backwards. The virtual strings also tighten and loosen on the fly, dynamically tuning in response to what is played. 

To begin, experiment with the included galleries, many of which are from existing pieces (the Nostalgic Synchronic Etudes by Dan Trueman, and the Mikroetudes, a collection of small pieces by various composers), others are examples for exploring the various types of digital preparations. Work with the on-screen keyboards, or hook up a USB-MIDI keyboard using a Lighting-USB adaptor and play with a full-sized keyboard.

There are a range of "preparations," including:

1. Synchronic: "metronomes" of various sorts that respond to your playing.

2. Nostalgic: reverse piano, synced to the synchronic preparations or driven by the length of the notes that you play.

3. Tuning: various tuning systems, including some that change under your hands as you play.

4. Direct: modify the direct sound of the piano itself in various ways.

5. Blendrónic: beat programmed delays that process other preparations.

These preparations can change under your hands in various ways, using Modifications attached to Preparations and triggered by Keymaps, or by using Pianos, which change the entire instrument instantaneously. 

Created by Dan Trueman and Mike Mulshine at Princeton University, with support from Princeton's Music Department, Center for the Digital Humanities and Council on Science and Technology, as well as the American Council of Learned Societies.

## Key features

- Virtual piano preparations
- Dynamic tuning systems
- Rhythmic and echo effects
- On-screen and MIDI keyboard support
- Pre-made musical galleries
- Customizable sound modifications

## Recent user reviews (5 of 5)

All indexed reviews: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/bitklavier/id1039640781/reviews.md

### 4/5 — By far my favorite non working app

*2022-02-12*

I loved this so much now I dream it will work again 
Some day

### 5/5 — Love it!

*2021-11-18*

Can’t believe I didn’t find it any sooner!  Would love to see this quirky little gem available as AUV3 at some point so we can incorporate it into the iOS ecosystem.  Beautiful nonetheless!

### 5/5 — A new era for keyboard playing

*2020-02-17*

I have been using this app since it was first invented, and it has changed the way I make music. 

It is so easy to change settings and immediately hear the consequences that it becomes addictive! Musicians who aren’t accustomed to thinking of themselves as composers will find themselves creating spontaneously and potentially spending hours tinkering with them. In one session, I got carried away with seeing if I could build an accurate machine to perform Reich's piano phase just triggering one note (I could), while in another I set different octaves of the keyboard to trigger metronomes at different tempi and improvised with it.

### 2/5 — App issue- help?

*2017-02-18*

I've been using this app for months and now in all patches, lite or medium mode, a glitch/ pulse sound persists at around 117 bpm, making the app unplayable. Tutorials and videos do not address. Running 10.2.1 on iPad mini 2. Reinstalled several times. Uninstalled other apps. Plenty of storage left. Any known issues? Help? Recording a piece with this app in 3 months and without a fix I'll need to scrap the work....

**Developer response:** Sorry to hear about these issues, and for taking so long to respond. We've been redeveloping bitKlavier from scratch, and it's now totally rewritten and more efficient. We can't guarantee that it will work on older devices, but going forward we imagine this version will work much better everyone!

### 4/5 — Almost on the bus..why the delay?

*2017-01-11*

Good to see this innovative app getting some development. I think putting IAA ahead of AudioBus was a mistake, but the later is apparently scheduled. Let's hope it comes with state saving, too.

Nic

## Frequently asked questions about bitKlavier

### What is bitKlavier?

bitKlavier is software that transforms a digital piano into a unique instrument. It uses virtual "preparations" to alter sound, rhythm, and tuning, offering a highly experimental musical experience.

### What kind of musical preparations does bitKlavier offer?

bitKlavier offers several types of preparations including Synchronic (metronomes that respond to playing), Nostalgic (reverse piano effects), Tuning (dynamic tuning systems), Direct (modifying the piano's direct sound), and Blendrónic (beat programmed delays).

### Can I use bitKlavier with a physical keyboard?

Yes, you can connect a USB-MIDI keyboard using a Lighting-USB adaptor to play bitKlavier with a full-sized keyboard, enhancing the playing experience.

### What devices is bitKlavier available on?

bitKlavier is available on iPhone, iPad, and iPod, making it accessible for a range of Apple mobile devices.

### How much does bitKlavier cost?

bitKlavier is a paid application, priced at $4.99. There are no in-app purchases or subscriptions mentioned.

### Does bitKlavier have ads?

No, bitKlavier does not contain advertisements. It is a paid application designed for an uninterrupted creative experience.

### How often is bitKlavier updated?

The latest version of bitKlavier is 3.3, last updated on April 26, 2023. This indicates a history of updates and ongoing development.

### What is the age rating for bitKlavier?

bitKlavier has an age rating of 4+, making it suitable for a wide range of users interested in music creation and experimentation.

## Version history (last 5 releases)

### 3.3 — 2023-04-26

v3.3 has many bug fixes, new Resonance features, and a compressor on output stage

### 3.0 — 2021-09-30

updated for iOS15
new Resonance preparation, flexibly modeling the sympathetic resonance in the acoustic piano

### 2.9 — 2021-07-23

- Velocity curves in Keymap
- Updates to back-end velocity handling
- Direct-from-Disk sample playback
- Ability to open any sample folder with consistently named audio files for playback

### 2.8 — 2021-01-30

Version 2.8 brings a number of useful new internal features to bitKlavier, including Undo/Redo; Harmonizer mappings in Keymap; Modification smoothing, incrementing and alternating, and numerous bug fixes.

### 2.5.2 — 2020-05-06

Bug Fixes! Visit https://github.com/Princeton-CDH/bitKlavier/releases for details.

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*Data collected daily from the US App Store and indexed by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/). User reviews are verbatim App Store reviews. Ratings, prices and chart positions refresh continuously; this snapshot is from 2026-06-19.*