Comparison

MIDIWriter vs SGA Phoenix LT

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

Head to head
About

MIDIWriter

This app transforms keyboard input into musical notes and sounds. Type characters to instantly generate MIDI messages, or input phrases to create musical sequences with adjustable tempo and looping. It includes a built-in sound engine and supports external MIDI devices and apps.

Highlights
  • Text to MIDI conversion
  • Built-in General MIDI sound engine
  • Phrase playback with tempo control
  • Drum mode with multiple kits
  • External MIDI output
  • Hardware keyboard support
  • Wi-Fi MIDI networking
Features
Read full description

[[ A STRANGE MUSIC TOOL FOR MANIAC MUSIC LOVERS! ]] MIDIWriter is a unique app that converts keyboard input into MIDI note messages. Each character you type instantly produces sound. You can also enter a phrase and play it back as a sequence with adjustable tempo and loop options. KEY FEATURES: Built-in Sound Engine: No external app required! MIDIWriter includes a built-in General MIDI sound engine with 128 instruments and 9 drum kits. Just type and hear the sound immediately. Phrase Playback: Enter any text and play it as a musical sequence. Adjust the tempo (1-480 BPM), enable loop mode, and let your words become music. Space characters can be used as rests. Drum Mode: Switch to drum mode to play percussion sounds. Choose from 9 GM drum kits including Standard, Room, Power, Electronic, 808/909, Jazz, Brush, and Orchestral. MIDI Output: Send MIDI to other apps or external devices. Configure MIDI channel (1-16), program change (0-127), and destination. Works with Virtual MIDI and MIDI Network Session. Can be used simultaneously with the built-in sound engine. Keyboard Support: Use the on-screen software keyboard, or connect a Bluetooth/USB hardware keyboard for a real typing experience. Supports Japanese input with proper IME handling. MIDI Network Session: Connect to Mac or other iOS devices over Wi-Fi to control CoreMIDI-compatible sound generators remotely. Dark Mode & Rotation: Full support for light and dark modes. Works in portrait and landscape orientations on both iPhone and iPad. Note: Playback stops when the app goes to background. Using the Built-in Sound: Simply launch MIDIWriter and start typing. Each key produces a unique sound based on its character code. Enable drum mode in Settings for percussion sounds. Using with External MIDI Apps (Virtual MIDI): 1. Open a CoreMIDI sound generator app. 2. In MIDIWriter Settings, turn on "MIDI Output" and select the destination. 3. Type any key to hear sound from the external app. Using with Mac (MIDI Network Session): 1. Connect iPhone and Mac to the same Wi-Fi network. 2. Open MIDIWriter on iPhone. 3. On Mac, open "Audio MIDI Setup" and configure Network MIDI. 4. Connect your iPhone to the session. 5. Open a CoreMIDI app on Mac and select the network session as MIDI input. 6. Type on MIDIWriter to play sounds on Mac. Credits: Built-in sound engine uses "GeneralUser GS" SoundFont by S. Christian Collins. https://schristiancollins.com/generaluser.php

About

SGA Phoenix LT

Features
Read full description

SGA Phoenix LT, is a free, compact, version of our acclaimed SGA Phoenix. SGA Phoenix LT brings the authentic sound of an all-tube (12AU7) analog preamp to your AUv3 compatible host. Use SGA Phoenix LT to add warmth to a track, as a saturation compressor, or to add “dirt” with tube overdrive and distortion. Key Features: - Authentic analog sound through real-time high-performance circuit simulation. SGA Phoenix LT simulates the whole preamp circuit in real time using Shattered Glass Audio’s state-of-the-art circuit simulator. - Preamp featuring 12AU7 triodes delivers gentle overdrive and smooth distortion. For heavier saturation, simply stack instances—your CPU can handle it. - Three-band Baxandall style EQ that can be taken out of the signal path or placed either before or after the preamp. - Automatic Gain Control - Automatic 4x oversampling to control aliasing - Parallel processing. For a much wider variety of saturation flavors and additional EQs, upgrade to SGA Phoenix. SGA Phoenix LT is primarily an AUv3 effect. To use SGA Phoenix LT as a plug-in, you will need an AUv3 compatible host such as Garageband, AUM, etc. SGA Phoenix LT application is there to provide a user manual and a chance to use SGA Phoenix LT with the microphone input.

Screenshots

MIDIWriter4 screens
SGA Phoenix LT2 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is price: SGA Phoenix LT at Free against MIDIWriter's $0.99. On ads, in-app purchases, device support and iOS requirement 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

SGA Phoenix LT is free to download; MIDIWriter costs $0.99 up front. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

Scorecard1 real difference · 9 level
MIDIWriter versus SGA Phoenix LT: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterMIDIWriterSGA Phoenix LT
Price$0.99Free — better
Rating1.5 (2 ratings) — better—
Positive reviews0.0% of reviews—
Number of ratings2 — better—
Update frequencyEvery 35 months—
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationPaid—
DevicesiPhone, iPadiPhone, iPad, iPod — better
Requires iOS16.015.8 — better
Further details — not scored
Size31 MB4 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperMasayuki AkamatsuShattered Glass Audio

In-app purchases

None

MIDIWriter

No in-app purchases

None

SGA Phoenix LT

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is MIDIWriter free?
MIDIWriter costs $0.99, with no in-app purchases.
Is SGA Phoenix LT free?
SGA Phoenix LT is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Do MIDIWriter or SGA Phoenix LT have ads?
Neither MIDIWriter nor SGA Phoenix LT shows ads.

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