FAC Drumkit vs MidiStep
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
FAC Drumkit
This app combines synthesis and sample playback to create unique drum sounds. It offers extensive control over each voice with advanced envelopes, filters, and modulation options. Easily design custom drum kits or use built-in presets and randomization for inspiration.
- 16 Voices Drum Synthesizer
- Stereo Sample Player
- 2 Oscillators per voice
- Advanced Pitch and Amp Envelopes
- Randomization Engine
- Mute/Choke Groups
- AUv3 Support
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• 16 Voices Drum Synthesizer and Stereo Sample Player • 2 oscillators (16 Waveforms) per voice with filters, Phase and Ring modulation • 1 sample player per voice with sample position, filters, phase and stereo control • Expressive instrument: velocity amount per Amp and Pitch modulation (MIDI CC) • Randomization engine (Drum Synthesizer, Sample Player, Envelopes) • Advanced Pitch and Amp envelopes with multi control points and delay • Envelope templates, modifiers and copy/paste • Mute/Choke groups: reduce overlapping and keep your drums tight • Drag and Drop File Support and multi sample loading • Mixer: 16 voices (Multi Output - If Supported By HOST) • Pad controller: voices triggered by Pad (MIDI OUT and Velocity Sensitive) • Includes classic drum machines built in presets for inspiration • Library explorer: drums organized by category • iOS AuV3 (iPad/iPhone) - Advanced Responsive Design, portrait and landscape views Everyone agrees that the drums are a very important key element of almost every genre out there, they are the foundation of a song. We are all fans of acoustic drums and drum machines, they each have different characters and strengths. FAC Drumkit combines both worlds, samples and synthesis, in order to provide new exciting and unique sounds. As a rule of thumb, the synthesizer section brings the body of the sound, and the sampler the unique character. Both parts are layered together and contain essential parameters to ensure they won't clash and will sit well together. On top of the samples and synthesizer section, FAC Drumkit brings unique Amp and Pitch envelopes with precise control points to modify the curve in a gentle or extreme way. The envelopes play a very important part in the signal path because, thanks to their flexibility, they allow designing very special transition. Indeed, the envelope of a Clap is probably the best one to illustrate the benefit of such envelopes created with points. The burst kind of sound is very hard to replicate with classic ADSR, it's not the case in FAC Drumkit. Needless to say, thanks to the control points the pitch transitions are also more interesting and precise. The value of each control point can also be altered manually, to set the root note of a kick for example. FAC Drumkit is for everyone, as sound designer you will be able to synthesize your own drums in a fun and creative way. On the other hand, if you are looking for instant results, use the provided presets or load your favourite sample pack in the sample section of the 16 voices. The randomization engine makes the creation of new sounds really easy. Define what you want to randomize and you are ready to go. Remember that instrument category plays a role in the randomization process. For example, if you want to design a drum kick set the instrument label to BD (or use the voice index to get a wider sound palette). It's also very interesting to select a sound you like and start the randomization process from there, in a gentle way or not, thanks to the options available in the voice button (page selector). FAC Drumkit is an expressive instrument, the amount of velocity can be set individually for each amplitude envelope, and the pitch envelopes can be modulated by external MIDI control change messages. The pitch modulation applies on control points or on the whole pitch envelopes. Important: The standalone app is a factory version only and you won't be able to save user presets. Use the AuV3. The documentation is available at fredantoncorvest.com/FAC_Drumkit.html
MidiStep
Create complex rhythms and generative music with a powerful step sequencer. Control randomization for notes, chords, velocity, and more to generate unique, ever-changing musical patterns. Automate synth parameters with independent modulation lanes.
