Holon vs MIDI Patch
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
Holon
This app transforms your movement through cities into a dynamic, real-time musical score. It uses your physical location and activity to generate interactive synth music, encouraging outdoor exploration and turning listeners into performers.
- Human-powered music generation
- Encourages outdoor activity
- Zero UI for minimal distraction
- Environmentally responsive music
- Real-time synth music creation
- Optional AirPods and Apple Watch integration
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Holon makes the city your instrument. It turns your movement in the environment into a synthetic, interactive score that reflects your context, supports your activities and alerts you to changes in the surrounding area. Holon uses physical computing and a geospatial dataset to synthesize music on the iPhone in real time from your data - no streaming or AI involved, just pure DSP and logic. What Holon Does: * Human powered music. Every action generates dynamic, improvised synth music in real time. * Encourages outdoor activities. Holon doesn’t work in your apartment or by shaking your phone around. Move through streets, parks, and transit systems to make the music happen. * Stays out of your way. Zero UI means less screen time, no distractions. * Uses places and spaces to modify the music you make. The environment isn’t background - it’s the score. * The more and further you move, the more things happen in the music. Use your musical agency instead of skipping and swiping. Why Holon Exists: Music has been reduced to a commodity and a background activity for consumerism. Holon isn’t here to help you chill when you swipe, scroll and buy more stuff, or improve your focus when working for the Man. Holon is here to break away from the static, one-way relationship of streaming services and to put the human in the loop - yourself. Forget emoting celebrities with their false sincerity, throw overproduced passive soundscapes and statistical algorithms on the dung heap of history. Holon turns listeners into performers and unlocks the musical potential of places. How to Use: * Go outside - Holon needs space to function, just like you. Different districts, parks, bridges, shops, street furniture - all contribute to the musical output. Strolling around your apartment or shaking your phone won’t do. * Put the phone in your pocket or on your dashboard. * Walk, run, drive - the world is now the interface, space is the machine. * Use the big button in the middle to power Holon off when not in use - Auditory AR can be a battery-intensive process! * Optional Apple AirPods support for head-controlled musical interactions! * Optional Apple Watch support for heart rate-synced music (biofeedback) *the Watch app may take a moment to install* Requirements: * Available in over 1000 regions in more than 100 countries. * Check coverage or request a new area at holonic.systems/holon. * Best experienced with headphones. Ensure adequate battery level for extended use. * A data plan is required to access our geospatial engine but use of data is low. Holon: Become part of the circuit and… Become Sound™
MIDI Patch
This app acts as a MIDI message translator, converting incoming PC, CC, or Note On messages from Bluetooth devices into SysEx messages. It allows users to map controller inputs to control various MIDI-enabled hardware, such as guitar amps, by defining custom patches and message translations.
- MIDI message translation (PC/CC/Note On to SysEx)
- Unlimited user-defined patches
- Customizable inbound and outbound message mapping
- Value translation options (toggle, min/max)
- User-defined devices and functions
- Automatic patch saving and file backup/restore
- Bluetooth MIDI device discovery
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MIDI Patch is a MIDI enabled App that listens for and processes inbound PC, CC or Note On MIDI messages received from bluetooth MIDI devices/apps and translates these messages to SysEx MIDI messages, which are relayed/sent outbound to connected bluetooth MIDI devices/apps based. The App is essentially a relay/broker and translator of MIDI messages from PC/CC/Note On to SysEx MIDI messages. The App will listen and send to any MIDI bluetooth devices or MIDI enabled apps connected to the iPad or iPhone. While use cases can be wide and vary based on specific user requirements, the typical use of MIDI Patch would consist of mapping inbound messages from MIDI enabled foot controllers capable of sending PC, CC or Note On MIDI messages and generate SysEx MIDI messages intended for devices such as guitar amps, allowing use of generic MIDI foot controllers or MIDI apps to adjust guitar amp settings that support/expect SysEx messages. The app includes in-app configuration for specific guitar amps (Boss Waza Air, Katana Air, Katana Air EX, Katana GO, Katana MkII, Katana Gen3, Pocket GT, Valeton GP-5 and GP-50) but can also be configured for any MIDI device or App that expects/receives SysEx messages. Each patch is user defined based on specifying the inbound message to listen for (PC, CC or Note On) and configure the translation of this message to an outbound SysEx message by specifying a device, a function (either using in-app configured devices/functions or user defined ones) and the value logic to apply (specific value or received value with optional value translation such as Toggle and Minimum/Maximum clamping). Specific features include: - Unlimited user defined patches consisting of inbound and outbound message configuration. - Support for both PC, CC, Note On inbound messages (will listen for either PC, CC or Note On). - Each patch will translate/build the outbound SysEx message by selecting a Device, Function, and Source of Value handling. - The Source of Value can be set to Specific Value (send a constant value each each time the patch is invoked) or Received Value (will send the received CC code value). - Additional Value Translation is available for the Received Value scenario including Toggle (0=0/OFF and 1-127=1/ON) or Minimum/Maximum (received value will be converted to a value within a set minimum and maximum value). - User defined Devices and Functions can be created and become available for use in defined patches. - Patch configuration is automatically saved between sessions and can also be backed and restored to/from file. - A bluetooth device discovery page is available from within the app (to view/select the connection state of Bluetooth MIDI devices). IMPORTANT: This app includes configuration which works with some of the current Boss amps and Valeton pedals, with no guarantee of compatibility with future firmware releases. DISCLAIMER: By using MIDI Patch (the "Software"), you acknowledge and agree that the Software is provided on an "as is" basis, without any warranties or guarantees of any kind, whether expressed or implied. You assume all responsibility and risk for the use of this Software. You agree that you shall not hold the developer liable for any damages, losses, or liabilities, including but not limited to direct, indirect, incidental, special, consequential, or punitive damages, arising out of or in connection with the use of the Software.
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is price: Holon at Free against MIDI Patch's $9.99. Holon also leads on ratings volume (14 vs 3) and iOS requirement (12.0 vs 15.0). MIDI Patch's advantage is rating (5.0 vs 4.5) and in-app purchases (none vs 2). On ads, monetization model and device support 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
Holon is free to download; MIDI Patch costs $9.99 up front. Holon sells 2 one-off in-app purchases. MIDI Patch asks for nothing beyond the download.
MIDI Patch holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.5. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 14 and 3 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 75% of Holon's written reviews are positive against 100% of MIDI Patch's.
Holon ships an update every 3 months, MIDI Patch every 2 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 3, 2026 and October 15, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | Holon | MIDI Patch |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free — better | $9.99 |
| Rating | 4.5 (14 ratings) | 5.0 (3 ratings) — better |
| Positive reviews | 75.0% of reviews | 100.0% of reviews — better |
| Number of ratings | 14 — better | 3 |
| Update frequency | Every 3 months | Every 2 weeks — better |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | Yes | No — better |
| Monetization | Paid | Paid |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod, Apple Watch — better | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Requires iOS | 12.0 — better | 15.0 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 144 MB | 4 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Holonic Systems Oy | Stephane Villeneuve |
Customer experience
Holon
MIDI Patch
In-app purchases
Holon
- Apple Watch supportFree
- Movesense SupportFree
MIDI Patch
No in-app purchases









