Comparison

Oscilloscope & Spectrogram vs Prism MIDI Sequencer

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

Head to head
About

Oscilloscope & Spectrogram

Analyze audio in real-time with detailed oscilloscope and spectrogram views. Pause, scroll, and zoom to precisely identify frequencies, notes, and sound events. Offers advanced triggering and a unique Bark-frequency scale for detailed analysis.

Highlights
  • Real-time oscilloscope and spectrogram
  • Pause and scroll audio history
  • Pinch-to-zoom functionality
  • Frequency and MIDI note identification
  • Stereo and mono views
  • Trigger with lookahead
Features
Read full description

OSCILLOSCOPE & SPECTROGRAM is a powerful audio analyzer app and audio unit plugin KEY FEATURES - Run as both Audio Unit and standalone app - View up to three seconds of audio on the screen - Pause and scroll horizontally to browse back in time - Pinch to zoom in / zoom out - See both oscilloscope and spectrogram separately or overlayed together - Frequency trigger mode helps identify the precise frequency and MIDI note of sounds in the spectrogram - Stereo and mono views - Level based trigger mode has lookahead, pause, and zoom - XY mode shows stereo correlation - Automatically adjusts FFT size to fit zoom setting - Bark-frequency scale spectrogram shows nice detail at low and high frequencies - When zoomed in, the oscilloscope uses sinc upsampling to show you a close approximation of what actually outputs from your audio interface after digital to analog conversion, rather than just displaying raw audio samples. WHAT DOES THIS APP DO THAT OTHERS DO NOT? 1. Pause Button We can't emphasize enough how useful this is. You never have to worry about trying to catch short events that disappear quickly because you can watch the sounds go by slowly at a 3 second viewer scale, then just pause and scroll back if you missed something. When you get to the event you want to see you can pinch to zoom in right down to sub-sample level of detail, then zoom back out when you are done and zoom in on something else. This feature alone makes almost all other oscilloscope apps unnecessary because it means you can easily see ANYTHING that you need to see. 2. Frequency Identification Mode In frequency mode, when you touch the frequency scale on the right of the screen a blue line appears on the spectrogram. When you position the line above a specific frequency on the spectrogram, a panel on the left side of the screen displays the octave, note name, and MIDI number. You can then use the frequency timing oscilloscope to lock in on the exact pitch in cents so that you not only know which MIDI note that sound corresponds to but you know exactly how many cents sharp or flat. The ability to simultaneously see the frequency on the spectrogram and confirm it with precision on the oscilloscope allows you to quickly and easily identify musical pitches to a level of accuracy that have not seen anywhere else, not even in desktop software. 3. Trigger with Lookahead Almost every oscilloscope has a feature where it re-draws the screen each time the input signal level crosses a specified threshold. This is the main and most basic function of any oscilloscope. However, when setting the trigger at a high level to view the attack section of musical notes or drums, we miss the first part of the note. By using lookahead, this app allows you to see a few milliseconds BEFORE the trigger point so that you can see the whole sound you want to examine. 4. Carefully Designed Spectrogram In all spectrum analyzer displays, the upper end of the frequency scale is crowded, meaning that a single pixel corresponds to 10 or 20 frequencies in the frequency analysis. In many other analyzer apps one of two things occur: either 9 out of 10 frequencies in that upper range simply get ignored and disappear from the spectrogram display, or all 10 frequencies combine together to make the pixels in the upper range appear brighter than low frequency sounds of similar volume. This may seem like a technicality until you run a sine sweep or a 20 KHz tone through the analyzer and find that large sections of the input simply aren't displayed on the analyzer screen. Looking at these kinds of test signals on a spectrogram is the primary way that we test and evaluate the quality of audio effect plugins. If a spectrogram is to be of any real use as an analysis tool, it should do this right. Other spectrograms often mess up the lower frequencies too, either by making them take up too much space or by making them very pixelated. This spectrogram carefully avoids these problems.

About

Prism MIDI Sequencer

This app is a powerful 16-track MIDI step sequencer designed for iOS devices. It allows users to create complex musical patterns with high resolution, elastic timing, and per-step control. It integrates with external synths and samplers, offering extensive features for melody, harmony, and drum sequencing.

Highlights
  • 16-track AUv3 MIDI step sequencer
  • High resolution and elastic timing
  • Per-step control and step FX
  • Scale modes and flow modes for tonal tracks
  • 16 mini-sequencers per drum track
  • LFOs, arpeggiator, and generative tools
  • Scene and mute profile performance modes
Read full description

