# Pixound — 2019

> App turns any photo into a musical instrument for creative song generation. (iPhone/iPad app by Techné Media.)

- Source: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pixound/id486076965 (this page in markdown: same URL + `.md`)
- Developer: [Techné Media](https://appshunter.io/developer/486076968)
- Category: Music, Entertainment
- Price: $0.99 with in-app purchases (on sale, was $1.99)
- Rating: 4.10/5 from 8 App Store ratings · 18 written reviews indexed
- Age rating: 4+
- Requires: iOS 15.6 · 1.1 GB
- Languages: American English, German (Germany)
- Released: 2011-12-10
- Data updated: 2026-08-12
- Monetization: paid
- User reviews in markdown: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pixound/id486076965/reviews.md

## What is Pixound?

"Pixound Turns Photos into Musical Instruments, and It’s Better Than You Think" — Gizmodo

"Pixound is a trippy music app for iOS that allows users to turn any snap into a song." — MTV Hive

Enjoyed by top musical artists including: Herbie Hancock, David Byrne (Talking Heads), Mark Mothersbaugh (DEVO), Michael Shrieve (Santana) and many more.

Have you ever jammed on Saturn's Rings with a whammy bar? Have you ever played the rainbow? What about you're dog's nose? What does it sound like? How about creating your own music just by dancing? With Pixound you can do all this and much more!

Pixound is a revolutionary form of musical entertainment! Pixound provides a deep musical experience that lets YOU instantly create music using any picture. It's pure fun to play (at any age) and deep because it can be used to play music like you've never heard before. It's so much fun that artist Peter Max bought an iPhone just to have Pixound! Since there is no limit to what pictures you can play from art and graphics to photos and they can be combined with thousands of different musical settings, there is no limit to the music you can create and enjoy. You owe it to yourself to try Pixound!!! By the way, you will learn a lot about music just playing with Pixound so it's also an educational tool, sometimes referred to as a Deep Toy.

Features:
• Play any picture from snaps to outer space to art masterpieces
• Play Live Video (in-app purchase) so that reality becomes a musical instrument
• Record audio or use effects processors via Audiobus 2.1 or Inter-app Audio
• Record performances including where you touched in the photo that plays back for others to see.
• Play in any key or scale (over 65 scales/modes)
• Add Bass and Drums from lots of choices
• Tons of musical controls to create a huge variety of great music
• Select from many different autoplay styles including device tilt
• Add harmony voices
• Add Song Progressions from basic to classical and more
• Select from over 127 instruments for four voices R, B, G and bass
• Import samples using AudioShare™
• Save your own settings to Banks and share with others via community or email
• Built-in Reverb
• Save MIDI files and go direct out to MIDI synthesizers (in-app purchase)
• Access and share your creations with the Pixound Community

## Key features

- Turn any picture into music
- Play live video as an instrument
- Record performances with touch playback
- Over 65 scales and modes
- 127+ instruments for four voices
- Save and share creations
- MIDI export

## Pricing and in-app purchases

Base price: $0.99.

**One-time purchases**

| Purchase | Price | Type |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Pixound MIDI Features | $2.99 | one-time |
| Pixound Live Video | $1.99 | one-time |


## Recent user reviews (10 of 18)

All indexed reviews: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pixound/id486076965/reviews.md

### 5/5 — Very interesting app.

*2023-02-06, version 5.1.4*

Got this because I'm into interesting musical instruments that don't follow the norm.  With a bit of practice you can make some good backgrounds that when recorded, can be put through some filters to produce usable content.

Remember, this is an experimental instrument that only gives interesting output, if you are prepared to put in the time.

### 5/5 — Crazy Awesome!

*2019-05-17, version 5.1.3*

This is so much easier to use than it used to be, even for a musical novice!  What a marvelous way both to learn about and to play music.

### 1/5 — Patented! Wow!

*2019-02-15, version 5.0.1*

The tech for this app was patented ... In 1995.  And guess what! The patent expired today, the release day for the app. It is not even a very good implementation of the tech. Pitch is vaguely related to luminosity. Color seems to be related to instrument somehow, but everything is crammed into preset tempos and scales, which are not related to image at all, throwing out any discernible connection between the sound and the image.  There are many many iOS windows MacOs linux apps that do this better, many for free. Save your buck! Try virtualANS for a decent version of what this says on the tin.

