# TapeDesk: 4-Track Tape Studio — Multitrack tape recorder > A 4-track tape recorder and looper for mobile music production. (iPhone/iPad app by Pablo Sanchez Bermejo.) - Source: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/tapedesk-4-track-tape-studio/id6775952225 (this page in markdown: same URL + `.md`) - Developer: [Pablo Sanchez Bermejo](https://appshunter.io/developer/1849697728) - Category: Music - Price: $4.99 - Rating: 5.00/5 from 6 App Store ratings · 2 written reviews indexed - Age rating: 4+ - Requires: iOS 17.0 · 55 MB - Languages: German (Germany), European Spanish, American English, Italian, Japanese, French (France) - Released: 2026-06-06 - Data updated: 2026-08-29 - Monetization: paid - User reviews in markdown: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/tapedesk-4-track-tape-studio/id6775952225/reviews.md ## What is TapeDesk? TapeDesk is a 4-track tape recorder for iPhone & iPad. Open it, hit record, and the take is there. There's a tape, a playhead, and a record button. No arming, no setup, no menus to learn. It also runs as an AUv3 plugin, so the same tape works inside AUM, Logic and others. It records what the host plays and follows its transport and tempo, and your projects move between the app and the plugin. Drag the speed, the pitch follows Real varispeed from 0.25x to 2x across the whole tape. Slow it down and the sound sinks, speed it up and it climbs, the way old cassette decks did. There's no "keep pitch" switch, that's the point. Record at a bent speed and it's printed into the take. You can scrub and scratch the tape like vinyl. Loop on, and it's a live looper Play a part, then play another over it. The layers stack while you listen, sound on sound. Commit when it sounds right. Four tracks, one machine Record, overdub, bounce. Cut at the playhead, join (it heals the cut), trim, move, duplicate, reverse a block, or punch in to redo a single section. Import an audio file onto the tape, or clear a whole track in one tap. Everything is non-destructive, with one undo history, and it all survives a relaunch. Underneath there's a real mixer: fader, meter, pan, input level, two effect sends and mute per track. Merge two tracks into one to free a lane. With a USB interface you can record up to 12 inputs at once. Each track can be one input or a mix of several. Seven effects, written in C++ The effects run inside the engine, not licensed from anyone: - TapeSat, magnetic-tape saturation - Delay, a tape delay that wavers the way real tape did - Reverb, an 8-line room rather than a sample of someone's hall - CRUSH, HAZE, WOBBLE and SHIMMER for when you want to push things further. SHIMMER rises an octave and blooms in slowly. They print into the take, so what you hear is what you bounce, with no separate render that comes out different. You can also load third-party AUv3 effects into the chain. Eject a finished mix Export the master or per-track stems, WAV or M4A, the whole tape or a single loop cycle, straight to the share sheet. Locks to your room Ableton Link or MIDI Clock. Start your gear and TapeDesk falls into step. Tap tempo, time signature, metronome, count-in. Bought once, not rented No subscription. No accounts, no sign-ups, no ads, no tracking. The privacy label says Data Not Collected, and your recordings stay on the phone. Native Swift with a C++ audio engine, so it stays solid: no latency you can feel, no hitches, no dropouts. Dark mode (light, dark or automatic), haptic transport, lock-screen and Control Center control, double-tap any control to reset it, and crash recovery. Available in English, Spanish, French, German, Italian and Japanese, with four app icons. ## Key features - 4-track tape recorder - Real varispeed and pitch control - Sound-on-sound looping - Non-destructive editing - Built-in mixer and effects - AUv3 plugin support - Export stems or master mix ## Chart rankings - #195 in Top Paid · Music (US App Store) ## Recent user reviews (2 of 2) All indexed reviews: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/tapedesk-4-track-tape-studio/id6775952225/reviews.md ### 4/5 — Good but…. *2026-07-16* Good, I really like it, but unable to find it as an auv3 in any daw on iPad. ### 4/5 — Great…apart from the AUV3 *2026-06-29* I love this app on my iPhone and it’s so handy for recording demos. I was excited to hear that it was now an Audio Unit but I can’t get the Auv3 to load on my iPad. I guess this will be fixed but giving it 4 stars until then. **Developer response:** Hi! thank you for the feedback, it’s strange that the plugin does not work in the ipad.. i release a new version with several fixes for the AUv3.. let me know if you still have problem and i will review your case to fix it! ## Frequently asked questions about TapeDesk ### What is TapeDesk? TapeDesk is a 4-track tape recorder app for iPhone and iPad designed to emulate the workflow and sound of analog tape machines. It allows for recording, overdubbing, and mixing with features like varispeed and built-in effects. ### Does TapeDesk have ads? No, TapeDesk is ad-free. The developer explicitly states there are no ads, tracking, or subscriptions, ensuring