Comparison

Fugue Machine vs KORG ELECTRIBE Wave

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

Fugue Machine

This music sequencer uses multiple playheads to create complex melodic patterns inspired by Baroque and serialist composition techniques. Manipulate speed, direction, and pitch to generate unique soundscapes.

Highlights
  • Multi-playhead piano roll
  • Manipulate speed, direction, and pitch
  • Create complex melodic patterns
  • Inspired by Baroque and serialist music
  • Supports MIDI, AUv3 MIDI, Ableton Link
  • Inter-App Audio and Audiobus compatibility
Features
Read full description

A music sequencer reimagined with multiple playheads. "How Bach would have made a sequencer." (Create Digital Music) "A musical feat." (Creator's Project) "A new approach to sequencing." (XLR8R) "A next generation music sequencer." (Ask Audio) Fugue Machine Classic is a tool inspired by composition techniques used in Baroque music and Serialism — e.g. Bach’s canons and fugues, and Schoenberg’s twelve-tone technique. The idea was to design a tool to manipulate a melody’s speed, direction, and pitch, as well as play multiple variations of the melody simultaneously. As it turned out, the best implementation for this was to reimagine one of the most fundamental building blocks of all music sequencers: the piano roll. Fugue Machine Classic is the world’s first multi-playhead piano roll. Create a music sequence and play it back with up to four playheads at once — each at various speeds, directions, pitches, and more. Watch the playheads dance, and hear the complex patterns that emerge. It’s mesmerizing. Fugue Machine Classic supports iPhone, iPad, MIDI, AUv3 MIDI, Ableton Link, Audiobus, Audiobus 3 MIDI, and Inter-App Audio. Thanks to the AUv3 standard, you can run multiple instances of Fugue Machine Classic on a single device when hosted in an AUv3 MIDI host app — like AUM, Logic Pro for iPad, Loopy Pro, and Cubasis.

About

KORG ELECTRIBE Wave

Create state-of-the-art dance music with this powerful music software. Featuring a wavetable sound source, intuitive sequencer, and a convenient chord pad, it allows for easy composition of genres like EDM, Future Bass, and Trap, even for beginners.

Highlights
  • Powerful wavetable sound source
  • Quick Input sequencer
  • One-finger chord pad
  • Motion Sequence for sound changes
  • KAOSS PAD integration
  • Song mode for pattern combination
Features
Read full description

The next evolution in music software. Powerful wavetable sound. The next generation ELECTRIBE produces state-of-the-art dance music. The ELECTRIBE series first appeared in 1999. Since then each generation has inherited the iconic, intuitive operability of the original while incorporating the most up-to-date sounds and styles. The ease of use, accessibility, sound and musicality of the ELECTRIBE reach new heights in this latest software version which features a powerful wavetable sound source, a “Quick Input” sequencer and a convenient chord pad that allows you to play a chord with one finger. Even if you aren't a musical virtuoso, with ELECTRIBE Wave you can create state-of-the-art dance music like EDM, Future Bass, and Trap. • Powerful wavetable sound suitable for the latest in EDM ELECTRIBE Wave has a sound wavetable featuring sounds widely used in the latest music creation. Unlike a PCM synth, the wavetable allows you to repeatedly play fragments of short waveforms, and change the waveform position during playback. By combining the wavetable (which features a rich variety of presets) with a powerful filter and two modulation units, you can create an infinite number of innovative and sharp sounds that cannot be produced using standard PCM synths. Even without a deep knowledge of synthesis techniques, the carefully selected parameters make it easy to craft your sound. • Improved user interface for quick composition The familiar 16-step pad in the ELECTRIBE series enables speedy rhythm production. The ELECTRIBE Wave also features a new keyboard to play chords and scales. Even without musical knowledge, you can have fun making tracks without worrying about wrong notes. The sequencer features Groove, which can be used to breathe life into rhythm parts, as well as a special keyboard to enable smooth step input for synth parts on the graphical user interface. • Convenient chord pad that allows you to play a chord with one finger ELECTRIBE Wave features a chord pad that allows you to play chords with one finger. If you use the "Fetch" function, it will automatically extract the chords from the song that you are in in the middle of creating and assign those chords to the pad for fast and easy song creation. You can also easily assign and save your favorite chords. In addition you can use the arpeggiator to create new phrases! • Motion Sequence records and plays temporal changes in sounds and effects The ELECTRIBE series introduced a powerful motion sequence function that remembers and reproduces the movements of the knobs. ELECTRIBE Wave now offers this function for the synthesizer/drum parts so you can create a flow of sound overflowing with originality. If you use the built in KAOSS PAD you can change the sound to drastically with a single fingertip, easily storing and reproducing temporal changes. Remember the wave table POSITION to make real time minute changes to the sound performance. • Song mode can combine patterns into finished songs Use song mode to create a new track by simply arranging the order of existing patterns. Using only the ELECTRIBE Wave, you can take a song all the way from inspiration to completion. With audio file export, you can send a complete song or individual patterns to your favorite DAW, or upload to services like SoundCloud. More info at korg.com

