Comparison

Oriental Strings vs Cantoria

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

Cantoria

This app is a virtual pipe organ that uses physical modeling and additive synthesis to emulate a Baroque-style instrument. It offers a dynamic sound range, expression pedal control, and built-in effects, functioning as both a standalone application and an audio plugin.

Highlights
  • Physical modeling engine (no samples)
  • Full polyphony (61 notes, 776 pipes)
  • 9 organ stops
  • 3 couplers
  • Tremulant motor
  • Swell pedal
  • Built-in stereo reverb
Features
Read full description

GSi Cantoria is a physical modeling emulation of a Baroque-style Pipe Organ. INSTRUMENT BACKGROUND A pipe organ is not something you see every day, there are thousands of different pipe organs that differ by the number of stops, the number of manuals, the number and the type of pipes, their size, their position, etc. Cantoria is a Baroque-style organ based on a single manual and 9 stops plus 3 couplers and the classic "tremulant" effect. This type of organ has "only" 776 pipes, which Cantoria simulates one by one. It doesn't sound "massive" like bigger organs, but is very dynamic and can vary from a soft delicate flute sound to a loud and majestic. vibrant full organ. This synth engine works as an hybrid synthesizer, uses additive synthesis and physical modeling together, there are no samples involved. The expression pedal responds naturally and varies the amount of air that passes through the pipes. About the name: the name we chose for this plugin "CANTORIA" is the italian name of the place, inside a Church, where the organ and the choir are located. Main features: - Physical Modeling engine (no samples) - Full Polyphony (61 notes, 776 pipes) - 9 Organ Stops - 3 Couplers - Tremulant Motor - Swell Pedal - Built-in Stereo Reverb effect - Built-in programmer with unlimited Programs - Embedded user's manual - Available as Stand-alone application and audio plugin - Very low CPU and RAM usage Works as AUv3 plugin.

Screenshots

Oriental Strings4 screens
Cantoria1 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is price: Cantoria at Free against Oriental Strings's $7.99. Cantoria also leads on rating (4.8 vs 4.2) and update cadence (every 4 days vs every 2 months). On ratings volume, ads, in-app purchases 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

Cantoria is free to download; Oriental Strings costs $7.99 up front. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Cantoria holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 4.2. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 11 and 23 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 69% of Oriental Strings's written reviews are positive against 94% of Cantoria's.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

Oriental Strings ships an update every 2 months, Cantoria every 4 days. The most recent releases landed on October 5, 2026 and October 10, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard5 real differences · 5 level
Oriental Strings versus Cantoria: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterOriental StringsCantoria
Price$7.99Free — better
Rating4.2 (11 ratings)4.8 (23 ratings) — better
Positive reviews69.0% of reviews93.8% of reviews — better
Number of ratings1123 — better
Update frequencyEvery 2 monthsEvery 4 days — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationPaidFree — better
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPodiPhone, iPad, iPod
Requires iOS12.011 — better
Further details — not scored
Size1.9 GB23 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperChristian Schoenebeck d/b/a CrudebyteGenuine Soundware

Customer experience

Oriental Strings

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

Cantoria

All ratings23 ratings
Positive95.7%
Neutral0.0%
Negative4.3%
Written reviews16 reviews
Positive93.8%
Neutral0.0%
Negative6.3%

In-app purchases

None

Oriental Strings

No in-app purchases

None

Cantoria

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is Oriental Strings free?
Oriental Strings costs $7.99, with no in-app purchases.
Is Cantoria free?
Cantoria is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, Oriental Strings or Cantoria?
Cantoria is rated higher. Oriental Strings averages 4.2 out of 5 from 11 ratings, while Cantoria averages 4.8 from 23 ratings.
Do Oriental Strings or Cantoria have ads?
Neither Oriental Strings nor Cantoria shows ads.
Which is updated more often, Oriental Strings or Cantoria?
Oriental Strings ships an update every 2 months, and Cantoria every 4 days. Most recently, Oriental Strings was updated on October 5, 2026 and Cantoria on October 10, 2026.

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