# spool. – Tape Synth — Pocket synth, sampler & tape > Pocket music studio with synths, sampler, sequencer, and tape recorder. (iPhone/iPad app by Kristopher Yang.) - Source: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/spool-tape-synth/id6785721308 (this page in markdown: same URL + `.md`) - Developer: [Kristopher Yang](https://appshunter.io/developer/6785721310) - Category: Music, Entertainment - Price: Free with in-app purchases - Rating: 5.00/5 from 9 App Store ratings · 4 written reviews indexed - Age rating: 4+ - Requires: iOS 17.0 · 2 MB - Languages: American English - Released: 2026-08-08 - Data updated: 2026-08-20 - Monetization: free with in-app purchases - User reviews in markdown: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/spool-tape-synth/id6785721308/reviews.md ## What is spool.? Make a whole song on your phone. Spool is a pocket music studio inspired by the joy of hardware grooveboxes — play, sample, sequence, and record to tape, all in one playful instrument. Fourteen sound engines. From punchy FM and fat subtractive Pulse to shimmering Cluster, plucked String, granular Cloud, the TALK vocoder, the WIDE stereo engine, THUMP bass, a Sampler, and two drum machines — each with its own animated, touchable visualizer and four hands-on controls. Sample anything. Record straight from the mic into the sampler or drum kits, trim it, and play it across the keyboard. Drums & beats. Build kits, chop a sample into a playable kit, and lock in grooves with the step sequencer. Playful sequencers. Pattern and arpeggiator to start; unlock Stream, Taps, and the bouncing-ball Gumball machine for happy accidents. Six minutes of 4-track tape. Record, overdub, varispeed (including reverse), scrub, and bounce your jam to a finished mixdown — export to WAV. Your tape is saved with your project. Effects & mixer. A deep rack — delay, spring reverb, drive, compressor, chorus, multimode filter, phaser, tremolo/auto-pan, beat-repeat stutter, and a pitch-shifter/harmonizer — many tempo-syncable. Plus a master EQ and brickwall limiter so it always sounds finished. Plays with your gear. Connect a USB or Bluetooth MIDI controller and play Spool like hardware. AUv3 plugin support is planned for a future update. Free to download and make music with a starter set of engines and sequencers. A single one-time Spool Pro purchase unlocks the full instrument — all engines, sampling, every effect and sequencer, unlimited projects, export, and MIDI. No subscription. Spool is an original, independent work by a solo developer — affiliated with no hardware maker. ## Key features - Multiple sound engines - Sampling and sequencing - 4-track tape recording - Extensive effects rack - MIDI controller support - Step sequencer ## Pricing and in-app purchases Base price: Free. **One-time purchases** | Purchase | Price | Type | | --- | --- | --- | | Spool Pro | $9.99 | one-time | ## Recent user reviews (4 of 4) All indexed reviews: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/spool-tape-synth/id6785721308/reviews.md ### 5/5 — Helpful *2026-08-10* Comes in clutch during those late night dj sessions, especially like the Bluetooth functionality and the ability to save my cuts locally ### 5/5 — Very cool app *2026-08-10* Also reasonable for the one in app purchase to get the extra engines and sequencers and upload your own samples ### 5/5 — Amazing! *2026-08-09* I love this app, me and my granddaughters use it all the time to make music. ### 5/5 — Amazing and easy! *2026-08-09* Me and my daughter absolutely love this app!!!!! ## Frequently asked questions about spool. ### What can I do with spool.? spool. allows you to create full songs on your phone by playing, sampling, sequencing, and recording to tape. It includes multiple sound engines, drum kits, and a 4-track tape recorder for mixing and exporting your music. ### Does spool. have ads? No, spool. does not contain advertisements. It is free to download and use with a starter set of features, with an optional one-time purchase for full access. ### What sound engines are available in spool.? spool. offers fourteen sound engines including FM, subtractive Pulse, Cluster, String, Cloud, TALK vocoder, WIDE stereo, THUMP bass, a Sampler, and two drum machines. A starter set is available for free, with all engines unlocked via a Pro purchase. ### Can I use a MIDI controller with spool.? Yes, spool. supports connecting USB or Bluetooth MIDI controllers, allowing you to play it like hardware. AUv3 plugin support is planned for a future update. ### How much does spool. cost? spool. is free to download and use with a starter set of engines and sequencers. A single one-time purchase of Spool Pro unlocks all features, including all engines, sampling, effects, sequencers, unlimited projects, export, and MIDI. ### What is the tape recorder feature in spool.? The 4-track tape recorder in spool. allows you to record up to six minutes of audio, overdub, change playback speed (varispeed), scrub, and bounce your jam into a finished mixdown. The tape is saved with your project and can be exported to WAV. ### What are the effects available in spool.? spool. features a deep effects rack including delay, spring reverb, drive, compressor, chorus, multimode filter, phaser, tremolo/auto-pan, beat-repeat stutter, and a pitch-shifter/harmonizer. Many effects are tempo-syncable, and there's a master EQ and brickwall limiter. ### What devices does spool. support? spool. is available for iPhone and iPad, as indicated by its supported devices list. Its age rating is 4+, making it suitable for a wide range of users. ## Version history (last 1 release) ### 1.0 — 2026-08-08 No release notes. --- *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 2026-08-20.*