Comparison

Different Drummer vs Shimmer AUv3 Audio Plugin

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

Head to head
About

Different Drummer

This app generates unique and complex rhythmic music patterns for any instrument, including drums. It offers extensive control over rhythm, harmony, and expression through wave-based synthesis. Explore endless possibilities for creating innovative beats and sequences.

Highlights
  • Rhythmic music generation for any instrument
  • Complex pattern and rhythm creation
  • MIDI controller and file creator
  • Wave-based control for expression
  • Multi-track music output
  • Audiobus 3 and Ableton Link 3 support
  • Progression Composer for arpeggios
Features
Read full description

"Different Drummer blows my mind and that's pretty hard to do."—Dave Taub, drummer for Billy Idol, John Lennon, Yes and many more. Don't let the name fool you. Different Drummer is a powerful rhythmic MUSIC generator for ANY instruments or samples (with harmonies) that happens to work Very Well for drums too. It's also an amazing Midi Controller and MIDI file creator. Create everything from simple or complex patterns, non-repeating music, straight or poly rhythms, human or robot feel, arpeggios, chord progressions, fills, sequences and much at your fingertips using this one-of-a-kind app. This may be the best music idea finder anywhere in the galaxy! This is an essential tool for those seeking new beats and sequences but our customers say it best: Most used app in the toolbox ***** "I have plenty of music apps...synths, DAWs, sequencers, beat boxes, effects, drum machines...you name it, but Different Drummer has been the MOST used of all of them." by Sattech27 This is your secret weapon in the quest for innovative beats and music that make sense yet defy the status quo. Different Drummer taps into the primal source of all rhythm—waves. DD puts out multi-track music which is lifelike and primal at times and out of this world at others. It's a rhythmic music synthesizer that uses waves to play any sound in astonishing ways that vary from electro to dubstep to tribal to classical. This software was created with music in mind—but in the spirit of discovering what is next in music, not just finding a new way to do the same thing like so many music apps do so well. If you are a pioneer or care about where music is going, this app is for you. Easy to start learning, always discovering more. Adjust note, rest, tie, panning, beat and dynamics waves for the ultimate range of expression. You will never exhaust the endless possibilities of Different Drummer and you are guaranteed to discover legit beats that no one has ever heard before. No matter how many apps you have...not having Different Drummer is a loss. To not possess this musical wonder is committing a Groove Crime in your studio or live setup! Features: • 8 Sampler Tracks + Jam-along track with 6-wave Cyclophone Controls plus 2 harmonies on each main track. • AudioBus 3 with State Saving, Remote Triggers and Inter-App audio out & background play • Stereo audio recording. Export via Audioshare, Dropbox or iTunes or AudioCopy or General Pasteboard (to GarageBand for example) • Ableton Link 3 enabled • Zenterface™ let's you work in a more simplified radial view and is just fun! • Progression Composer makes it easy to create guide tracks or multi-track arpeggios • Jammer panel to play along with the music • Jamlets panel lets you create endless action buttons for live jamming, saved with your presets • Control drum pitches, rests, ties, dynamics, panning and beat value using additive waves • Instant Capture in case you hear a killer beat you want saved on auto random • Save Wave Presets to Wave Library and share with other users in Community • 37 Preset Drum styles you can fully mess with (these are for fun, not the main purpose) • String Wave Sets together in saved Sequences and share in Community • Export Wave Sets or Sequences as MIDI Files (via iTunes, AudioShare, Email or Dropbox) • Over 190 drum and sound FX samples with more added every update • Add your own 24-bit samples via iTunes (WAV or CAF), AudioPaste or DropBox • Over 75 musical scales to assign drums or instruments to as well as key • Channel Volume, Filter, Distortion and Reverb Mixer • Set Key, Tempo, Swing and Time Signature • Automation for randomizing and morphing playback with snap-back option • MIDI Sync Out and In • Up to 8 Channels of MIDI Out • Dedicated Wave for any Midi CC with Learn • Core MIDI lets you play other synthesizers and drum machines on your iPad such as Animoog and NLog Pro or external hardware To hear Different Drummer in action and learn more please go to www.technemedia.com

About

Shimmer AUv3 Audio Plugin

Create ethereal soundscapes with this AUv3 compatible audio effect. It combines delay, pitch shifting, reverb, and modulation to add spacious atmosphere to instruments and vocals. Features include beat-synced options and harmonic enhancement.

