Jam Synth vs Skoog Skratch
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
Jam Synth
Transform your guitar into a synthesizer with this app. It accurately tracks pitch and amplitude to control digital oscillators, offering unique synth leads and effects. Go beyond MIDI with expressive, organic sounds and advanced modulation options.
- Monophonic guitar synthesizer
- Pitch and amplitude tracking
- Multiple oscillator wave shapes
- Dynamic filter tracking
- Advanced FX section (LFO, Delay, Harmonizer, etc.)
- MIDI output for external synths
- High-accuracy pitch tuner
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Jam Synth is a fully featured monophonic guitar synthesizer / multi FX for iOS. It tracks the pitch and amplitude of an incoming guitar signal and uses this information to control digital oscillators, adding a unique guitar infused edge to your synth leads. Unlike typical pitch to MIDI converters, Jam Synth forgoes MIDI altogether when producing sounds internally because it is impossible to shoehorn the expressive pitch and dynamics of a stringed instrument into the MIDI standard. Jam Synth can accurately track string bends and vibrato with the extreme accuracy of a strobe tuner (1/10 of 1 cent) to produce much more organic synth sounds than other guitar to MIDI converters, including its own MIDI output (though its MIDI output still creates quite a unique guitar / synth hybrid sound because of its pitch bend abilities). It also features some of the most esoteric and unique FX you can get for your guitar. Features: • 3 Phase Distortion Oscillators (4 on iPad) with 8 different wave shapes: Saw, Square, Pulse, Double Sine, Saw-Pulse, Resonant 1, Resonant 2, and Resonant 3 • Filter can be set to track picking dynamics • Input section with Gate, Compressor, ADSR, and Input Filter • FX section - A fully featured LFO with 5 wave shapes and an invert switch for a wide range of pulsating effects - Stereo Delay with a stereo width control for ping pong effects and a filter for emulating analog delay - 3D Chorus, a classic "motionless" chorus that adds a stereo DIMENSION to the synth - Intelligent Harmonizer: This creates musically correct harmonies based on the key you are playing in. The harmonies can be altered by choosing a specific interval and one of the seven musical modes: Ionian, Dorian, Phrygian, Lydian, Mixolydian, Aeolian, and Locrian. It works on MIDI output using multi-channel pitch bending for synths that support such fancy things. It also works on your dry guitar output using high quality formant corrected pitch shift. It is just the best. - Rotary Vibe: This recreates the swirling psychedelic sounds of the 1960's by combining a thick 12-stage stereo phaser with a 3D rotary panning effect. Create anything from a slow stereo swirl to a futuristic synth organ with this. - Rainbows: Adds analog modeled auto rainbows to your sound. Adds extra rainbows when used with the harmonizer. - Time Stopper: Freezes time... • LFO / Stereo Delay / Rotary Vibe can be synced to tap tempo or incoming MIDI clock sync / Inter App Audio sync • Highly accurate pitch tracking and tuner, accurate to 1/10th of a cent • MIDI OUT and guitar to MIDI conversion for controlling other MIDI synths with your guitar through Core MIDI accessories and Virtual MIDI • string bends and vibrato are converted to MIDI pitch wheel data • picking dynamics are converted to MIDI volume expression data • compatible with guitar and audio interfaces made for iPhone and iPad • detailed user manual • Fat Bass • Super Chip Leads • Beagle Time • Little Cesars Jam Synth is designed to be easy to use even for users who don't have a lot of experience programming or playing synthesizers. When in doubt, just press buttons and turn knobs while plucking a string until you find a sound you like! J a m S y n t h 2 coming soon ---------------- http://www.facebook.com/PrimitiveDigitalSoftware
Skoog Skratch
Easily create and share music by recording sounds into colored tiles. Tap to play, scratch samples like a DJ, and collaborate with others globally. No prior musical skill is needed to start making great-sounding tracks.
- Record custom audio samples
- DJ-style scratching with samples
- Save and load multiple sample sets
- Import samples via AirDrop/Files
- Play multiple sounds simultaneously
- Share music globally
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Make and share music in seconds. Simply tap to RECORD, PLAY and SHARE with music makers all over the world. If you are new to music making, getting started making great sounding tracks has never been this easy — and sounded so great! Skoog Skratch is a fully VoiceOver accessible sampling app for children, musicians, and everyone in between! Skoog Skratch has five coloured tiles. Record a sound into each one. Tap the tile to play it back. Create an addictive beat when out in the park using the microphone on your iPhone, then Airdrop to your iPad back at home or at school and share with all your friends! FEATURES • Record your own samples with up to five sounds each • Skratch through your samples using your Skoog 2.0 like a DJ • Save and load as many sample sets as you like • Load your own samples into Skratch using Airdrop or from the Files app • Tap a sound to play • Press and hold on a sample to enable auto-trimming and skratch mode • Record and share your jams • Play many sounds at once • Share music with people all over the world • No previous playing skills required • Large buttons for easy use on all devices (iPad, iPod Touch, iPhone) • Connect to Garageband with Inter-App audio to jam along with and record into your Garageband tracks Use on its own or with Skoog 2.0. Connect your Skoog, and use it to play and skratch your own samples recorded straight into the app. Skoog is an easy to play musical instrument that can change the way you and your family can enjoy, create and learn music - no matter what your skills, abilities or musical talents. Skoog 2.0 hardware is available to buy online from Apple and in selected Apple retail stores. www.skoogmusic.com
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is rating: Jam Synth at 5.0 against Skoog Skratch's 4.0. Jam Synth also leads on review sentiment (84% vs 75%) and ratings volume (28 vs 8). Skoog Skratch's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 4) and update cadence (every 5 weeks vs every 4 months). On price, ads, 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
Both are free to download. Jam Synth sells 4 one-off in-app purchases. Skoog Skratch asks for nothing beyond the download.
Jam Synth holds the better App Store score, 5.0 against 4.0. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 28 and 8 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 84% of Jam Synth's written reviews are positive against 75% of Skoog Skratch's.
Jam Synth ships an update every 4 months, Skoog Skratch every 5 weeks. The most recent releases landed on September 18, 2026 and June 1, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | Jam Synth | Skoog Skratch |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 5.0 (28 ratings) — better | 4.0 (8 ratings) |
| Positive reviews | 84.2% of reviews — better | 75.0% of reviews |
| Number of ratings | 28 — better | 8 |
| Update frequency | Every 4 months | Every 5 weeks — better |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | Yes | No — better |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free — better |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Requires iOS | 12.0 | 12.0 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 5 MB | 16 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Derek Mesecar | Playable Tech ltd. |
Customer experience
Jam Synth
Skoog Skratch
In-app purchases
Jam Synth
- Intelligent HarmonizerFree
- Rotary VibeFree
- RainbowsFree
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- Time StopperFree
Skoog Skratch
No in-app purchases








