# October - Chiptune Maker

> 8-bit chiptune music creation and export tool for iOS. (iPhone/iPad app by Tom Salvo.)

- Source: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/october-chiptune-maker/id1463351768 (this page in markdown: same URL + `.md`)
- Developer: [Tom Salvo](https://appshunter.io/developer/320822183)
- Category: Music, Music
- Price: Free (on sale, was $0.99)
- Rating: 4.52/5 from 23 App Store ratings · 14 written reviews indexed
- Age rating: 4+
- Requires: iOS 15.6 · 2 MB
- Languages: English
- Released: 2019-08-10
- Data updated: 2026-06-10
- Monetization: free
- User reviews in markdown: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/october-chiptune-maker/id1463351768/reviews.md

## What is October?

Create your own authentic 8-bit songs and sound effects by adding a timeline of notes, or an arrangement of loops.  Share your awesome tunes with friends by exporting to an AAC audio file, 6502 ASM6 assembly code, NES Sound Format file, or an NES ROM file!

4 channels are available:
- Square Wave 1
- Square Wave 2
- Triangle Wave
- Noise

Each channel can play one note (or noise event) at a time.  Square wave channels have 4 duty cycle parameters. and the noise channel has 32 adjustable noise presets.  These parameters, as well as volume, are all adjustable at the channel or individual note level.  Several example songs are included if you're just getting started and want to learn more.

Features:
- Loop-based or linear song arrangements
- Export to AAC audio file
- Export to 6502 ASM6 code
- Export to NES Sound Format (.nsf) file
- Export to NES ROM (.nes) file
- Multiple windows on iPad
- Dark mode and light mode
- Drag and drop support for notes and loops
- Adjustable tempo
- Adjustable zoom
- Cut, Copy and Paste
- Bulk note edit (transpose and volume)

## Key features

- Timeline or loop-based song arrangement
- Export to AAC, ASM6, NSF, and NES ROM
- Four distinct sound channels
- Adjustable note and channel parameters
- Multiple window support on iPad
- Dark and light mode
- Drag and drop functionality

## Recent user reviews (10 of 14)

All indexed reviews: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/october-chiptune-maker/id1463351768/reviews.md

### 4/5 — Please help

*2024-08-21*

Can you please show and teach us how to make music in this app

### 5/5 — You should add an YM2126 To it

*2024-07-18*

It’s cool and all but what would make it more cool is an YM2126
Chiptune to the app :)

### 4/5 — Love this app but there’s one problem

*2024-06-13*

See, when I mute the noise channel before playing a song, it makes this ear piercing noise that won’t stop until I stop the song or the song ends. Otherwise, this app is a little complicated but it’s easy to use once you get the hang of it. and, it has no annoying ads!

### 5/5 — App is amazing!

*2024-05-11*

I’ve seen about 3 reviews from 4 years ago so im making one now!

It’s complicated but i’m getting used to it
I love everything about this app

### 5/5 — Amazing

*2023-09-10*

It’s really cheap, and personally I find it easy to get the hang of right off the bat. Easy to export the music as-well!

### 5/5 — Great software, some suggestions

*2023-08-17*

I’ve been using October for a while now to make chiptune covers of popular video game music for YouTube, and I have a few suggestions for the software.

1.) Allow an option to customise the waveform in each of the sound sources. This would allow dampening which would make the final product sound way better.

2.) Allow more sound sources in each song. It’s very limiting that there are only three per file.

3.) It would be very nice to see a desktop version, as I love the UI, it’s a very comprehensable program, and just overall is very worth the purchase.

### 1/5 — You have to be a masochist!

*2022-10-26, version 1.11*

Tedious, monotonous, and tedious and monotonous. I mean translating cuneiform has to be easier than using that 1980s throwback. It’s just not worth the effort.

### 5/5 — Great for chiptune creation

*2021-07-10, version 1.9*

Needed a chiptune version of a song of mine for the outro of a music video, and this app was really fun and easy to work with to create that.

### 4/5 — Wow, really nice

*2021-04-14, version 1.8.1*

UPDATE: Thanks for the reply! Double-tapping cells is currently how I am entering notes, but it would be much quicker if the note editor just stayed open until I closed it manually (e.g. with an ‘x’ button) or if there were buttons to move to the next/previous note (← / →) within the note editor. 

