# RISCy > Visual synthesizer puzzle for creating experimental electronic music and generative patterns. (iPhone/iPad app by Joshua Parmenter.) - Source: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/riscy/id423084182 (this page in markdown: same URL + `.md`) - Developer: [Joshua Parmenter](https://appshunter.io/developer/1183665020) - Category: Music, Games, Music, Puzzle - Price: Free - Rating: 4.70/5 from 3 App Store ratings · 17 written reviews indexed - Age rating: 4+ - Requires: iOS 8.0 · 1 MB - Languages: American English - Released: 2011-03-04 - Data updated: 2026-06-04 - Monetization: free - User reviews in markdown: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/riscy/id423084182/reviews.md ## What is RISCy? RISCy is a drag and drop synthesizer puzzle full of sonic perturbation. You live code via the limited instruction set in the lower part of the interface; drag out tokens to the top area to build your synth graph, drag a token back off the top area to remove it. Each token has an aural consequence, and some special tokens also change the nature of the hidden graph connecting active tokens; puzzling out these relationships is part of the fun. You'll be able to make lots of noisy sounds as well as generative sequenced patterns. Press ! to clear the graph and reset; press ? to get a random starting point. Download RISCy if you are open to stranger computer music sounds, and avoid it if you just want diatonic melodies and piano sounds! ## Key features - Drag and drop synthesizer interface - Live coding with limited instruction set - Build and manipulate synth graphs - Create noisy sounds and generative patterns - Discover hidden graph relationships - Reset and random start options ## Recent user reviews (10 of 17) All indexed reviews: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/riscy/id423084182/reviews.md ### 4/5 — Great fun! *2017-08-29, version 1.3* Had this app a long time now and wanted to say: it's a cool hidden gem I use to get strange synth loops. No audiobus or connectivity that I know of so recording it is a challenge but nonetheless, I do find I keep going back to it, along with all of Nic Collins' notes and writings on diy noise making. Thank you for your brilliance. ### 4/5 — Pretty interesting !! i like how different it is *2011-11-17, version 1.1* i dont seem to have much control but its pretty cool and free ! Thank you . ### 5/5 — Essential Generative App *2011-11-16, version 1.1* Love this. And it's free! There's a learning curve while you figure out what the operators do and what the spatial relationships are about but this encourages happy accidents. Downloaded all of the rest of Nick's apps on the strength of this and they all look like enormous fun whilst making for some seriously useful tools for live performance. Along with the Strange Agency, Nick is making the best experimental music apps around. Wish I was a student again and could attend the UoS course. ### 5/5 — Spectacular App! *2011-07-13, version 1.1* I love RISCy! Been using it since around January and continue to learn new tricks and enjoy it. Definitely recommend downloading it. No, there is no save, copy, or export but that is part of the beauty of the app. I'm sure the dev has his reasons for not doing this and I have no problem with it whatsoever. In most music apps, I would be displeased by the above but I feel it adds to the random, generative, one-time nature of it. Sometimes we need to learn that art doesn't have to be permanent; the most beautiful things are often those which are transient. Besides, it is not too terribly difficult to insert a double male jack to output it to the recording device of your choice if you do want to revisit a creation later. I, personally, do not mind it being mono. Works better for output recording, at least for me. And if you want stereo, not too hard to achieve when working with it as a recorded audio file. If there were a landscape mode, it would alter the parameters--I am assuming, at least--so I'm happy with the vertical view. I suppose if the parameters would, in fact, be different, it could make for an interesting extra way to create, but there is enough fun to be had as-is, so I am far from complaining here. The new delay and tempo tokens make me quite happy. Thanks for adding those! I was giddy when I saw there was an update and even more so to see what the new additions were. My favorite part about this app is it can produce great results whether you are not in the mood to think as you create or for when you do want to think as you create. Anyone who appreciates good old noise will have a blast with this app. One of my favorite uses for this app is to get a nice noise bit going and leave it running as a base for creating over live with comps and hardware. Definitely heed the sound level warning seen when the app first opens, especially with headphones as it can get quite loud. Just because it seems low one minute does not mean you won't make a change which is loud. Learned the hard way. Download it. What are you out if you don't like it? Nothing. Shalom [+] thebananarepublican ### 5/5 — I dig it! *2011-05-19, version 1.0* beautiful unique weird impossible complex simple ### 5/5 — Mod-u-like! *2011-05-15, version 1.0* This is amazingly fun and equally useful. It's like modular synthesis without strictly knowing what's exactly going on. I just love the sounds it spits out, reminds me of the NordG2 in many ways. I'd happily pay for this as it's an almost infinite source of sounds, sequences and all out crazybonkersness. Thankyou very much. ### 5/5 — Almost brilliant. *2011-04-05, version 1.0* All RISCy needs is audio record....... But then again, my 32gigs of memory would disappear pretty fast! Better to buy a secondhand Revox A77 and go from there?! A seriously MONGED app! HIGHLY ReCOMMENDED!! 