Sliver vs ShiftBud Generative MIDI AUv3
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
Sliver
Create unique sonic textures and playable instruments from any audio. Manipulate sound with real-time resizable clips, advanced automation, and physics-based XY pads. Supports extensive import/export and MIDI control.
- Real-time manipulation slivers
- Independent audio channels
- Full automation control
- Physics-based XY pads
- Touchable waveform scrubbing
- Extensive effects chain
- MIDI learn and control
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Sliver is a powerful tool for soundscape and sonic texture creation. Working beautifully with any audio content... melodic, rhythmic, noise, or otherwise, Sliver is well suited for a broad range of project types including: Soundscapes Ambient Drone Glitch Noise Pads Sound Design / Sound Effects Unique Sonic Textures Cinematic Sound Elements Creating a playable instrument from any sound. The core of Sliver is the 4 real-time resizable clips (slivers) that can be moved around the waveform. Each sliver has it’s own channel with independent volume, pan, filter, and sliver size. These controls can be set in motion with Sliver's automation engine. Sliver uses a real-time automation system to movement in your textures. This system also allows for override to be able to shape the ongoing captured performance. The filters and size windows are controlled by XY pads, giving Sliver a natural playability, creating a new type of instrument. Touching along the waveform places, moves, and sizes the slivers, allowing you to intuitively scrub the waveform with a variable loop size. A chain of effects assigned to XY Control pads allows you to shape and mangle the sounds produced by the slivers. You can Automate every control. Sliver uses Apples UIKit Dynamics to create physics on the XY Pads, allowing customized settings for the controls to shape the sound randomly with physics. Sliver supports Audiobus, sitting in an input slot. You can import samples via AudioShare import or Audiocopy. You can resample, record your own samples via the Mic, or do both at once. This app uses Background Audio and Records from the Mic. You will see a red bar when placing the app in the background. Sliver supports MIDI learn and is fully controllable from Virtual, Network, and MIDI hardware. Make some noises, mangle some sounds, create your own soundscape. Features: 4 Real-time Manipulation Slivers 4 Independent Audio Channels Full Automation Control Apple UIKit Dynamics Physics Controls 8 X/Y Pad control Touchable Waveform Low Pass Filter Temp Sync'ed Delay Reverb Realtime Pitch-shifting without effecting Time Domain (TimeStretch) BitCrush Saturation Audiobus Support AudioShare Import/Export Email Import/Export (Sounds and Presets) AudioCopy/Paste Sample Recording Resampling Playable Virtual Keyboard MIDI (Virtual, Network, or Hardware) MIDI Learn 40+ Factory Samples 60 Factory Presets
ShiftBud Generative MIDI AUv3
This app generates random MIDI sequences using a shift register chip, inspired by a popular eurorack module. It offers extensive control over scales, octaves, velocity, and MIDI CC modulation, allowing for complex and evolving musical patterns.
- Random looping generative MIDI sequencing
- 16-bit shift register logic
- Adjustable chaos for sequence variation
- Over 110 scales plus custom scales
- MIDI CC generation and modulation
- Unlimited pattern pages
- Manual trigger function
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ShiftBud is a random looping generative MIDI sequencer based on the eurorack module Turing Machine by Tom Whitwell. It works based on the 16-bit shift register chips where it shifts its value on each sequencer step. However, you can lock the sequence in a desired length if you fully rotate the chaos knob to the left or right. If you introduce low amount of chaos, then the sequence "flips" occasionally and generate beautiful sequences. You can also produce random values if set higher amount of chaos. The MIDI note generation can be in more than 110 scales plus your custom ScaleBud 2 scales. You can set the octave range, velocity or velocity randomness as well. You can set the higher and lower bounds on MIDI Control Change generation as well as the CC number you want to control. It's very useful on modulating synth parameters and you can even modulate the ShiftBud's AU parameters as well. You can also set a ramping value for a smoother change. With the 0% ramping, you can use it like a "sample and hold" module. With the manual trigger function, you can use another sequencer or keyboard to trigger ShiftBud's next note. You can create unlimited pattern pages on the lower left corner of the app and you can select the pattern with MIDI CC messages as well. Please note that ShiftBud is a MIDI app. The standalone version has an optional internal synth where you can enable or disable on the settings menu. The AUv3 plugin requires an audio app for output. For the AUv3 functionality, it needs to be hosted within an app such as AUM, Loopy Pro, Cubasis, Logic Pro, Nanostudio, Drambo, or apeMatrix.
Screenshots
Verdict
Sliver and ShiftBud Generative MIDI AUv3 both sit at 4.7 stars, but that hides the real split: 75% of Sliver's written reviews are positive against 67% of ShiftBud Generative MIDI AUv3's. Sliver also leads on iOS requirement (8.0 vs 13.0). ShiftBud Generative MIDI AUv3's advantage is device support (3 vs 1). On price, rating, ratings volume and update cadence 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
Sliver costs $5.99 and ShiftBud Generative MIDI AUv3 $5.99 up front. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.
On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.7 for Sliver against 4.7 for ShiftBud Generative MIDI AUv3. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 10 and 9 respectively. Written reviews are what separate them: 75% of Sliver's written reviews are positive against 67% of ShiftBud Generative MIDI AUv3's.
Sliver ships an update every 6 weeks, ShiftBud Generative MIDI AUv3 monthly. The most recent releases landed on October 16, 2026 and October 15, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | Sliver | ShiftBud Generative MIDI AUv3 |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $5.99 | $5.99 |
| Rating | 4.7 (10 ratings) | 4.7 (9 ratings) |
| Positive reviews | 75.0% of reviews — better | 66.7% of reviews |
| Number of ratings | 10 — better | 9 |
| Update frequency | Every 6 weeks | Monthly — better |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Monetization | Paid | Paid |
| Devices | iPad | iPhone, iPad, iPod — better |
| Requires iOS | 8.0 — better | 13.0 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 33 MB | 7 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Alex Matheu | Cem Olcay |
Customer experience
Sliver
ShiftBud Generative MIDI AUv3
In-app purchases
Sliver
No in-app purchases
ShiftBud Generative MIDI AUv3
No in-app purchases
Questions
Is Sliver free?
Is ShiftBud Generative MIDI AUv3 free?
Which has better reviews, Sliver or ShiftBud Generative MIDI AUv3?
Do Sliver or ShiftBud Generative MIDI AUv3 have ads?
Which is updated more often, Sliver or ShiftBud Generative MIDI AUv3?
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