TC vs Nature
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
TC
This app is a fully programmable multi-touch synthesizer for iPad. Create unique sounds using touch gestures, device motion, and a variety of on-board modules. Explore a vast sonic landscape with extensive customization options.
- 185 built-in presets
- Unlimited user patches
- Multi-touch and device motion control
- 23 modular synthesis objects
- Built-in recording and AudioCopy
- Audiobus support
Read full descriptionHide full description
TC-11 is the only fully programmable multi-touch synthesizer for the iPad. Choose from the 160 included presets, or build your own using touch controls, device motion, and on-board modules. Create music with the next evolution of synthesizer control! iDesignSound App of the Week 12.17.2011 - idesignsound.com "This thing is ALIVE! TC-11 is really fascinating and I'm having some fun experimenting with it. It is very, very cool!" - Jordan Rudess, keyboardist, Dream Theater "TC-11 is making my jaw drop every few minutes; realizing new and increasingly complex routing options. Rating: Essential." - Tim Webb, discchord.com "Creating, routing, configuring, and general tweaking is unbelievably robust and complex. This is a big leap forward in design. A madhouse of sonic possibilities at your touch." - David Israel, smitematter.com FEATURES: √ 185 built-in presets √ Unlimited user patches √ Audiobus + State Saving √ Fully controlled by multi-touch / device motion √ Built-in recording + AudioCopy √ 23 modular synthesis objects √ 22 oscillator waveforms √ 4 controller modules: AHDSR, LFO, Table, Sequencer √ Email custom patches to your friends √ Full display customization MULTI-TOUCH CONTROL: There are no on-screen knobs, keys, or sliders to fiddle with; all synthesis is driven by your multi-touch performance. Touch relationships like distances / angles / timings perform all the controller functions. It's just you and the full screen multi-touch performance area. EVERY synthesis parameter can be controlled by ANY multi-touch controller. The patch possibilities are limitless! DEVICE MOTION CONTROL: Use the iPad's accelerometer, gyroscope, and even the compass to attack your synthesis patch! Tilt and move the iPad to change any filter, effect, or module. You can create real vibrato by moving the iPad during performance, or change the speed of a sequencer by tilting forward and backward! SYNTHESIS: TC-11 has 8 voice polyphony for full, real-time synthesis. The audio engine has been highly optimized to deliver crisp, responsive performance. Choose from 22 oscillator waveforms, 3 oscillator types, 3 filter types, 4 unique effects, amplitude modulation, and panning control. Fully programmable AHDSR, LFO, and sequencer modules make TC-11 the most capable iOS synthesizer in the world. Use TC-11 in your band during live performances. Add TC-11 into your laptop orchestra. Experiment and create with the next evolution of synthesizer control! Download the complete user guide to read more: http://www.bitshapesoftware.com/instruments/tc-11/tc-11-user-guide-2.0.pdf
Nature
This app translates visual information from your camera into sound using spectral synthesis. Control the sound's amplitude, type, and speed by interacting with the screen and camera feed. Record any generated sound with a simple button press.
- Camera-to-sound translation
- Spectral synthesis
- Adjustable scanning curve
- Amplitude control
- Speed control
- Sound recording
Read full descriptionHide full description
The world around us is an endless source of visual information, the flow of the fractal code of life. "Nature - Oscillator" is one of the attempts to translate this code to sound, using spectral synthesis algorithm of the Virtual ANS engine (software simulator of the unique Russian synthesizer ANS). The program continuously reads the image from the camera and interprets it as the spectrum of the sound. And you can easily control the scanning curve: its amplitude, type and speed. [ How to use ] Start the app and you will hear the sound immediately. Try to move the camera and you will hear the sound change. If there is no sound for some reason - try to reduce the Quality parameter in the app menu. How to change the scanning curve: * amplitude: touch the screen and slide up or down; * speed: touch the screen and slide left or right; * type: use the slider at the top of the screen. Any sound can be recorded by pressing the REC button on the right side of the screen.
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is price: Nature at $1.99 against TC's $24.99. Nature also leads on iOS requirement (12.0 vs 16.0). TC's advantage is update cadence (every 5 weeks vs every 36 months) and rating (4.8 vs 4.5). On review sentiment, ads, in-app purchases and monetization model 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
TC costs $24.99 and Nature $1.99 up front. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.
TC holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 4.5. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 68 and 19 respectively. Written reviews complicate that: 88% of TC's written reviews are positive against 94% of Nature's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.
TC ships an update every 5 weeks, Nature every 36 months. The most recent releases landed on November 6, 2026 and November 1, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | TC | Nature |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $24.99 | $1.99 — better |
| Rating | 4.8 (68 ratings) — better | 4.5 (19 ratings) |
| Positive reviews | 87.8% of reviews | 93.8% of reviews — better |
| Number of ratings | 68 — better | 19 |
| Update frequency | Every 5 weeks — better | Every 36 months |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Monetization | Paid | Paid |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | iPhone, iPad, iPod — better |
| Requires iOS | 16.0 | 12.0 — better |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 53 MB | 3 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Bit Shape | Alexander Zolotov |
Customer experience
TC
Nature
Bugs and requests
TC
Reported bugs
9 issues- App crashes upon opening after recent updates
- Black screen crashes when launching
- Crashes when adding patches to folders
- Crashes within Audiobus after 13.1 update
- AudioCopy button crashes on iPad 3
Show 4 moreShow fewer
- Unable to download latest version
- Glitches and crashes with complex patches
- Audiobus integration issues causing crashes
- Performance issues on older iPad models
Requested features
12 requests- MIDI support and DAW synchronization
- Ability to record and playback motion gestures
- Sample import and granular synthesis capabilities
- Microtonal tuning support (Scala files)
- Note hold function per surface
Show 7 moreShow fewer
- Mixer for oscillator volume balancing
- Scale constraint for melodic playing
- Garage Band export support
- Real-time preview during patch editing
- Polyphonic aftertouch support
- Multiple FM oscillators
- Bluetooth MIDI connectivity
Nature
Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.
In-app purchases
TC
No in-app purchases
Nature
No in-app purchases









