Harmonic Exciter AUv3 Plugin vs Keys
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
Harmonic Exciter AUv3 Plugin
Enhance your audio mixes by adding clarity and edge to sounds. This plugin synthesizes additional harmonics to make instruments cut through, simulate saturation, and achieve a more pleasing tonal content than traditional EQ.
- Adds clarity and edge to audio
- Synthesizes additional harmonics
- Simulates valve/transistor saturation
- Visualizes incoming audio spectrum
- Adjustable harmonic sliders
- Phase manipulation
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Harmonic Exciter is an AUv3 Compatible plugin for your favourite DAW such as Cubasis, Auria, AUM, Meteor, BM3 or GarageBand etc. The main purpose of a Harmonic Exciter is to help instruments cut through a mix and give some edge and clarity to a sound by adding additional harmonics. It can even be used to simulate valve / transister based saturation or overdriven harmonic distortion. How it works: Every sound under the sun can be constructed by a series of sine waves, the root sine wave denotes the fundamental percieved frequency or the series of waves. By adding additional harmonics which are simply multiples of the fundamental frequency you can turn say a simple sine wave into a square or sawtooth wave. For those who know anything about synthesis you will know these complex waves pack more punch and brightness for the same volume level. So by adding additional harmonics we can lift a sound and make it appear louder, brighter and stand our in our mix. It can also be used to saturate say a bass frequency range boosting bass without needing additional EQ which simple boosts existing harmonics and oftern requires compression to keep under control. This makes the harmonic exciter a great tool for that perfect mix and a nifty trick audio engineers have been using for decades. In Practice: The 4Pockets Harmonic Exciter allows you to visually see the incoming audio spectrum broken down into frequency bands so that you can immediately see any deficiencies in the mix. You can select a frequency range (whether bass, mid, high or even say a kick drum) and use the 10 harmonic sliders to dynamically synthesize of additional harmonics and phase manipulation. Generally it's the 'odd' harmonics that effect a mix in a more melodic way (1st, 3rd, 5th etc.), while even harmonics (2nd, 4th, 6th etc.) tend to be a little discordant or can be used to mimmic distortion of valve amps etc. When adding saturation in this way you can create simulate pleasing overdriven valve/transistor type amplification (transistor amps generally only apply odd harmonics). Why is a Harmonic Exciter better than EQ: While you can boost EQ using a Graphic or Parametric EQ, this only boosts existing harmonics which soon requires compression to avoid clipping. The Harmonic Exciter changes the tonal content of a sound to saturate without adding the same boost in volume. The result is more punch and an ability to cut through the mix without levels getting out of control. You can often get a more natural and aurally pleasing saturation from this kind of effect than using a dedicated oversdrive effects. If your DAW supports MIDI based effects you can also control certain features via CC controllers or using the pitch bend and mod wheel (or CC's 20, 21 and 22 to control the exciter window, gain and size).
Keys
Turn your mobile device into a versatile MIDI master keyboard. Connect wirelessly to musical instruments and DAWs to control virtual instruments and enhance your music production and live performances.
- Transform device into MIDI master keyboard
- Connect to musical devices
- Send MIDI notes and CC
- Control virtual instruments
- MIDI over Bluetooth
- Customizable MIDI mapping
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Transform your iPad or iPhone into a powerful Midi Master Keyboard with our app! Our app allows you to connect to any musical device and send Midi notes and Midi CC, making your mobile device a versatile tool for music production and live performance. Whether you're a professional musician or just starting out, our app offers a simple and intuitive interface to help you create, control, and perform music. With our app, you can easily connect to your digital audio workstation (DAW), synthesizers, and other musical devices to control virtual instruments and bring your musical ideas to life. Our app also supports MIDI over Bluetooth, allowing you to connect wirelessly to your musical devices. Plus, with the ability to customize your Midi mapping, you can personalize your setup to fit your unique needs. Take your music production and performance to the next level with our Midi Master Keyboard app for iPad and iPhone. Download now and experience the power of mobile music making.
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is rating: Harmonic Exciter AUv3 Plugin at 3.4 against Keys's 1.0. Harmonic Exciter AUv3 Plugin also leads on update cadence (every 9 days vs every 10 months) and ratings volume (8 vs 1). Keys's advantage is price ($5.99 vs $8.99). On ads, in-app purchases, 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
Harmonic Exciter AUv3 Plugin costs $8.99 and Keys $5.99 up front. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.
Harmonic Exciter AUv3 Plugin holds the better App Store score, 3.4 against 1.0. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Harmonic Exciter AUv3 Plugin has 8 ratings behind it against 1, so its average is the more settled of the two.
Harmonic Exciter AUv3 Plugin ships an update every 9 days, Keys every 10 months. The most recent releases landed on November 12, 2026 and November 3, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | Harmonic Exciter AUv3 Plugin | Keys |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $8.99 | $5.99 — better |
| Rating | 3.4 (8 ratings) — better | 1.0 (1 ratings) |
| Positive reviews | 50.0% of reviews | — |
| Number of ratings | 8 — better | 1 |
| Update frequency | Every 9 days — better | Every 10 months |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Monetization | Paid | Paid |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod — better | iPhone, iPad |
| Requires iOS | 9.3 — better | 17.0 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 9 MB | 17 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | 4Pockets.com | LittleCodeShop.com |
Customer experience
Harmonic Exciter AUv3 Plugin
Keys
In-app purchases
Harmonic Exciter AUv3 Plugin
No in-app purchases
Keys
No in-app purchases
Questions
Is Harmonic Exciter AUv3 Plugin free?
Is Keys free?
Which has better reviews, Harmonic Exciter AUv3 Plugin or Keys?
Do Harmonic Exciter AUv3 Plugin or Keys have ads?
Which is updated more often, Harmonic Exciter AUv3 Plugin or Keys?
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