### 5/5 — Entertaining!!

*2013-03-30, version 2.1.1*

Very fun and entertaining I love the creative possibilities!! 👍👍👍

### 1/5 — All the advertised cool options are in-app purchases

*2012-04-09*

Need to know: All the advertised cool options are in-app purchases

**Developer response:** Only MIDI and video is is in-app, all the rest are now included.

### 2/5 — Over-rated.

*2012-04-09, version 2.0.0*

I got excited when I saw all of the 5 star reviews, but I'm starting to think they are all paid/fake reviews.  Not impressed. Uninstalling within first 10 minutes of use.

### 1/5 — Not worth it

*2012-04-08*

The free version is hopeless. Don't bother.  It only has one pic and you can't change anything until you unlock stuff with in app purchases.

**Developer response:** There is no longer a free demo version...everything except midi and video comes with the purchase.

### 1/5 — No sound.

*2012-02-05, version 1.0.1*

Doesn't seem to work at all unfortunately. Shame, I was looking forward to playing with it!

### 5/5 — Pixound

*2012-02-05, version 1.0.1*

Best app ever I,m obsessed with it. Try it out.

### 5/5 — Great Ap!!!

*2011-12-16, version 1.0.0.0*

Very fun to play with

## Frequently asked questions about Pixound

### What is Pixound?

Pixound is a music creation application that allows users to transform any image into a musical instrument. It offers a unique way to generate songs by interacting with visual elements.

### How does Pixound work?

You can play any picture, from photos to art, as a musical instrument. The app interprets visual data to produce sound, offering a deep and fun musical experience for users of any age.

### Can I use live video with Pixound?

Yes, Pixound offers the ability to play live video as a musical instrument through an in-app purchase. This feature allows reality itself to become a dynamic sound source.

### What musical controls are available in Pixound?

Pixound provides a wide array of musical controls, including over 65 scales/modes, the ability to select from over 127 instruments for four voices, and various autoplay styles. You can also add bass, drums, and harmony voices.

### Can I record and share my music with Pixound?

Yes, you can record your performances, including where you touched the photo, and share them with others. The app also allows you to save your settings to Banks and share them via a community or email.

### Does Pixound have ads?

No, Pixound does not contain advertisements. The app is a paid application, ensuring an uninterrupted creative experience for its users.

### What is the price of Pixound?

Pixound is available for a one-time purchase of $0.99. This price grants you access to the core features of the application.

### What devices is Pixound compatible with?

Pixound is designed for iOS devices, including iPhone, iPad, and iPod. It requires iOS 4.0 or later.

## Version history (last 5 releases)

### 5.2.0 — 2025-11-25

—Improved sounds
—UI fixes
—Remembers last settings

### 5.1.4 — 2022-05-30

Upkeep and maintenance

### 5.1.3 — 2019-03-30

Ability to control Autoplay and Finger volumes separately
Universal coordinates for performance recording to transfer to all devices and handle rotation
Various bug fixes

### 5.1.2 — 2019-03-23

—Bug fixed that could cause custom images to not save to your Preset on phones.
—Fixed issues with rotation on phones with notch and other related issues
—Added ability to rename Presets you've saved

### 5.1.1 — 2019-03-17

—Fixed bug on Replace file losing image link
—Improved Preset handling and loading consistency
—Updated Camera and Image library access
—Easier to log into account to upload presets to community.

## Apps similar to Pixound

| App | Rating | Price | Category |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| [Pixel Music](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/pixel-music/id1383899232) | 4.6 (7) | $5.99 | Music |
| [Fuse Void Drum Machine](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/fuse-void-drum-machine/id6782101040) | — | $9.99 | Music |
| [Manifold - For The Octatrack](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/manifold-for-the-octatrack/id1339233919) | 4.3 (3) | $12.99 | Music |
| [SGA Phoenix](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/sga-phoenix/id1565520345) | 5.0 (4) | $24.99 | Music |
| [Year One](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/year-one/id1282314928) | 4.3 (3) | Free | Music |
| [Harmonix](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/harmonix/id1444665934) | 5.0 (5) | $14.99 | Music |

## More apps by Techné Media

- [Different Drummer](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/different-drummer/id525272276)
- [Biographer](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/biographer/id553937004)
- [Art Fountain](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/art-fountain/id581785482)
- [Foto Fountain](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/foto-fountain/id659892859)
- [Guide Track](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/guide-track/id873642046)

All apps by Techné Media: https://appshunter.io/developer/486076968

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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 2026-08-12.*