Comparison

Oriental Strings vs Aparillo

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

Head to head
About

Oriental Strings

This professional sound module app provides authentic oriental and Arabian string instrument sounds for musicians. It offers high-quality stereo samples, master tune, scale tuning, and integrated effects. Connect via Bluetooth MIDI or use it as a virtual instrument within your favorite DAW.

Highlights
  • Authentic oriental and Arabian string sounds
  • High-quality stereo samples
  • Master Tune & Scale Tuning
  • Integrated effects with 18 presets
  • MIDI velocity response curve editor
  • Audio Unit, Audiobus, and Inter-App Audio support
  • MIDI Player/Recorder
Read full description

Oriental Strings is a professional sound module app for oriental keyboard players and for musicians who simply want to resemble the typical sound of the Orient and Middle East in their songs. Connect an external MIDI keyboard to your iPad, iPhone or iPod touch by using Bluetooth MIDI or by using the Apple USB camera adapter or another adapter supported by Apple, or launch Oriental Strings as virtual instrument directly within your favourite DAW app on your iOS device!¹ Watch and listen to the demo video on our product website! This app supports "Audio Unit", "Audiobus" and Apple's "Inter-App Audio" System for audio & MIDI connections from/to other audio apps, as well as Bluetooth LE MIDI ! The sounds of Oriental Strings were exclusively recorded with players who are professionally dedicated to oriental style of music. Typical string instrument sounds for the Arabian genre are covered by this app. Besides rather exotic instruments like the Chinese erhu, typical western string instruments were used as well, but since the players of the recording sessions are focused on oriental music, those western instruments sound completely different than you might be used to from western orchestra players. The sounds of this app were once again created by Kurt Ader, winner of the NAMM 2015 "Best Sound Designer of the Year" award. 32 Sounds are included with this App: • Chinese Erhu 1 - 3 • Chinese Erhu Trill • Turkish Strings 1 - 4 • Arabian Strings 1 - 3 • Tremolo Strings 1 - 5 • Spiccato Strings • Oriental Spiccato Strings • Oriental String Quartet 1 - 3 • Oriental Staccato Strings • Arabian Solo Strings 1 - 3 • String Quartet • Oriental String Ensemble 1 - 5 • Slow Oriental Strings There is no in-app purchase in this app. So all sounds and all app features are immediately available to you as one buy. General Features: • Sounds based on high quality stereo sample set. • Master Tune & Scale Tuning (including factory presets for common Arabian & Turkish scales). • Low latency disk streaming. • Configurable audio latency down to 1 ms. • Polyphony up to several hundred stereo voices.² • Integrated effects with 18 presets. • 16 parts. • App States: Save app's entire state as user presets. • MIDI velocity response curve editor to fine tune the feeling of your MIDI keyboard. • App can keep running in the background, so you can play on your keyboard while e.g. using Safari or another app to display scores or surfing the Internet. • Audio Unit plugin version of this app, to be used as virtual instrument directly within third-party multi-track DAW apps. • Audiobus support. • Supports Apple's "IAA" system for audio & MIDI streaming between other apps. • Virtual on-screen piano keyboard with velocity support, scalable & scrollable. MIDI Player / Recorder: • Record, save and load your songs in standard MIDI file format. • Share your songs easily as audio file. • Unlimited amount of tracks. • Configurable target MIDI channel per track. • Unlimited recording and playback length. • Open MIDI (.mid) files directly from other apps (i.e. from Safari, Mail). • Download or upload MIDI files with iTunes. • Load your favorite songs as MIDI files from the Internet, and watch at the virtual keyboard how to play it. • Metronome. • Use the "Tempo Zoom" dial knob to i.e. slow down playback at any time and learn your favorite songs more easily. ¹ For more information about adapters and connecting external MIDI keyboards: https://doc.crudebyte.com/iOS/External_MIDI_devices/ ² Some sounds are using several voices per note. Polyphony depends on the exact device model being used. You find a polyphony table on our product website.

About

Aparillo

This advanced FM synthesizer creates complex soundscapes, atmospheres, and a wide range of timbres for film, TV, and games. It features two interacting FM synths, integrated effects, and an intuitive 'Orbiter' for one-touch sound morphing. Seamlessly integrate with your mobile studio setup via MIDI and Audio Unit v3 support.