a private recording experience. ### What devices is TapeDesk compatible with? TapeDesk is available for iPhone and iPad. It is designed to run natively on these devices, offering a solid and low-latency audio experience. ### How does TapeDesk handle varispeed? TapeDesk features real varispeed from 0.25x to 2x, affecting both speed and pitch as on old cassette decks. This means recording at a bent speed is printed into the take, offering a unique creative tool. ### Can I use TapeDesk with other music apps? Yes, TapeDesk runs as an AUv3 plugin, allowing it to be used within hosts like AUM, Logic, and other compatible DAWs. Your projects can seamlessly move between the standalone app and the plugin. ### What effects are included in TapeDesk? TapeDesk includes seven built-in effects: TapeSat (saturation), Delay (wavering tape delay), Reverb (room simulation), CRUSH, HAZE, WOBBLE, and SHIMMER. These effects are printed into the take and can be augmented with third-party AUv3 effects. ### How often is TapeDesk updated? TapeDesk was last updated on June 25, 2026, with version 1.1. The app is developed in native Swift with a C++ audio engine, ensuring reliability and performance. ### What is the price of TapeDesk? TapeDesk is a paid app, available for $4.99. It is a one-time purchase with no subscriptions or in-app purchases required. ## Version history (last 5 releases) ### 1.5.1 — 2026-08-27 feat: new eq screen plugin: speed lock survives rec plugin: speed moves during rec print into the take plugin: duplicate, rename, delete tapes from the picker fix: duplicate copied the active tape instead of the row's ### 1.5 — 2026-08-20 tracks: up to 6 tracks per tape tracks: removing a non-empty track asks first, undoable tracks: 6-track surfaces in the plugin too bounce: print or flat, in place or to another track bounce: print keeps fader/pan/fx in the audio, strips reset master: drive knob on the mixer master: limiter master: export ceiling -1.0 dBTP, stems not limited fix: metronome clipping on every beat fx: sends sum, one track no longer ducks the others fx: return level per bus, +/-12 db fx: external au on fx1/fx2, swap while playing fix: click when switching effects fix: tapesat thump from cold sync: rec while receiving waits for external start rec: killing the app mid-rec keeps the take rec: varispeed rec in the plugin prints the rate ipad: landscape ipad: rotating zooms out one click, back returns it ipad: lane height remembered per orientation plugin: eject plugin: loop export with clock=tape plugin: streaming export, full tapes fit in plugin memory plugin: hosted plugin uis in a resizable window plugin: double-tap stop kills fx tails edit bar: summons by tap or by playhead (settings, tape) scrub: louder scrub and ff/rew scrub: still finger is silence, no click on touch scrub: release eases back into playback fix: fader grab jumping to the finger fix: track name missing from the strip header fix: project cell dead while playing ui: time tab renamed tape ### 1.3 — 2026-07-16 - Audible rewind and fast-forward. - Punch-out: press REC while recording to end the take. - Fixed the input monitor being louder than the recording. - AUv3 plugin: - Separate output per track (main + 4 stems). - Fixed loop, BPM and time-signature sync. - Fixed lost takes, stereo capture and crash recovery. ### 1.2 — 2026-07-13 Fix AUv3 layout as a Host & Plugin ### 1.1 — 2026-06-25 TAPEDESK AS A PLUGIN (AUv3) - Runs inside AUM, Logic and the like - Same tape and same projects as the app - Records what your host is playing - Follows the host's transport and tempo LOAD THIRD-PARTY PLUGINS - Drop other apps' AUv3 effects into the chain NEW EFFECTS - CRUSH, HAZE, WOBBLE and SHIMMER (4 new) - SHIMMER reworked — the octave now rises and blooms like a real shimmer reverb; BLOOM lets the cloud swell in slowly - Finer, less twitchy control when dialing in the effect knobs RECORD SEVERAL INPUTS AT ONCE - Record multiple USB inputs in a single pass - Each track can be one input or a mix of several - Up to 12 inputs DARK MODE - Light, dark or automatic IMPORT AUDIO - Add an audio file to the tape PUNCH-IN - Re-record a section, leave the rest untouched RECORD WITH MOVING SPEED - Speed changes while recording are baked into the take CLEAR A WHOLE TRACK - Empties a track in one tap - Recoverable with undo REVERSE A BLOCK - Plays a recorded block backwards LOOP A SECTION - Loops the bounds of a block PER-TRACK INPUT LEVEL - Sets the recording level of the input (applies in every mode) RESET A CONTROL - Double-tap returns a knob or fader to its default UNDO / REDO - One single unified history RELIABILITY - A damaged take or region no longer takes the whole project down - Safer saving when using the app and the plugin at the same time - Removed data races and crashes around the plugin - The plugin stays safe even if a host misbehaves ## More apps by Pablo Sanchez Bermejo - [Vispera · Plan & Do](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/vispera-plan-and-do/id6754701133) All apps by Pablo Sanchez Bermejo: https://appshunter.io/developer/1849697728 --- *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 2026-08-29.*