8~) ### 5/5 — Great fun-Cheers! *2011-04-03, version 1.0* Lovely to just make interesting sounds and see what pops up.thanks ### 3/5 — Good app, great for the money *2011-04-02, version 1.0* I really like Nicholas Collins' apps. I am entirely in favor of his attitude concerning the improvisational nature of them, so I'm not terribly bothered by the lack of saving settings here (still would have appreciated it though). Two particular complaints: on the iPod Touch, it's close to impossible to read or manipulate the tokens. It generally takes me several tries to pull a token into the field. Also, while again I like the wild and unpredictable quality of the tokens, is it too much to ask for a few words of explanation, a few definitions of the functions? I feel like any results I get are entirely based on accident. I'm more than willing to experiment even when I know what things do. Still, as they say it's worth all the money. I absolutely see myself using this as part of my arsenal of iPod-based soundmakers. ### 5/5 — Darn cool ! *2011-03-28* What a deliciously weird app. I love it. ## Frequently asked questions about RISCy ### What kind of music can I create with RISCy? RISCy is designed for creating stranger computer music sounds, including noisy textures and generative sequenced patterns. It is not intended for traditional diatonic melodies or piano sounds. ### Is RISCy free to download and use? Yes, RISCy is available for free. There are no in-app purchases or advertisements within the application. ### What devices does RISCy support? RISCy is supported on iPhone and iPod devices. It is not currently available for Android or other platforms. ### How often is RISCy updated? The latest version of RISCy, 1.3, was released on August 24, 2017. The app has not received updates since then. ### What is the age rating for RISCy? RISCy has an age rating of 4+, making it suitable for a wide range of users interested in music creation. ### How does the puzzle aspect of RISCy work? The puzzle element involves live coding with a limited instruction set and building a synth graph by dragging tokens. Discovering the relationships between tokens and their aural consequences is part of the fun. ### What do users like about RISCy? Based on its 4.7-star rating from 3 reviews, users likely appreciate the unique approach to sound design and the experimental nature of the synthesizer puzzle. ### Can I save my creations in RISCy? The provided description does not mention the ability to save or export created sounds or patterns. The focus is on real-time creation and exploration. ## Version history (last 3 releases) ### 1.3 — 2017-08-24 This app has been updated by Apple to display the Apple Watch app icon. updates for larger phone screen sizes, and 64-bit compatibility! ### 1.1 — 2011-07-12 A few fixes and rationalisations, and two brand new instructions: D for delay, and T for tempo! ### 1.0 — 2011-03-04 No release notes. ## Apps similar to RISCy | App | Rating | Price | Category | | --- | --- | --- | --- | | [RT60](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/rt60/id298840320) | 3.4 (5) | $34.99 | Music | | [Islands of Staffan](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/islands-of-staffan/id1339176401) | — | Free | Music | | [lgOpre](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/lgopre/id1100980225) | 5.0 (7) | Free | Music | | [word_salad](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/word-salad/id1557055935) | 5.0 (10) | Free | Music | | [Stringflo](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/stringflo/id6740091216) | 5.0 (2) | Free | Music | | [Harmonic Explorer](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/harmonic-explorer/id6747025974) | — | $0.99 | Music | ## More apps by Joshua Parmenter - [TOPLAPapp](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/toplapapp/id323675376) - [Cryptoclash](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/cryptoclash/id469780999) - [Phil Kline's Unsilent Night](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/phil-klines-unsilent-night/id483509723) - [Ferry Play](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/ferry-play/id967899042) - [Subway Plays](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/subway-plays/id1222342752) All apps by Joshua Parmenter: https://appshunter.io/developer/1183665020 --- *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 2026-06-04.*