Highlights
  • 16-voice FM Synthesizer
  • Complex sound design
  • Integrated FX (Filter, Delay, Reverb, Spacializer)
  • Orbiter for sound morphing
  • Standalone & Audio Unit v3 support
  • MIDI and Ableton Link integration
  • iCloud Preset Sync
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The Cinematic Machine Aparillo is an advanced 16 voice FM synth tailored for complex sound structures , majestic motions, moving and evolving soundscapes and atmospheres that are perfect for film, TV or games. It‘s not limited to the conventional fm sounds but also delivers a huge range of styles from basses to brasses, pads to leads to even percussion. ••• SYNTH ••• It is based on two interacting FM Synthesizers capable of forming the most complex timbres. A clever arrangement of synthesis, wave shaping, filtering, FX and modulation unfolds into a serious sound design tool for epic sonic creation. Aparillo uses many parameters that can be modulated for individual adjustments PER voice. Each of the sixteen voices interact with almost two dozen targets in a variety of ways for a continuous transformation and to create endless rhythms and melodic progressions. ••• FX ••• The integrated effects include a free-signalflow Filter/Spacial Comb device, a polyphonic Auto Pan with multiple waveforms, the obligatory Delay, our finest Reverb algorithm, and a Sugar Bytes innovation, the Spacializer. This is a very special breed of delay based effect, which can work as a delay, reverb or tuned comb filter and can add room, plucked strings or even pinged percussion to your sound. ••• ORBITER ••• The superstar of Aparillo is the Orbiter, an instinctual "mass-controller" you move through Aparillo's endless sonic universes for one-touch sound morphing. That finally gives you unlimited control over new grounds of sound manipulation. Aparillo for iPad will seamlessly integrate with your mobile studio setup. We built in MIDI support (Virtual, Network, External, Bluetooth), Audio Unit v3 and Ableton Link. Syncing your presets to use them accross other devices couldn't be easier with iCloud. Enjoy Aparillo, the more you dig into it the more you fall in love with it! Features: • Standalone & Audio Unit v3 • FM Synthesizer with 16 Voices • Formant Shifting, Wave Folding & Shifting • Multi-Mode Filter with Spacializer • Orbiter for one-touch Sound Morphing • 500 handpicked Presets • Ableton Link Support • Full MIDI Support (Virtual, Network, External, Bluetooth), MIDI Learn & Host Automation • Preset iCloud Sync • Preset Share

Screenshots

Oriental Strings4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is price: Aparillo at Free against Oriental Strings's $7.99. Aparillo also leads on rating (4.9 vs 4.2) and ratings volume (506 vs 11). Oriental Strings's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 1) and device support (3 vs 1). On update cadence and ads 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

Aparillo is free to download; Oriental Strings costs $7.99 up front. Aparillo sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Oriental Strings asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Aparillo holds the better App Store score, 4.9 against 4.2. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Aparillo has 506 ratings behind it against 11, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 69% of Oriental Strings's written reviews are positive against 88% of Aparillo's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Oriental Strings ships an update every 2 months, Aparillo every 4 months. The most recent releases landed on September 22, 2026 and September 17, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard8 real differences · 2 level
Oriental Strings versus Aparillo: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterOriental StringsAparillo
Price$7.99Free — better
Rating4.2 (11 ratings)4.9 (506 ratings) — better
Positive reviews69.0% of reviews88.5% of reviews — better
Number of ratings11506 — better
Update frequencyEvery 2 months — betterEvery 4 months
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNo — betterYes
MonetizationPaidFree with in-app purchases — better
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod — betteriPad
Requires iOS12.0 — better17.6
Further details — not scored
Size1.9 GB51 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperChristian Schoenebeck d/b/a CrudebyteSugar Bytes GmbH

Customer experience

Oriental Strings

All ratings11 ratings
Positive81.8%
Neutral0.0%
Negative18.2%
Written reviews29 reviews
Positive69.0%
Neutral3.4%
Negative27.6%

Aparillo

All ratings506 ratings
Positive97.4%
Neutral1.2%
Negative1.4%
Written reviews113 reviews
Positive88.5%
Neutral6.2%
Negative5.3%

Bugs and requests

Oriental Strings

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

Aparillo

Reported bugs

2 issues
  • Saved patches not compatible across versions
  • Orbiter parameters not accessible on latest iOS

Requested features

4 requests
  • More preset packs and sound libraries
  • Improved MIDI and automation support
  • Custom tuning and scale options
  • Expanded keyboard and note range

In-app purchases

None

Oriental Strings

No in-app purchases

1 purchases

Aparillo

One-time1
  • Aparillo Full Version$24.99

Questions

Is Oriental Strings free?
Oriental Strings costs $7.99, with no in-app purchases.
Is Aparillo free?
Aparillo is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, Oriental Strings or Aparillo?
Aparillo is rated higher. Oriental Strings averages 4.2 out of 5 from 11 ratings, while Aparillo averages 4.9 from 506 ratings.
Do Oriental Strings or Aparillo have ads?
Neither Oriental Strings nor Aparillo shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Oriental Strings or Aparillo?
Oriental Strings ships an update every 2 months, and Aparillo every 4 months. Most recently, Oriental Strings was updated on September 22, 2026 and Aparillo on September 17, 2026.

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