Entering notes is very slow and involves mostly waiting for (standard system framework?) animations to finish. Otherwise a very cozy tracker at this price. Simple and well thought-out, with some very handy macros. Export to various formats is 👌.

**Developer response:** UPDATE: I’ll look into what it would take to keep the note editor active, and allowing for moving around between notes while it’s onscreen (possibly including an option to adjust this behavior).  The biggest hurdle I can think of is landscape mode for small phones, where the note editor UI is already a little cramped, but it might still be doable.

Thank you for your review!  Starting in 1.8, you can also double-tap for certain actions to avoid the built-in delay of the press-and-hold context menus. For example, you can double tap to add notes or loop instances to an empty spot in the timeline, or to navigate into a loop instance on the timeline in the full song view. I will also check if some of the animations can be sped up, particularly when bringing up the note editor view.

### 3/5 — I do not get this at all

*2021-03-18, version 1.8*

Yes I don’t know how to do this there’s no actual way for you to make music it’s just a matter of time it’s just you listening to music if you want to do you have to download files from your laptop I don’t have a laptop so what’s the point so yeah so I’m kind of disappointed in this app because my dream was to make video game music in my dream is kind of being destroyed your address please respond to this😣😣😣😣😣

## Frequently asked questions about October

### What kind of music can I create with October?

October is designed for creating authentic 8-bit chiptune music and sound effects. You can utilize its four sound channels (Square Wave 1, Square Wave 2, Triangle Wave, and Noise) to compose melodies and soundscapes reminiscent of classic video games.

### What export options does October offer?

October provides versatile export options. You can export your creations as AAC audio files for general listening, or as 6502 ASM6 assembly code, NES Sound Format (.nsf) files, and even NES ROM (.nes) files for integration into retro game development.

### How does October handle song arrangement?

October supports both loop-based and linear song arrangements. This flexibility allows you to structure your music in a way that suits your creative process, whether you prefer building with repeating sections or composing a continuous track.

### Can I customize individual notes and channels in October?

Yes, October offers deep customization. Parameters like duty cycle for square wave channels, noise presets for the noise channel, and volume are adjustable at both the channel and individual note levels, giving you fine-grained control over your sound.

### Is October suitable for beginners?

October includes several example songs to help new users get started and learn its features. The intuitive interface with drag-and-drop support and adjustable zoom also contributes to a user-friendly experience for those new to chiptune creation.

### What devices is October compatible with?

October is compatible with iPhone, iPad, and iPod devices. It also features multiple window support on iPad and offers both dark and light modes for a personalized user interface experience.

### How often is October updated?

October was last updated on February 21, 2023, with version 1.12. The app is actively maintained, suggesting regular updates for improvements and new features.

### Does October have ads?

No, October does not contain advertisements. It is a completely free application with no in-app purchases or ads, allowing for an uninterrupted music creation experience.

## Version history (last 5 releases)

### 1.12 — 2023-02-21

- Fixed an issue in exported .nes or .nsf files, where audio may stop playing before the end of the song

### 1.11 — 2022-06-18

- Fixed an issue with channel buffer scheduling that could occur when quickly stopping and restarting playback
- Other minor improvements

### 1.10 — 2021-10-02

- Improved keyboard navigation

### 1.9 — 2021-06-06

- Mute and un-mute individual channels
- Faster animations when presenting and dismissing the note editor

### 1.8.1 — 2021-03-18

- Bug fixes

## Apps similar to October

| App | Rating | Price | Category |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| [PAPU](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/papu/id1523121135) | 4.9 (10) | Free | Music |
| [PixiTracker](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pixitracker/id480082201) | 4.9 (142) | $2.99 | Music |
| [Tonality: Music Theory](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/tonality-music-theory/id1467552236) | 4.8 (123) | $7.99 | Music |
| [Volume Editor Bass Booster EQ](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/volume-editor-bass-booster-eq/id6444840823) | 4.5 (23) | Free | Music |
| [Piano Tabs: Learn & Practice](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/piano-tabs-learn-and-practice/id1506390976) | 4.2 (49) | Free | Music |
| [elicks](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/elicks/id1644578571) | 4.6 (7) | Free | Music |

---

*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 2026-06-10.*