- User-controlled randomization for musical parameters
- Polyphonic chord playback per step
- Variable step sequence lengths
- Multiple linked patterns
- 8 independent modulation lanes
- Real-time modification of randomization
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MidiStep is a powerful and inspirational polyphonic step sequencer, and a dream for lovers of complex rhythms and generative music creation tools. The program uses sophisticated, user-controlled randomization to generate notes with a variety of parameters, including note values, note length, chords, patterns, velocity, gate, dividers, repeats, swing, and many more. You have complete control over what, when, and how much is randomized on a step-by-step basis. You can easily create patterns that have little to no variation, patterns that maintain a recognizable pattern but have some degree of variations to the notes, velocity, etc., all the way to patterns with extreme randomness with every pass – the degree of randomization is completely under your control for every parameter and for every step of a pattern. Features include per-step polyphonic chord playback, variable step sequence lengths for all parameters such as pitch, octave, velocity, note duration, beat divisions etc, and the capability to create multiple patterns which can be linked together in various ways. MidiStep also features 8 additional modulation lanes with independent play speeds. These can be used to automate parameters within your favourite synths. MidiStep uses sophisticated randomization settings for note values, note lengths, velocity, gate, dividers, repeats, swing, pitch bend and modulation. In addition, by setting different cycle lengths, step skips, step repeats, jumps, rewinds, cursor positions, pattern jumps, octave shifts, and many other parameters, you can create an infinite number of non-repeating sequences. The degree and types of randomizations for each of these parameters is up to you! Aleatoric music, also known as chance music, allows you to create patterns and entire compositions with user-controlled randomisation. The word 'aleatory' is derived from the Latin word 'alea' meaning dice. MidiStep allows you to turn on/off randomisation on a stepwise basis for almost all parameters, set the percent probability that the randomisation will occur, set min/max values, set exactly which parameters will be randomized, etc. The exact realization of the music will vary with each pass of the sequence, resulting in unique and captivating aleatoric renditions. All randomization controls can be modified in real-time. Features include: •Each of the 16 sequences can have unlimited types and degrees of randomness that you control. •8 independent sequencer lanes: Notes, Chords, Octaves, Velocity, Gate, Divider, Repeat, Delay. •8 independent Modulation sequencer lanes. •16 Patterns and 4 types of pattern switching, independent for each pattern. •Up to 16 steps per pattern, 16 patterns, and 16 cycles per pattern for a maximum sequence length of 4096 notes. •Independent sequencer length (1–16 steps) for each of the 16 lanes. •A Master step cursor independent of all other lanes. •Independent randomization parameters for each of the 16 lanes, with probability, min/max values, default values, skips, repeats, etc. •Unlimited variety of sequences, from slight variation to wildly different sequences on every pass. •126 scales and 126 chords – in every key, along with a scale and chord editor for you to create your own. •Chord complexity for 2–8 note chords, with notes specified or randomly generated. •Chord Articulation options – Block chords, Strum up/down, Arp up/down – with accent, length, speed, and random note order parameters. •Master lane and Chord lane previews. •Pattern Creator - automatic melody, chord, bass and drum backing. •Auto-scroll chord lane. •7-octave range for notes and chords (from C1–C8), with static and random octave offsets. •11 note lengths – from 1/32 note to 4 full measures, plus ties across notes, rests, repeated notes, and delays. •Two types of Swing with adjustable offset. •Humanize settings for note velocity and note timing. •Transposition of sequences using a keyboard – mono for single notes, and poly for chords.
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is in-app purchases: MidiStep at none against FAC Drumkit's 3. MidiStep also leads on update cadence (every 2 weeks vs every 2 months) and price ($14.99 vs $17.99). FAC Drumkit's advantage is ratings volume (83 vs 25). On rating, review sentiment, 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
FAC Drumkit costs $17.99 and MidiStep $14.99 up front. FAC Drumkit sells 3 one-off in-app purchases. MidiStep asks for nothing beyond the download.
On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.7 for FAC Drumkit against 4.8 for MidiStep. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 83 and 25 respectively. Written reviews are what separate them: 88% of FAC Drumkit's written reviews are positive against 81% of MidiStep's.
FAC Drumkit ships an update every 2 months, MidiStep every 2 weeks. The most recent releases landed on September 23, 2026 and September 18, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | FAC Drumkit | MidiStep |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $17.99 | $14.99 — better |
| Rating | 4.7 (83 ratings) | 4.8 (25 ratings) — better |
| Positive reviews | 87.8% of reviews — better | 81.3% of reviews |
| Number of ratings | 83 — better | 25 |
| Update frequency | Every 2 months | Every 2 weeks — better |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | Yes | No — better |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases — better | Paid |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Requires iOS | 13.0 | 13.0 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 80 MB | 44 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Frederic Corvest | 4Pockets.com |
Customer experience
FAC Drumkit
MidiStep
In-app purchases
FAC Drumkit
- Small Tip$1.99
- Medium Tip$4.99
- Large Tip$14.99
MidiStep
No in-app purchases
Questions
Is FAC Drumkit free?
Is MidiStep free?
Which has better reviews, FAC Drumkit or MidiStep?
Do FAC Drumkit or MidiStep have ads?
Which is updated more often, FAC Drumkit or MidiStep?
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