Highlights
  • AUv3 compatible plugin
  • Combines delay, pitch shifting, and reverb
  • Beat-synced modulation options
  • Harmonic exciter and sustain section
  • Single-screen interface with presets
  • Parameter automation and tempo sync
Read full description

This is an AUv3 compatible effect which must be used as plugin with your favourite DAW such as Cubasis, Meteor, Auria or GarageBand. It supports a modern graphical interface and presets with stereo meters for monitoring signal levels. This shimmer effect is a combination of effects that creates an etherial wall of sound. The effect combines a digital delay and pitch shifter to create multiple harmonies before entering a rich long reverb with controllable filtering. The resulting effect is a monsterously huge sound adding a spacious atmospheric quality to any lead instrument or vocal. The effect also features many beat synced modulation options with various modes of operation such as your basic pans and vibrato effects but including sweeps and morphing harmonies. Finally to give the effect some real 'shimmer' we've added a harmonic exciter and a sustain section which samples and holds on to the sound to pull out and emphesise the harmonics. The effect presents all the most frequently used controls to the user in a single screen, but each effect has it's own distinct set of controls and a total of 7 pre-configured touch pads allowing easy recording of controller data. This plugin allows complete parameter automation and auto synced modulation to master tempo. This is one of a suite of AUv3 compatible plugins which will also soon be available from 4Pockets.

Screenshots

Different Drummer4 screens
Shimmer AUv3 Audio Plugin4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is update cadence: Different Drummer at monthly against Shimmer AUv3 Audio Plugin's every 8 months. Different Drummer also leads on price ($2.99 vs $7.99) and rating (4.5 vs 4.2). On ratings volume, 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

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Different Drummer costs $2.99 and Shimmer AUv3 Audio Plugin $7.99 up front. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Different Drummer holds the better App Store score, 4.5 against 4.2. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 31 and 31 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 81% of Different Drummer's written reviews are positive against 64% of Shimmer AUv3 Audio Plugin's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Different Drummer ships an update monthly, Shimmer AUv3 Audio Plugin every 8 months. The most recent releases landed on August 28, 2026 and August 26, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard4 real differences · 6 level
Different Drummer versus Shimmer AUv3 Audio Plugin: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterDifferent DrummerShimmer AUv3 Audio Plugin
Price$2.99 — better$7.99
Rating4.5 (31 ratings) — better4.2 (31 ratings)
Positive reviews81.5% of reviews — better63.6% of reviews
Number of ratings3131
Update frequencyMonthly — betterEvery 8 months
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationPaidPaid
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPodiPhone, iPad, iPod
Requires iOS13.013
Further details — not scored
Size93 MB6 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperTechné Media4Pockets.com

Customer experience

Different Drummer

All ratings31 ratings
Positive83.9%
Neutral9.7%
Negative6.5%
Written reviews54 reviews
Positive81.5%
Neutral9.3%
Negative9.3%

Shimmer AUv3 Audio Plugin

All ratings31 ratings
Positive77.4%
Neutral6.5%
Negative16.1%
Written reviews33 reviews
Positive63.6%
Neutral9.1%
Negative27.3%

In-app purchases

None

Different Drummer

No in-app purchases

None

Shimmer AUv3 Audio Plugin

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Different Drummer free?
Different Drummer costs $2.99, with no in-app purchases.
Is Shimmer AUv3 Audio Plugin free?
Shimmer AUv3 Audio Plugin costs $7.99, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, Different Drummer or Shimmer AUv3 Audio Plugin?
Different Drummer is rated higher. Different Drummer averages 4.5 out of 5 from 31 ratings, while Shimmer AUv3 Audio Plugin averages 4.2 from 31 ratings.
Do Different Drummer or Shimmer AUv3 Audio Plugin have ads?
Neither Different Drummer nor Shimmer AUv3 Audio Plugin shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Different Drummer or Shimmer AUv3 Audio Plugin?
Different Drummer ships an update monthly, and Shimmer AUv3 Audio Plugin every 8 months. Most recently, Different Drummer was updated on August 28, 2026 and Shimmer AUv3 Audio Plugin on August 26, 2026.

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