Prism is a 16-track AUv3 MIDI step sequencer for iPhone and iPad that turns sparks of inspiration into living, breathing music. It’s built for touch and flow—pair it with your favorite synths, samplers, drum apps, and gear. Key Features ------------- [ Sequencing Engine ] ---------------------- - High resolution: 1/32 steps, up to 512 trigs/pattern, swing, polyphony, micro-timing per step - Elastic timing: per-sequence lengths plus smooth speed changes for real polyrhythm/polymeter - Per-step control: parameter locks and Step FX - Playback modes: Standard, Overlap, Trig Legato, Drone - Capture everything: live record with quantize, retroactive recording (always listening), and tap-in steps - Human feel & probability: Chance, Every, Hold, Range, Accent [ Tonal Tracks (Melody & Harmony) ] ------------------------------------ - Always in key: scale modes across the app (use built-in scales or create your own) - Note input modes: Poly, Chord Simple, Chord Multi, Chord Blocks - Flow modes (musical logic): Standard, Peek, Echo, Melt, Mirror - Per-Trig Step FX: Velocity, Pitch, Ratchet, Strum - Multi-Seq: 4 independent sequencers per tonal track to weave interlocking parts - Import and edit .MIDI files [ Drum Tracks (Kits & Samplers) ] ---------------------------------- - 16 mini-sequencers per drum track with independent settings, FX, and controls - Modular linking, advanced layering, and Drum↔Tone interactions for shared timing tricks - Drum profiles for fast kit routing and universal connectivity - Per-Trig Step FX (drum): Velocity, Length, Ratchet, Flam [ Modulation, Generative & Creative Tools ] ------------------------------------------- - 6 LFOs per track (track-tied and CC-tied) for tempo-synced movement and evolving patterns - Per-track/pattern 16-step Arpeggiator—from classic to experimental - Harmonizer and Hue Sequencer for chord color and phrase rotation - Tape-style MIDI Slicer & Looper (per track/pattern) for instant remixing - Smart randomizers: one-tap generation for drum patterns, sequences, and fx. [ Performance, Workflow & UI ] ------------------------------ - Scenes, mute profiles, and bar looper to play, capture, and perform. - Fast edits: copy, paste, multi-select, quick duplicate - Multi-touch keypad matrix & sequencer for hands-on control - Light & Dark themes - Host-aware saving (internal presets + AUv3 state) [ Hardware & Host Integration ] ------------------------------- - Deep, bi-directional control for Novation Launchpad (Pro, Mk3, Mini, X) and Launchkey Mini MK4 with LED feedback & mappings - External MIDI in/out/thru, per-track channel routing - AUv3 works in leading hosts (e.g., AUM, Logic Pro for iPad) [ Timing & Specs ] ------------------- - High-precision engine: 480 PPQN for tight playback at any tempo - iPhone & iPad AUv3 (MIDI-only; no built-in sounds) ---------- Find more info at sites.google.com/view/prism-midi-sequencer/home Happy creating, y’all. —A Mortal Mage

Screenshots

Oscilloscope & Spectrogram4 screens
Prism MIDI Sequencer4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is price: Oscilloscope & Spectrogram at $5.99 against Prism MIDI Sequencer's $19.99. Oscilloscope & Spectrogram also leads on in-app purchases (none vs 5) and update cadence (every 4 days vs every 2 weeks). Prism MIDI Sequencer's advantage is review sentiment (86% vs 70%). On rating, ratings volume, ads 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

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Oscilloscope & Spectrogram costs $5.99 and Prism MIDI Sequencer $19.99 up front. Prism MIDI Sequencer sells 5 one-off in-app purchases. Oscilloscope & Spectrogram asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.7 for Oscilloscope & Spectrogram against 4.7 for Prism MIDI Sequencer. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 26 and 34 respectively. Written reviews are what separate them: 70% of Oscilloscope & Spectrogram's written reviews are positive against 86% of Prism MIDI Sequencer's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Oscilloscope & Spectrogram ships an update every 4 days, Prism MIDI Sequencer every 2 weeks. The most recent releases landed on November 3, 2026 and October 30, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard6 real differences · 4 level
Oscilloscope & Spectrogram versus Prism MIDI Sequencer: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterOscilloscope & SpectrogramPrism MIDI Sequencer
Price$5.99 — better$19.99
Rating4.7 (26 ratings)4.7 (34 ratings) — better
Positive reviews70.0% of reviews85.7% of reviews — better
Number of ratings2634 — better
Update frequencyEvery 4 days — betterEvery 2 weeks
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNo — betterYes
MonetizationPaidFree with in-app purchases — better
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod — betteriPhone, iPad
Requires iOS12.0 — better16.0
Further details — not scored
Size3 MB55 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperBlue Mangoo Consulting Company LimitedTyler Quatraro

Customer experience

Oscilloscope & Spectrogram

All ratings28 ratings
Positive92.9%
Neutral0.0%
Negative7.1%
Written reviews10 reviews
Positive70.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative30.0%

Prism MIDI Sequencer

All ratings33 ratings
Positive93.9%
Neutral3.0%
Negative3.0%
Written reviews21 reviews
Positive85.7%
Neutral4.8%
Negative9.5%

In-app purchases

None

Oscilloscope & Spectrogram

No in-app purchases

5 purchases

Prism MIDI Sequencer

One-time5
  • LFO Extension$4.99
  • Step FX$4.99
  • Multi-Sequencer [Tone Tracks]$4.99
Show 2 more
  • Launchkey Mini MK4 Control$4.99
  • Euclidean Sequencer Extension$4.99

Questions

Is Oscilloscope & Spectrogram free?
Oscilloscope & Spectrogram costs $5.99, with no in-app purchases.
Is Prism MIDI Sequencer free?
Prism MIDI Sequencer costs $19.99, and also offers in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, Oscilloscope & Spectrogram or Prism MIDI Sequencer?
Prism MIDI Sequencer is rated higher. Oscilloscope & Spectrogram averages 4.7 out of 5 from 26 ratings, while Prism MIDI Sequencer averages 4.7 from 34 ratings.
Do Oscilloscope & Spectrogram or Prism MIDI Sequencer have ads?
Neither Oscilloscope & Spectrogram nor Prism MIDI Sequencer shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Oscilloscope & Spectrogram or Prism MIDI Sequencer?
Oscilloscope & Spectrogram ships an update every 4 days, and Prism MIDI Sequencer every 2 weeks. Most recently, Oscilloscope & Spectrogram was updated on November 3, 2026 and Prism MIDI Sequencer on October 30, 2026.

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