# SynthDrum Pads > Virtual analog drum synthesizer with 64-step sequencer and extensive sound sculpting. (iPhone/iPad app by Paul Betowski.) - Source: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/synthdrum-pads/id657577819 (this page in markdown: same URL + `.md`) - Developer: [Paul Betowski](https://appshunter.io/developer/538476580) - Category: Music, Productivity - Price: $3.99 - Rating: 5.00/5 from 1 App Store ratings · 18 written reviews indexed - Age rating: 4+ - Requires: iOS 9.0 · 31 MB - Languages: American English - Released: 2013-06-13 - Data updated: 2026-06-10 - Monetization: paid - User reviews in markdown: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/synthdrum-pads/id657577819/reviews.md ## What is SynthDrum Pads? SynthDrum Pads is a virtual analog drum synthesiser, with a 100% synthesized signal path, 64 step sequencer and 4 drums all with EQ and effects. What's new in SynthDrum Pads The step sequencer has been extended to 64 steps. Now SynthDrum Pads can make use of Ableton Link. Ableton Link is a new technology that synchronizes beat, phase and tempo of Ableton Live and Link-enabled iOS apps over a wireless network. Audiobus 3 suport has been added. Amplitude modulation for pads 1 and 2 opens vast opportunities for making metallic sounds. EQ on each drum makes it that much easier to reach the sound you want. Five new send effects can be used on each drum (distortion, delay, reverb, bit crush, chores/flanger) A 4-pole low-pass filter and soft-clipper have been added before the master output along with the original delay. A new mixer with pan control. Now you can save more. Up to 99 save slots can now be used. A new GUI overhaul makes it easier to navigate multiple bars and effects. Now with Ableton Link Ableton Link is a new technology that synchronizes beat, phase and tempo of Ableton Live and Link-enabled iOS apps over a wireless network. It lets you play devices together with the freedom of a live band. Anyone can start and stop their part while others keep playing, and anyone can adjust the tempo and the rest will follow. You can use Link to play with several instances of Ableton Live, with Live and iOS apps, or even without Live in your setup: using Link- enabled apps on multiple devices, or multiple apps on the same device. SynthDrum Pads has an audio engine and clean interface that makes it a breeze to make the drum sounds you want; weather it be classic 80s transistor drum sounds, warm bass and ambient tones or modern percussive elements for modern EDM, Electronica and Dance. Whether you’re looking for a chilled out feel to soothe, or a big fat bass to really turn heads SynthDrum Pads is exactly the addition you need to your audio arsenal to provide you with the variety of mood and texture you want, giving you an awestruck audience every time. Get hands-on with your beats… Sculpt the sound you want with VA tone generators, LFOs and EG. Perform on 4 pads or compose on the 64 step sequencer. A 'one knob per parameter' makes it easy to quickly tweak your sounds during live sets. Connectivity and Versatility… SynthDrum incorporates Audiobus 3 support, allowing audio connection and recording to 100s of great music apps including GarageBand. Download it today and add some synthesised percussion to you music. Main Features – 100% synthesized signal path – 64 step sequencer – 4 Multi-touch Pads – 4 Drums – 3 Signal generators per voice; Noise, Click and Tone – Frequency modulation (on pads 3 and 4) – Amplitude modulation (on pads 1 and 2) – Delay unit (with infinite looping capabilities) – Audiobus 3 support – IAA (Inter-app audio) – Ableton Link – 4 taps average tap tempo – One knob per parameter – EQ on each drum – 5 new send effects (distortion, delay, reverb, bit crush, chores/flanger) – 2 new master out effects (Soft clip, 4-pole low-pass filter) – Mixer – 99 save slots – New save and reload button – Swing control "Very elegent drum synth" – thesoundtestroom (Doug Woods) Great! 5/5 by PolyDROID - Version 1.0 - Jun 15, 2013 Simple, but really beautiful sounding. Think Daft Punk 'Derezzed'. Wish it was a VST or AU host. My dream synthetic drum machine. Amazing app 5/5 by Tronic j - Version 1.0 - Jun 20, 2013 Amazing app. ... Some really interesting effects can be achieved with the delay section which also functions as a kind of sequencer, so that beats can be juxtaposed and overlaid. Top Synth ! 