FM Pocket Synthesiser vs TD3 Studio
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side โ with what reviewers say about each.
FM Pocket Synthesiser
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Pocket FM Synthesiser brings the rich, complex sounds of FM synthesis to your iPhone and iPad. FM synthesis is the technology behind some of the most iconic sounds in music history โ metallic bells, punchy basses, glassy pads, and digital leads. Now you can sculpt those sounds anywhere, with a synth that fits in your pocket. Features: Full FM synthesis engine with carrier and modulator controls 16-step sequencer with note, accent, and glide per step Envelope controls โ attack, amp decay, and mod decay Built-in delay effect Tone and feedback shaping Designed for iPhone and iPad Recording & Presets: Capture your performances with in-app recording. Purchase recording credits to export your music, and unlock additional save slots to store your favourite patches. Whether you're sketching ideas on the commute, performing live, or just exploring sound design, Pocket FM Synthesiser gives you a powerful creative tool that's always with you. In-App Purchases: Recording credits โ record and export your performances Additional save slots โ store more of your patches and sequences
TD3 Studio
This application converts MIDI files into patterns for the Behringer TD-3 or TD-3-MO synthesizer. It allows users to build and edit patterns step-by-step, with or without the physical hardware, using an on-screen keyboard and simulator.
- MIDI file to pattern conversion
- Step-by-step pattern building
- On-screen keyboard and MIDI input
- Built-in TD-3 simulator
- Accents, slides, ties, and rests editing
- Library management via Files app
- Cross-platform compatibility (iPhone, iPad, Mac)
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TD3 Studio turns a MIDI file into a pattern for the Behringer TD-3 or TD-3-MO: drop a file in and the sixteen steps are cut for you, ready to edit, play and send to the device. Build a pattern from nothing too, step by step, from the on-screen keys or a MIDI keyboard plugged into your iPad or iPhone, with accents, slides, ties and rests one touch away. No TD-3 within reach? The app plays through a built-in simulator on the device's own speakers, a 303 voice of its own, so every pattern can be built and heard before the hardware ever comes out. Patterns and edits sound the same either way. One purchase covers iPhone, iPad and Mac: buy TD3 Studio once and it is yours on all three. The library lives in the Files app, under "TD3 Studio": your own patterns, the 107 TB-303 patterns from the bundled Acid-Tabs collection, and search across free online MIDI archives, all from the one panel. Open a MIDI file from Files, and it goes straight through the converter, with a timeline for picking which sixteen steps become the pattern. On iPad the whole instrument is one landscape plate: the step grid, the tone knobs, the transport and the library side by side. Below the grid sits an on-screen keyboard of one to three octaves, with accent and slide toggles and Tie and Rest buttons. Play it to edit the selected step, or press Record for 303-style step entry, one key filling one step, straight into the sequencer. On iPhone the same tools are arranged across three screens: PATTERN for the step grid and keyboard, SOUND for the simulator's tone, and DEVICE for USB or Bluetooth output and the TD-3's read and write slots. A fixed header carries file and library access and the three tabs, and a fixed transport strip below carries start, stop, tempo and the step count, so both stay in view while the middle changes. A key, Tie or Rest enters the selected step and moves to the next one, so a full pattern is sixteen taps. TD3 Studio needs a TD-3 or TD-3-MO to write or hear patterns on real hardware. On a USB-C iPad or iPhone, use Apple's USB-C to USB Adapter with the TD-3's own USB cable, or a USB-C to USB-B data cable that follows the USB-C standard (a branded USB-C printer cable; cheap ones lack the resistor that makes the phone the host and then work on a PC but not on a phone). A Lightning iPad needs an MFi Lightning to USB-B MIDI cable or Apple's Lightning to USB Camera Adapter. A Bluetooth MIDI adapter on the TD-3's MIDI IN works too. The TD-3 runs on its own power. Without the hardware, the simulator carries the whole app. TD-3 and TD-3-MO are trademarks of Music Tribe. TD3 Studio is an independent app, not affiliated with or endorsed by Music Tribe or Behringer.
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is price: FM Pocket Synthesiser at Free against TD3 Studio's $22.99. FM Pocket Synthesiser also leads on iOS requirement (9.3 vs 17.0). TD3 Studio's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 10). On ads and device support there is nothing between them.
Scored on Price ยท Rating ยท Positive reviews ยท Number of ratings ยท Update frequency ยท Ads ยท In-app purchases ยท Monetization ยท Best chart rank ยท Devices ยท Requires iOS
FM Pocket Synthesiser is free to download; TD3 Studio costs $22.99 up front. FM Pocket Synthesiser sells 10 one-off in-app purchases. TD3 Studio asks for nothing beyond the download.
| Parameter | FM Pocket Synthesiser | TD3 Studio |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free โ better | $22.99 |
| Positive reviews | โ | 100.0% of reviews |
| Update frequency | โ | Every 4 days |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | Yes | No โ better |
| Monetization | โ | Paid |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, Mac |
| Requires iOS | 9.3 โ better | 17.0 |
| Further details โ not scored | ||
| Size | 3 MB | 13 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Kimberly Young | Johan Nieuwhoff |
In-app purchases
FM Pocket Synthesiser
- Save Slot 12$0.99
- Save Slot 15$0.99
- Save Slot 13$0.99
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- Save slot 14$0.99
- Save Slot 16$0.99
- Save Slot 17$0.99
- Save Slot 18$0.99
- Save Slot 20$0.99
- Save Slot 19$0.99
- Save Slot 2$0.99
TD3 Studio
No in-app purchases
Questions
Is FM Pocket Synthesiser free?
Is TD3 Studio free?
Do FM Pocket Synthesiser or TD3 Studio have ads?
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