Comparison

Array Mbira Guide vs Retro Synth

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

Head to head
About

Array Mbira Guide

Read full description

Array Mbira Guide(アレイムビラ・ガイド)は、アレイムビラ(カリンバ)を演奏・学習するためのシンプルなガイドアプリです。Array Mbiraに興味がある方、練習したい方、家にあるけど使いこなせていない方におすすめです。 - Play 演奏モード:実際のアレイムビラに近い2周分の配列を横スクロールで表示。 - Learn 学習モード:「メジャー/マイナースケール」「メジャー/マイナーコード」など、色付きでキーをハイライト表示。視覚的に覚えて練習できます。 - リアルなサウンド:本物のArray Mbiraを使って録音したリアルなサウンドを収録。

About

Retro Synth

Create authentic retro music with this vintage-inspired synthesizer app. Explore sound design with tone controls and vibrato, or upgrade for premium waveforms and studio effects. Designed for instant musical creativity, it offers a portable music-making experience.

Highlights
  • Authentic vintage sound recreation
  • Tone control for sound shaping
  • Vibrato effect for musical expression
  • Zero latency real-time response
  • Premium waveforms (Sine, Sawtooth, Triangle)
  • Studio effects (Reverb, Delay)
  • MIDI export
Features
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Play a real pocket stylophone — then plug it straight into GarageBand. Retro Synth · Syntophone turns your device into a vintage touch-keyboard synthesizer, and now works as an AUv3 instrument inside GarageBand, Logic Pro, and AUM. Slide your finger across the keys and a warm, authentic square-wave synth comes to life. Learn built-in songs with light-up "follow the key" tutorials, record your ideas, and drop the instrument into your favorite music app — all from one tiny synth. Like the original, it plays one note at a time: one stylus, one note. Curious about Pro? Tap any locked sound and hear it free for 30 seconds. FREE FEATURES (Included at no cost): • Authentic Vintage Sound: faithfully recreates that iconic square-wave tone with modern precision. • Song Mode: learn songs with light-up "follow the key" tutorials, hold-to-repeat for repeated notes, and a star rating when you finish (2 songs free). • My Recordings: a full library to play back, rename, share, and delete your takes. • Metronome: a sample-accurate click with adjustable BPM and an accented downbeat to keep you in time. • AUv3 Instrument: use Syntophone as a plug-in inside GarageBand, Logic Pro, AUM and other AUv3 hosts. • Sound Controls: shape your tone from thin and bright to thick and warm, and add expression with vibrato. • Real-time Response: instant, zero-latency audio as you play. • Clean, minimalist design inspired by vintage hardware. SYNTOPHONE PRO (subscription): Upgrade to unlock the full studio: • Premium Waveforms: Sine, Sawtooth, and Triangle. • Studio Effects: high-quality Reverb and Delay. • Pro Sound Panel: a second detuned oscillator for a fatter analog tone, hands-on delay time & feedback controls, and live MIDI output — play GarageBand and other synth apps as a virtual MIDI keyboard. • 12 more built-in songs to learn. • MIDI Export: save and share your recordings as .mid files. WHY SYNTOPHONE? No setup, no menus to fight — open the app and make music immediately. Then, when you're ready, it becomes a plug-in in your studio. Note: The app includes an auto-renewable subscription (Syntophone Pro) for premium features. For Terms of Use (EULA): https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/

Screenshots

Array Mbira Guide2 screens
Retro Synth4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Array Mbira Guide at none against Retro Synth's 3. Array Mbira Guide also leads on iOS requirement (15.1 vs 17.0). 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

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Both are free to download. Retro Synth sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $3.99 per month. Array Mbira Guide asks for nothing beyond the download.

Scorecard2 real differences · 7 level
Array Mbira Guide versus Retro Synth: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterArray Mbira GuideRetro Synth
PriceFreeFree
Rating—4.2 (5 ratings) — better
Number of ratings—5 — better
Update frequency—Every 2 months
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNo — betterYes
Monetization—Free with in-app purchases
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod — betteriPhone, iPad
Requires iOS15.1 — better17.0
Further details — not scored
Size32 MB14 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperYuri SaitoKerem ERSU

In-app purchases

None

Array Mbira Guide

No in-app purchases

3 purchases

Retro Synth

Subscriptions2
  • Monthly Subscription$3.991 Month
  • Annual Subscription$24.991 Year
One-time1
  • Remove ads$2.99

Questions

Is Array Mbira Guide free?
Array Mbira Guide is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is Retro Synth free?
Retro Synth is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Do Array Mbira Guide or Retro Synth have ads?
Neither Array Mbira Guide nor Retro Synth shows ads.

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