SampleTank CS vs Horn Section HD Light
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
SampleTank CS
This professional mobile sound and groove workstation brings desktop-level virtual instrument power to your iPhone and iPad. It offers a vast array of world-class instruments and patterns for live performance and composition, with expandable sound libraries available for purchase.
- 23 free instruments in 16 categories
- 8-part multitimbral sound module
- Expandable sound library with 2300+ instruments
- Over 1,200 melodic and rhythmic patterns
- 8-track MIDI recorder with audio export
- Intuitive interface and new sound engine
- Song and Live environments
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SampleTank 2 for iOS is a professional, fully featured mobile sound and groove workstation that brings the sound, power and features of desktop virtual instruments to your iPad and iPhone — without compromise. It is designed for professional live performance, song composition and puts a comprehensive array of world-class instruments, sounds and patterns right at your fingertips. SampleTank CS provides all the functionality of the full app, with 23 instruments in 16 categories, so you can try out this powerful workstation for free. Additional sounds are available a la cart via in-app purchase. SampleTank gives you 8 multitimbral instrument slots that you can easily layer or split. Choose from a comprehensive, expandable sound collection that covers virtually every acoustic and electronic sound imaginable. Plus, each instrument category includes instrument riffs and grooves so you can start composing and playing in no time. The included instruments and the new sound engine are derived from the desktop version of SampleTank, IK's flagship workstation, offering you unmatched realism, variety of sound and audio performance. For the first time on iOS, thousands of professional sample-based sounds and patterns can be easily accessed, layered and used for playing live or in the studio. What’s more, SampleTank offers an ever-growing library of sounds and are available via in-app purchase: • Elektronika - a series of electronica and EDM-oriented groove libraries and sound collections that make it easy to create hits in today’s most popular styles • Miroslav Philharmonik — the legendary orchestral libraries, now available on your mobile device! Stunningly realistic and expressive samples of a wide range of orchestra and percussion instruments. • SampleTank PRO - the latest and most high-end sounds and grooves available, letting you create professional-grade compositions on your mobile device • Plus additional libraries covering cinematic sounds, the finest pianos, drum libraries from iconic drummers and much more! SampleTank for iOS offers over 2,300 instruments and over 1,200 MIDI patterns — the largest collection of sounds available for any virtual instrument for iOS. Features: • 23 sounds in 16 categories included free • 8-part multitimbral professional quality sound and groove module • Expandable sound library with 2300+ instrument • Over 1,200 melodic and rhythmic patterns • 8-track MIDI recorder with audio export • Totally redesigned intuitive interface • New sound engine derived from SampleTank 3 for Mac/PC • Zones feature lets you easily create splits & layers on your controller • Song and Live environments for composing and playing • Built-in insert effects and master reverb • MIDI learn feature makes programming external controllers easy • Plug-and-play compatibility with iRig interfaces and controllers • Polyphony: up to 64 voices on new Apple devices
Horn Section HD Light
Enhance your music productions with realistic horn section sounds. This app provides pre-recorded licks, stabs, and swells that can be easily integrated into your songs. It offers full compatibility with GarageBand and other DAWs, allowing for tempo and key adjustments.
- Real horn section recordings
- Apple Loop export for GarageBand
- DAW integration via copy-paste
- Audiobus and IAA support
- Adjustable tempo and key
- Licks, stabs, and swells
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Trailer app for Horn Section HD: real live horns for your songs, played by the first call horn section in The Netherlands, the Jayhorns! In your back pocket and made for IOS only! Full Audiobus and IAA support. Enhance your tracks with licks, stabs and swells and enjoy the live feel of a real horn section! Copy to Garageband and the licks follow tempo and key. In this free version the Soul chapter 90 bpm fully functional and all other chapters have inspiring examples! Perfect for producers and song writers….. licks, stabs, swells and more in 7 chapters performed in 3 bpms and 4 essential keys, over 300 in total. Perfect for Garageband users on IOS, all licks were performed with minor third intervals and are presented as Apple Loops so copied to GB the licks follow the key set in GB with ease, as well as tempo! (these features are 'Garageband only') Copy any lick to any other paste equipped DAW and enhance your tracks with a live horn section at your finger tips. The lines were composed based on often requested parts as experienced