FM Essential vs AX
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
FM Essential
This app is an FM tone generator and synthesizer for iPhone and iPad, offering real-time performance capabilities and voice editing. It includes a variety of presets, arpeggiator patterns, chord pads, and scales, along with drum functionalities. The app also supports external hardware integration and advanced sound manipulation through effects, EQ, and a ball controller.
- FM tone generator
- Real-time synth performance
- Voice editing
- Arpeggiator and chord pads
- Effects and EQ edit
- Ball controller for sound modulation
- Step sequencer
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Featuring an FM tone generator, FM Essential is a synthesizer app for the iPhone and iPad that provides for real-time synth performances and also lets you edit voices. [Spec] -FM sound ・Tone Generator: FM ・Part: 1 ・Polyphony: 16 ・Preset Voice: 271 ・Arpeggiator patterns: 64 ・Chord pads: 20 ・Scales: 25 -Drum Part Tone Generator: Audio Part: 1 Drum Pad: 16 Drum Pad Set: 3 Functions Plug into MX! -You can play full 271 voices and voice store function if you connect your iOS with Yamaha music synthesizer MX BK/BU series. Effects/EQ edit -You can adjust parameters to edit effects and equalization. Ball controller -Touch and drag in ball controller to modulate the sound by simultaneously changing multiple parameters based on the ball position. Step sequencer -We can store the ball position in the currently selected scene box. Arpeggiator and chord pads -You can play Arpeggiator and Chord pads in addition to keyboard with various scales. What's MX BK/BU/WH series? Find more here: http://jp.yamaha.com/products/music-production/synthesizers/mx_bk_bu/?mode=series [Support] -Compatible with Audio Unit Extentions -Compatible devices: iPhone 5S, 6/6 plus, 6s/6s plus and SE, iPod touch 6th Generation or later, iPad Air 1st Generation or later, iPad mini 2nd Generation or later,iPad Pro
AX
This application allows users to customize their AX-Edge device by creating original sounds, editing system effects, and organizing sound lists for various performance needs. It connects wirelessly via Bluetooth for seamless integration.
- Create original sounds (programs and tones)
- Edit system effects (EQ, reverb)
- Organize sound lists for performances
- Wireless Bluetooth connection
- Customize output sound for venues
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Customize the AX-Edge to your taste AX-Edge Editor is a free app that lets you take full advantage of your AX-Edge by customizing it to your taste. AX-Edge Editor provides editing functionality that lets you create original sounds and librarian functionality that lets you organize lists of sounds as needed for different performance situations. It also provides numerous other useful functions, such as system effect editing that lets you customize the output sound appropriately for each live performance venue.The AX-Edge features a distinctive external appearance, and now you can also customize its sound to give it even more of your own personality. Main features: - Program editing and tone editing let you create your own original sounds (programs and tones). - System effect editing lets you adjust effects such as EQ and reverb as appropriate for your live performance venue. - Librarian lets you create, save, and recall program lists and tone lists as needed for different performance situations. - The app connects to your AX-Edge wirelessly via Bluetooth.
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is rating: FM Essential at 3.0 against AX's 1.5. FM Essential also leads on review sentiment (40% vs 22%) and ratings volume (70 vs 17). AX's advantage is iOS requirement (9.0 vs 16.0). On price, update cadence, ads and in-app purchases 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
Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.
FM Essential holds the better App Store score, 3.0 against 1.5. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 70 and 17 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 40% of FM Essential's written reviews are positive against 22% of AX's.
FM Essential ships an update every 15 months, AX every 8 months. Both last shipped on October 22, 2026.
| Parameter | FM Essential | AX |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 3.0 (70 ratings) — better | 1.5 (17 ratings) |
| Positive reviews | 40.0% of reviews — better | 22.2% of reviews |
| Number of ratings | 70 — better | 17 |
| Update frequency | Every 15 months | Every 8 months — better |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | iPhone, iPad, iPod — better |
| Requires iOS | 16.0 | 9.0 — better |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 88 MB | 41 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Yamaha Corporation of America | Roland Corporation |
Customer experience
FM Essential
AX
Bugs and requests
FM Essential
Reported bugs
6 issues- Does not unlock with USB-C adapter
- App crashes when loading combinations
- Preset menus crash the app
- Combined Sounds no longer read from keyboard after iPad update
- Instruments stop working if effect filters are turned off
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- Incompatible USB Device on MX displays
Requested features
9 requests- Unlock without hardware purchase
- Allow in-app purchase to unlock
- Bring back Tenori On apps
- Fix LFO delay parameter
- Add separate volume control for drums
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- Allow app to be used as a plugin
- Fix AU host preset recall
- Make app compatible with more devices
- Fix instruments disabling when effects are off
AX
Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.
In-app purchases
FM Essential
No in-app purchases
AX
No in-app purchases