5/5 by grabule - Version 1.0 - Jul 4, 2013 Great synth… Boom! 5/5 by Swiftkickinc - Version 1.0 - Jun 14, 2013 This is the best drum synth on ios. There are others that are more in depth, and have more features but if you just need a boomin kick, snappy snares, and some hats its perfect!... ## Key features - 100% synthesized signal path - 64 step sequencer - 4 multi-touch pads - EQ and effects per drum - Amplitude and frequency modulation - Audiobus 3 and Ableton Link support - Save up to 99 patterns ## Recent user reviews (10 of 18) All indexed reviews: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/synthdrum-pads/id657577819/reviews.md ### 5/5 — If you can’t make a good jam or something useable must be something wrong with you *2020-11-26, version 2.0.0* Not as many features i would like mainly auv3 these days and only one of the devs apps has this right now but for something stand alone I can coax some good samples here and the grafix are awesome imho which contributes to a great app. ### 2/5 — Dude... You Forgot Something *2016-12-31, version 1.6.6* Seriously—a drum synth with on IAA or core MIDI support? What the duck am I supposed to do with this??? I suppose I could sample it (it sounds pretty good), but I have better things to do with my time. ### 1/5 — Waste of time and $$$$ *2016-11-24, version 1.6.6* Dials are impossible to accurately adjust. Asking for a refund **Developer response:** The know input mode can be changed in settings. ### 1/5 — A drum synth without MIDI? *2016-05-11, version 1.6.6* There's no midi in or out. The sound being synthesized it's nice but it's fairly limited to pitch, filter, blah blah blah. The click cymbal sound is fine, but it's just that a click sound with volume and pitch. Can't change the tempo without tapping, you can't manually type in the tempo desired. ### 1/5 — Waste of Money! *2016-02-07, version 1.6.6* Sorry I bought this. Help button goes to web site with no help, just pictures of other products by this provided. Complete waste. I want my money back. I am rating this a one star app because that is the lowest rating I can give it. It really deserves no stars at all. **Developer response:** Please email me I'll do my best to help you. info@designbypaul.co.uk ### 2/5 — Lightweight drum machine not useful *2016-02-02, version 1.6.6* No real useful features to speak of.... No MIDI, no Ableton Link, no IAA or AudioBus support. Not even BACKGROUND audio.....so...so CAN it do? This app is completely useless in terms of making beats or music. **Developer response:** Since this review was left I've added IAA, Audiobus and Ableton Link. Please email me for any other enquiries info@designbypaul.co.uk ### 4/5 — Fun to tweak. Hard to get the exact sounds you're looking for. *2014-07-11, version 1.5.0* Like others mention, this app has potential. Conceptually, I get it... and that's what made me excited about it. In practice, however, it's a bit on the hard side to get the sounds you're looking for. Although it's fun to tweak and play. Bottomline: looking forward to some innovative updates! Thanks! ### 5/5 — great synth drum *2014-03-11, version 1.5.0* this synth drums sounds great and is very tweakable. the interface is very sharp. the pads are very playable and responsive. very nice drum machine. this app would really shine if it had a decent midi implementation. the sequence is a really nice addition though, and is a good holdmeover until midi comes. Updates are pretty consistent and I'm happy to see the dev taking care of this app and hopefully it will eventually live up to its true potential. ### 3/5 — Please add midi *2014-03-10, version 1.5.0* This is a really wonderful drum machine. Midi implementation, mainly sync and start / stop would make this much more usable in a live setting ### 3/5 — Good start , but needs ...... *2014-01-22, version 1.4.2* Descent voice architecture for creating classic drum synth sounds . Quick clean layout . So the Has : nice sound /nice gui with easy workflow The Needs : core midi ,virtual midi , IAA THE IT WOULD BE NICE : An env section for the kick for more sculpting possibilities . More effects with basic bussing , distortion circuit , spring and plate