Screenshots

Fugue Machine4 screens
KORG ELECTRIBE Wave4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is price: Fugue Machine at $19.99 against KORG ELECTRIBE Wave's $29.99. Fugue Machine also leads on in-app purchases (none vs 2) and update cadence (every 8 days vs every 2 months). On ratings volume, ads, device support and iOS requirement there is nothing between them.

Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Fugue Machine costs $19.99 and KORG ELECTRIBE Wave $29.99 up front. KORG ELECTRIBE Wave sells 2 one-off in-app purchases. Fugue Machine asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Fugue Machine holds the better App Store score, 4.9 against 4.6. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 623 and 415 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 90% of Fugue Machine's written reviews are positive against 72% of KORG ELECTRIBE Wave's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Fugue Machine ships an update every 8 days, KORG ELECTRIBE Wave every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on September 17, 2026 and September 23, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard6 real differences · 4 level
Fugue Machine versus KORG ELECTRIBE Wave: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterFugue MachineKORG ELECTRIBE Wave
Price$19.99 — better$29.99
Rating4.9 (623 ratings) — better4.6 (415 ratings)
Positive reviews90.3% of reviews — better71.9% of reviews
Number of ratings623 — better415
Update frequencyEvery 8 days — betterEvery 2 months
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNo — betterYes
MonetizationPaidFree with in-app purchases — better
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPodiPhone, iPad, iPod
Requires iOS12.011.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size8 MB399 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperAlexandernautKORG INC.

Customer experience

Fugue Machine

All ratings623 ratings
Positive96.5%
Neutral1.4%
Negative2.1%
Written reviews238 reviews
Positive90.3%
Neutral5.0%
Negative4.6%

KORG ELECTRIBE Wave

All ratings415 ratings
Positive90.1%
Neutral5.8%
Negative4.1%
Written reviews135 reviews
Positive71.9%
Neutral12.6%
Negative15.6%

Bugs and requests

Fugue Machine

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

KORG ELECTRIBE Wave

Reported bugs

3 issues
  • Crashes when changing drums
  • Inability to export patches
  • Incompatibility issues with iOS 14

Requested features

6 requests
  • Ability to import custom samples and wavetables
  • Multiple effects per part
  • Metronome with customizable settings
  • Undo/redo functionality
  • Deeper synth editing options
Show 1 more
  • Integration with Korg Gadget

In-app purchases

None

Fugue Machine

No in-app purchases

2 purchases

KORG ELECTRIBE Wave

One-time2
  • Solid Waves$4.99
  • Atmospheric Waves$4.99

Questions

Is Fugue Machine free?
Fugue Machine costs $19.99, with no in-app purchases.
Is KORG ELECTRIBE Wave free?
KORG ELECTRIBE Wave costs $29.99, and also offers in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, Fugue Machine or KORG ELECTRIBE Wave?
Fugue Machine is rated higher. Fugue Machine averages 4.9 out of 5 from 623 ratings, while KORG ELECTRIBE Wave averages 4.6 from 415 ratings.
Do Fugue Machine or KORG ELECTRIBE Wave have ads?
Neither Fugue Machine nor KORG ELECTRIBE Wave shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Fugue Machine or KORG ELECTRIBE Wave?
Fugue Machine ships an update every 8 days, and KORG ELECTRIBE Wave every 2 months. Most recently, Fugue Machine was updated on September 17, 2026 and KORG ELECTRIBE Wave on September 23, 2026.

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