# ORPHEUS: Music Synthesizer — Grid Instrument Play By Touch > A touch-based musical instrument and song sequencer with visual patterns. (iPhone/iPad app by HYUNG MIN SON.) - Source: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/orpheus-music-synthesizer/id6819135560 (this page in markdown: same URL + `.md`) - Developer: [HYUNG MIN SON](https://appshunter.io/developer/6811684236) - Category: Music, Education - Price: Free - Rating: 5.00/5 from 1 App Store ratings - Age rating: 4+ - Requires: iOS 15.0 · 61 MB - Released: 2026-10-07 - Data updated: 2026-10-26 - Monetization: free ## What is ORPHEUS? ORPHEUS is a musical instrument you play by touch. Tap cells on a glowing grid and it plays them back as a loop. Columns are time and rows are pitch, so a pattern you can see is a melody you can hear. No musical training needed. THREE LAYERS, PLAYING TOGETHER Build a bass line, a melody and a countermelody on three separate layers. Each has its own pattern, loop length (4 to 16 steps), instrument, scale and octave. Give the layers different loop lengths and they drift in and out of step, so the music keeps changing. SIX WAYS TO PLAY • Sweep: tap notes on and off while the playhead loops across the grid. • Floor: every lit cell becomes a bouncing ball that strikes a note each time it lands. • Order: your notes play one at a time, in the order you tapped them. • Draw: drag a finger to paint a melody that plays for a few loops, then fades away. • Hold: touch and hold to sustain a note, and slide up or down to change its pitch. • Free: play the rows live, like a keyboard, or slide across them for a run of notes. A SEQUENCER FOR WHOLE SONGS A single grid is a loop. The sequencer turns your loops into a song: chain your saved patterns into a series and they play back to back with no gap between them, each one at its own tempo, starting again after the last. A sequence holds up to 80 patterns and there are 100 sequences to fill, so a verse, a chorus and a bridge can live side by side. Tap any pattern while the song plays and it carries on from there. FIVE INSTRUMENTS Standard piano, kalimba, marimba, plucked string and bell, all synthesized on the device for quick, responsive sound. EIGHT SCALES Chromatic, harmonic major and minor, major and minor hexatonic, major and minor pentatonic, and the Japanese hirajoshi scale. Pick a pentatonic scale and every combination of notes sounds good together, which is perfect for children and first-time players. AN 88-KEY PIANO One tap turns the grid into a full 88-key piano keyboard. Slide your finger for a glissando, or switch to two keyboards side by side and play a duet with a friend. PATTERNS THAT COME ALIVE Turn on Life and your pattern evolves by the rules of Conway's Game of Life, a new generation every loop. Mirror symmetry paints each note in mirror image, left and right, top and bottom, or both at once. MAKE IT YOURS • 100 save slots for your patterns, each with the date and time of its last save • Everything saves automatically as you play • Seven colour themes and square or round cells • Tempo from 60 to 180 BPM • A full-screen mode with nothing between you and the grid • A built-in guide behind the question-mark button Works on iPhone and iPad, upright or sideways. No ads, no account, and no data collected: everything stays on your device. ## Key features - Grid-based touch instrument - Multi-layer pattern creation - Adjustable loop lengths and scales - Song sequencer for chaining patterns - Multiple playing modes - Built-in guide and customization options ## Is ORPHEUS safe? Not enough ratings yet to assess ORPHEUS. ## Is ORPHEUS legit? ORPHEUS: Music Synthesizer has limited verification signals. The AppsHunter Legitimacy Score for ORPHEUS is 58 out of 100 points across 7 verification signals from App Store and developer data. ## Frequently asked questions about ORPHEUS ### What is ORPHEUS? ORPHEUS is a musical instrument app that allows users to create music by tapping cells on a visual grid. It functions as both a touch instrument and a song sequencer, enabling users to build melodies and full songs without prior musical training. ### Does ORPHEUS have ads? No, ORPHEUS is completely ad-free. The app description explicitly states 'No ads, no account, and no data collected,' ensuring an uninterrupted creative experience. ### What devices does ORPHEUS support? ORPHEUS is designed to work on both iPhone and iPad devices. It supports both upright and sideways orientations for flexible use. ### How does ORPHEUS help beginners learn music? ORPHEUS simplifies music creation by allowing users to tap cells on a grid, where columns represent time and rows represent pitch. It offers scales like pentatonic, where any combination of notes sounds good, making it ideal for children and first-time players. ### Can I create full songs with ORPHEUS? Yes, ORPHEUS includes a sequencer that allows you to chain your created loops (patterns) into a full song. You can create up to 100 sequences, each capable of holding 80 patterns, providing ample space for verses, choruses, and bridges. ### What musical instruments are available in ORPHEUS? ORPHEUS features five synthesized instruments: standard piano, kalimba, marimba, plucked string, and bell. These instruments are designed for quick and responsive sound generation directly on the device. ### How often is ORPHEUS updated? ORPHEUS was last updated on 2026-10-13, indicating recent development activity. The latest version is 1.1, released shortly after its initial launch on 2026-10-07. ### Is ORPHEUS suitable for children? Yes, ORPHEUS has an age rating of '4+' and is designed to be accessible for beginners and children. Its visual interface and simplified musical concepts, like the pentatonic scale, make it easy to learn and play. ## Version history (last 2 releases) ### 1.1 — 2026-10-13 NEW: A SEQUENCER FOR WHOLE SONGS Until now a grid was a loop. Now your loops can become a song. Save a pattern in each slot, then chain them into a series: they play back to back with no gap between them, each one at its own tempo, and start again after the last. A sequence holds up to 80 patterns and there are 100 sequences to fill, so a verse, a chorus and a bridge can live side by side. Tap the new number button next to the question mark to open it. Tap an empty cell to add a pattern, press play, and tap any pattern while the song plays to carry on from there. ### 1.0 — 2026-10-07 No release notes. ## Apps similar to ORPHEUS | App | Rating | Price | Category | | --- | --- | --- | --- | | [FrankenJazz](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/frankenjazz/id6806906950) | — | Free | Music | | [Bytebeat: Make Music with Code](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/bytebeat-make-music-with-code/id6811730170) | 4.3 (3) | Free | Music | | [ARN-Music 3](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/arn-music-3/id6743633914) | — | Free | Music | | [midi-sink](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/midi-sink/id6810793641) | — | Free | Music | | [AmenBeats](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/amenbeats/id6778510642) | 3.0 (1) | Free | Music | | [Tonkro](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/tonkro/id6811708392) | — | Free | Music | ## More apps by HYUNG MIN SON - [SPEED: Engineering Scratchpad](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/speed-engineering-scratchpad/id6811684234) All apps by HYUNG MIN SON: https://appshunter.io/developer/6811684236 ## Related topics [orpheusb](https://appshunter.io/ios/topics/orpheusb) · [orpheus p2p](https://appshunter.io/ios/topics/orpheus-p2p) · [synthesizer touch](https://appshunter.io/ios/topics/synthesizer-touch) · [orpheus](https://appshunter.io/ios/topics/orpheus) --- *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 2026-10-26.*