reverb , but selectable per voice or at least a send amount per voice . A 4x4 lfo and env that is assailable to anything (midi note on too) would make this insane ! ## Frequently asked questions about SynthDrum Pads ### What is SynthDrum Pads? SynthDrum Pads is a virtual analog drum synthesizer that allows you to create synthesized drum sounds. It features a 64-step sequencer, EQ, and various effects for sound sculpting. ### What devices does SynthDrum Pads support? SynthDrum Pads is designed for iPad devices, offering a tailored experience for the larger screen and capabilities of the tablet. ### How much does SynthDrum Pads cost? SynthDrum Pads is a paid application, available for a one-time purchase of $3.99. ### Can SynthDrum Pads connect with other music apps? Yes, SynthDrum Pads supports Audiobus 3 and Inter-App Audio (IAA), allowing seamless integration and recording with other compatible music applications like GarageBand. ### Does SynthDrum Pads have ads? No, SynthDrum Pads does not contain advertisements, providing an uninterrupted music creation experience. ### What is Ableton Link and how does it work with SynthDrum Pads? Ableton Link synchronizes beat, phase, and tempo across multiple devices and apps over a wireless network. SynthDrum Pads uses it to play in sync with Ableton Live or other Link-enabled iOS apps. ### How often is SynthDrum Pads updated? The latest version of SynthDrum Pads is 2.0.0, last updated on July 21, 2017. While updates have not been frequent recently, the app has a solid feature set. ### What kind of sounds can I create with SynthDrum Pads? You can create a wide range of synthesized drum sounds, from classic 80s transistor sounds to warm bass and ambient tones, or modern percussive elements for EDM and Electronica. ## Version history (last 5 releases) ### 2.0.0 — 2017-07-21 This app has been updated by Apple to display the Apple Watch app icon. – 64 step sequencer – Ableton Link support – Audiobus 3 support – Amplitude modulation for pads 1 and 2 – EQ on each drum – 5 new send effects (distortion, delay, reverb, bit crush, chores/flanger) – 2 new master out effects (Soft clip, 4-pole low-pass filter) – Mixer with panning – 99 save slots – New save and reload button – New GUI – Audiobus Remote support – Background audio ### 1.6.6 — 2016-02-01 Compatibility with iOS 7.1 and up again Compatibility with 32-bit devices again Bug fixes on some knobs ### 1.6.5 — 2016-01-21 Audiobus 2.3.1 iOS 9 support 64-bit compatibility improvements ### 1.6.0 — 2014-09-23 Important update for Audiobus 2 Inter-app audio Improvements to delay unit General Improvements to audio engine ### 1.5.0 — 2014-03-10 32 step sequencer with suffle control ## Apps similar to SynthDrum Pads | App | Rating | Price | Category | | --- | --- | --- | --- | | [Quantum Sequencer](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/quantum-sequencer/id1207932898) | 4.6 (35) | $7.99 | Music | | [lfoch](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/lfoch/id1665885755) | 4.4 (9) | $3.99 | Music | | [6X806 Drum Synth Loop Maker](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/6x806-drum-synth-loop-maker/id1444312256) | 4.6 (24) | $1.99 | Music | | [Warm Distortion](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/warm-distortion/id1221368957) | 1.0 (1) | $1.99 | Music | | [DrumLab](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/drumlab/id1523182272) | 4.3 (26) | $9.99 | Music | | [Surface Builder](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/surface-builder/id6449735778) | 4.6 (14) | $14.99 | Music | ## More apps by Paul Betowski - [DUBSTEP / Loops / Keyboard / Drums](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/dubstep-loops-keyboard-drums/id557267838) - [E Theremin – Electro Theremin](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/e-theremin-electro-theremin/id591471950) - [DNB / Loops / Synth](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/dnb-loops-synth/id670737604) - [E–Theremin MKII](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/etheremin-mkii/id905407070) - [WubSynth](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/wubsynth/id1074423582) All apps by Paul Betowski: https://appshunter.io/developer/538476580 --- *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.*