touchscaper vs MIDISynth Control
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
touchscaper
Create music on your iPad by simply touching the screen. This app offers a semi-generative engine to guide note selection and allows for deep customization of chords, keys, and scales. Explore a variety of built-in sounds and effects to craft unique musical pieces.
- Multi-touch interface with radar, ribbon, and keyboard surfaces
- Semi-generative engine for note selection
- Full control over chords, keys, and scales
- Layerable built-in sounds and effects
- Chord navigator and looper with Ableton Link
- Sequencer for touch, drums, and synth automation
- Inter-App Audio and MIDI out support
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Touchscaper is an instrument designed for anyone who wants to make music on their iPad simply by touching the screen. You don’t have to be a serious musician to enjoy touchscaper, but if you are, touchscaper is highly configureable under the hood. Main features: • Multi-touch based interface with “radar”, “ribbon” and keyboard surfaces • Touch the screen to play a note, move your fingers to change the sound • Semi-generative engine selects the “good notes” for you • Touch movement can control volume and pan for each individual note • Total control over chords, keys and scales (fully chromatic) • Multiple chords can be generated from keys and scales to create “scenes” • Chord "navigator" helps you create inspiring chord progressions • 40 built-in sounds can be combined in 2 layers to create “instruments” • Built-in sounds include samples from moodscaper, pianoscaper, numerous analog synths and guitars • Comes with preset example scenes and instruments • Random instrument generator function with one tap of a button • Hold and orbit modes for hands-free evolving soundscapes • Ribbon style keyboard with touch vibrato • Chord looper with Ableton Link support • Arrangement view for longer / more complex chord progressions • 16 step probability-based sequencer for touch, drums, percussion and synth automation • "jam grid" sequencer view for live performances • Supports file sharing for scenes and instruments • Built-in effects including ping-pong delays, reverb, limiter and EQ • Supports IAA (Inter-App Audio) as a generator • Control other music apps using MIDI out and CCs with optional MPE support There are several demo videos in circulation which should give you a better idea of what touchscaper can do - just search for “touchscaper”. *** Please note that this app is now in maintenance mode / updates for bug fixes only. This is due to the heavy dependency on deprecated technology such as IAA ***
MIDISynth Control
Control multiple MIDI synthesizers and drum machines from one app. Offers in-depth editing for built-in synths and customizable control maps for external gear. Sync with Ableton Link and add advanced features via in-app purchases.
- Centralized control for multiple MIDI synths
- In-depth editing for popular built-in synths
- Customizable control maps for external synths
- Global layout creation for multiple devices
- Patch storage, randomization, and morphing
- Ableton Link support for syncing
- Arpeggiator and drum repeat functionality
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MIDISynth-Control provides a control hub for your MIDI synthesisers from a single application and also provides in-depth editing for a number of inbuilt, popular synths and drum machines. For the inbuilt synths, all controls are automatically provided, as well a librarian features and functionality specific to the synth. For all other synths it is possible to define your own control map for the controls you wish access to and then lay these out as you see fit. From here global layouts can be created allowing several synths & drum machines to be controlled from a single screen in the app. In-built synths: Novation Circuit & Tracks, Novation Circuit Mono Station, Novation Peak & Summit, Elektron Digitakt, Elektron Digitone, Korg Minilogue xd & Prologue In-built controllers: Novation Launchpad X, Novation Launchpad Mini MK3 As well as being able to store and retrieve patch and synth data to/from your mobile device each editor also provides bi-directional communication, patch randomisation features, patch morphing, XY controls, mixer view (if appropriate), and a performance mode (separate In-App Purchase). A fully featured arpeggiator and drum repeat functionality are available as an IAP. Ableton Link support is provided for syncing individual sequencers to a Link session. This can also be used for syncing LFO and ARP clocks if they exist on the synth. There is also a Link+ IAP available which allows up to 6 other USB devices to be synced to a Link session - this can be used standalone and no other purchases are necessary. Keyboard and drumpad functionality can be added for up to six external synths using the Keyboard/Drumpad+ IAP. No other purchases are necessary. With each module purchase a single user definable layout in available in a 2x2 to 8x8 grid. With the purchase of the Rand/Morph/Performance module this is increased to 6 user layouts. Each module offers a 3-day trial version with some restrictions in order for testing before purchase.
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is price: MIDISynth Control at Free against touchscaper's $4.99. MIDISynth Control also leads on device support (3 vs 1) and iOS requirement (9.3 vs 12.0). touchscaper's advantage is rating (4.9 vs 3.4) and in-app purchases (none vs 11). On ads 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
MIDISynth Control is free to download; touchscaper costs $4.99 up front. MIDISynth Control sells 11 one-off in-app purchases. touchscaper asks for nothing beyond the download.
touchscaper holds the better App Store score, 4.9 against 3.4. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: touchscaper has 147 ratings behind it against 12, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 93% of touchscaper's written reviews are positive against 64% of MIDISynth Control's.
touchscaper ships an update weekly, MIDISynth Control every 3 weeks. The most recent releases landed on September 28, 2026 and September 23, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | touchscaper | MIDISynth Control |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $4.99 | Free — better |
| Rating | 4.9 (147 ratings) — better | 3.4 (12 ratings) |
| Positive reviews | 93.2% of reviews — better | 63.6% of reviews |
| Number of ratings | 147 — better | 12 |
| Update frequency | Weekly — better | Every 3 weeks |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No — better | Yes |
| Monetization | Paid | Free with in-app purchases — better |
| Devices | iPad | iPhone, iPad, iPod — better |
| Requires iOS | 12.0 | 9.3 — better |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 359 MB | 46 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Rob Jackson | Lee Huddleston |
Customer experience
touchscaper
MIDISynth Control
Bugs and requests
touchscaper
Reported bugs
6 issues- Does not show up as an available audio unit in Logic or GarageBand
- Cannot get any MIDI connectivity to work
- MPE via MIDI out does not work if there is no MIDI out for the app
- Pops when adding more than 2 sounds
- Hold Mode design is awkward, especially for note placement
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- App lost its mind and control animations ran wild after 10 hours of use
Requested features
12 requests- AUv3 version/compatibility
- More sophisticated mixer
- Second bank of patterns
- Panels to tweak oscillators, LFOs, etc.
- Orchestral type sounds
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- Light background theme in UI
- Attack vector like ADSR function
- Variable Release function
- Mixer for each drum line
- MIDI out functionality (mentioned multiple times)
- Toggle on/off for Hold Mode
- Ability to nudge/fine-tune node placements in Hold Mode
MIDISynth Control
Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.
In-app purchases
touchscaper
No in-app purchases
MIDISynth Control
- Link+$5.99
- Keyboard/Drumpad+$6.99
- Control+$9.99
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- Novation Circuit MonoStation$10.99
- Rand/Morph/Performance$12.99
- Novation LPX$12.99
- Novation LCXL$12.99
- Novation Circuit$19.99
- Elektron Digitakt$19.99
- Elektron Digitone$19.99
- Novation Peak & Summit$27.99
Questions
Is touchscaper free?
Is MIDISynth Control free?
Which has better reviews, touchscaper or MIDISynth Control?
Do touchscaper or MIDISynth Control have ads?
Which is updated more often, touchscaper or MIDISynth Control?
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