by the incredible Jayhorns (see bio for tours/albums and credits). MAIN FEATURES: * All licks can be copied as Apple Loops to GB, following tempo and key changes * All licks can be copied to any other paste equipped daw * Full horn section library for anyone making music on an iPad, iPhone or iPod Touch * Audiobus compatible * Inter App Audio compatible * Easy auditioning of licks as they all loop within the app * Performed, recorded and built only for IOS * Many styles in relevant bpms (check content list) * Lines, swells, stabs and other content were produced with your compositions in mind * Uncut, not time stretched, actual high end recordings * Audio quality: 44.1 kHz, 16 bit (cd) * All licks, stabs and swell actually played separately in all bpms and keys, by the first call horn section in The Benelux * All licks can be cut, altered and moved for more complex arranging * Any lick can be used creatively outside the mentioned style with ease * All chapters have horn arrangement examples in musical context except of the Soul chapter, the 90 bpm page is fully functional and has the pure horns The licks were cut to a logical length, depending on style/meaning and use for you to place them quickly and get them in the 'right spot" but they can be moved for different effects and placed freely within your sequencer of choice. And of course, licks can be stacked as well. Line up: Trumpet-Trumpet-Trombone-Saxophone (with Flugelhorn and Baritone Sax variations within the chapters). CONTENT: (full version only, in this Light version 90 bpm Soul chapter fully functional) * Funk, Disco 'n Dance: 5 section licks performed at 90, 110 and 130 bpm, all in the keys of A, C, Eb and Gb * Pop: 5 section licks performed at 90, 110 and 130 bpm, all in the keys of A, C, Eb and Gb * Soul: 5 section licks performed at 90, 110 and 130 bpm, all in the keys of A, C, Eb and Gb (4 licks in 130 bpm soul) * Jazz: 5 section licks performed at 90, 110 and 130 bpm, all in the keys of A, C, Eb and Gb * Stabs: 5 section licks performed at 90, 110 and 130 bpm, all in the keys of A, C, Eb and Gb * Swells: one horn swell performed at 90, 110 and 130 bpm, all in the keys of A, C, Eb and Gb and major and minor swells in the keys of Bb, Db, E and G * Fx 'n Moods: 4 fast and 4 slow shakes in the keys of A, C, Eb and Gb 'Down Boy' lick at 90, 110 and 130 bpm in A, C, Eb and Gb 'James' lick at 90 bpm Forte Piano and 130 bpm Sforzando in A, C, Eb and Gb 'What Goes Up' lick at 90 and 110 bpm in A, C, Eb and Gb 'Hornlike' lick at 90 bpm in A, C, Eb and Gb * Instructions/credits and Jayhorns info Don't settle for synth imitations or 'sounds like brass' solutions, this is a living and breathing section and a purpose built release for IOS only. www.hornsectionhd.com (support site with soon to be released trailers) Also you will find DAW specific instructions on this page.
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is review sentiment: Horn Section HD Light at 100% against SampleTank CS's 29%. Horn Section HD Light also leads on in-app purchases (none vs 15) and iOS requirement (7.0 vs 13.0). On price, 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
Both are free to download. SampleTank CS sells 15 one-off in-app purchases. Horn Section HD Light asks for nothing beyond the download.
| Parameter | SampleTank CS | Horn Section HD Light |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 3.1 (144 ratings) — better | — |
| Positive reviews | 28.9% of reviews | 100.0% of reviews — better |
| Number of ratings | 144 — better | — |
| Update frequency | Every 2 months | — |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | Yes | No — better |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free — better |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Requires iOS | 13.0 | 7.0 — better |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 1.5 GB | 117 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | IK Multimedia US, LLC | Go Independent Records |
Customer experience
SampleTank CS
Horn Section HD Light
Bugs and requests
SampleTank CS
Reported bugs
3 issues- Incompatible with latest iOS versions
- MIDI issues and lack of device detection
- Purchased content not properly restored
Requested features
4 requests- Add AU/AUv3 support for better DAW integration
- Improve MIDI functionality and mapping
- Allow importing custom samples
- Enhance performance controls (e.g., pitch bend, modulation)
Horn Section HD Light
Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.
In-app purchases
SampleTank CS
- Organ$4.99
- Strings$4.99
- Brass$4.99
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- Synth Leads$4.99
- Synth Pads$4.99
- Woodwinds$4.99
- Acoustic Drums$4.99
- Electric Piano$7.99
- The Grid$14.99
- Upgrade to SampleTank$24.99
- Miroslav Philharmonik - Mobile Edition$24.99
- Sample Moog - Mobile Edition$24.99
- Sonik Synth - Mobile Edition$24.99
- All Sounds$64.99
- SampleTank PRO - All Sounds Pack$64.99
Horn Section HD Light
No in-app purchases
Questions
Is SampleTank CS free?
Is Horn Section HD Light free?
Do SampleTank CS or Horn Section HD Light have ads?
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