Oriental Strings vs Pro
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
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.
- 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
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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.
Pro
This app emulates the sound of an iconic analog poly synthesizer, offering a wide range of sonic possibilities from warm pads to soaring leads. It features advanced modeling, multiple filter styles, and extensive customization options for musicians.
- 10-voice polyphonic analog synth emulation
- Authentic Poly-Mod and filter modeling
- Dual filter styles: Classic Stepped and Modern Smooth
- Extensive preset library with 600+ sounds
- Microtonality panel with 150 curated scales
- AUv3 plugin support for DAWs
- Vintage-style step sequencer and arpeggiator
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PRO-A5 (10-Voice Analog Synth) Experience the warm organic sound of the most iconic analog poly synth ever made. From Lush Brass, Silky Pads and Basses to Soaring Leads, this is the sound that defined Music Icons from the 80s to Radiohead. MAKE THE MUSIC YOU LOVE "SOUNDS AMAZING!" – Jim Sheridan, Live Band on "Name that Tune" TV Show on Fox Indie, Hip Hop, Pop, Funk, 80s, Synthwave, Rock, Lo-Fi, EDM, Ambient.. your sound awaits! "Sounds Authentic and Beautiful" – Synth Anatomy PURE SYNTH POWER! 2 FILTERS: Classic "REV 3" Inspired Stepped Filter Grit with Beautiful Stepping & Modern Smooth options Powerful Oscillator Sync, Poly Mod, Per-voice Analog Panning, Poly Unison stacks... "Pro-A5 synth is bonkers!!! Great job!!" – Kennard Garrett, Grammy-winning producer Plus a magic “Tune Rez” button that instantly tunes the filter self-oscillation so you can play the filter “I’m speechless. My most favorite analog synth on iPad ever. Unbelievable 70s / 80s feel” – Jay Zen, Producer "Fantastic! I've got at least 100 synths, yet Pro-A5 has impressed me. Great emulation and sounds unique. Genius!" – DMT Cymatics "This thing sounds totally insane. Makes me want to put wooden sides on my iPad" – Bri Kup "It has that warmth that other digital synths don't have" – Fieldtone Audio WATCH VIDEOS TO HEAR IT IN ACTION: audiokitpro.com/proa5 FEATURES • Desktop-VST Quality 10-Voice poly synth • NEW Sound Engine with advanced analog-modeling DSP • Authentic Poly-Mod with Filter ENV & OSC B as sources • Professionally modeled filter with self-oscillation • MICROTONALITY Panel + 150 Curated Scales (Microtonal, Indian, 12-tone, and more) • 600+ Exclusive Presets included (more to come) • 2 Filter styles: Classic Stepped "REV 3" Inspired and Modern Smooth • Magic “Tune Rez” button to instantly tune self-oscillation • 10 voices x 5 unison voices = almost a P-50?! You know the sound. If you need more details: • Raw, gritty Oscillator Sync • Accurate PWM engine with unique hardware-style Poly Mod behavior • Per-Voice Analog Panning • Single Note Polyphony for mono and poly sounds • 2x oversampling for more analog-style lows and highs • Original Hardware controls fit on one screen on iPad! • Aftertouch with 60+ possible destinations • 3 LFOs with 60+ destinations • LFO Shapes use analog resistor-mix behavior with soft-limiting • Dual assignable Touch Pads for real-time performance control • Classic Arpeggiator • Vintage-style Step Sequencer • NEW Cascading Reverb • FX: Rage Limiter, Analog Tape Delay, Chorus, Crush, and more • MIDI keyboard support + MIDI Learn • Universal app for iPhone and iPad • 432 Hz and selectable A-Tuning • Choose a key like Cm, Bb, Fm, and more. Select from Major, Minor, Blues, Pentatonic, and other scales you know and love! • Bonus Filter panel with slopes, envelope inversions, and extra goodies • No ads, subscriptions, or in-app purchases WORKS AS A PLUG-IN Use PRO-A5 as an AUv3 instrument in Logic for iPad, GarageBand, AUM, Cubasis, and more. WORKS BY ITSELF No other apps required. Play it standalone, connect a MIDI keyboard, map your controls with MIDI Learn, and start making music right away. EXPRESSIVE CONTROL PRO-A5 is built for performance. Use velocity, aftertouch, touch pads, LFOs, Poly Mod, MIDI Learn, and real-time FX control to make sounds move, breathe, and evolve. FREE UPGRADES MPE and Polyphonic Aftertouch are planned as a FREE future upgrade. PRO-A5 brings classic poly synth magic into the future. LEGAL NOTICES PRO-A5 is an original AudioKit instrument created to celebrate music-making and classic analog synthesis. It is not an official emulation, clone, or recreation of any specific hardware instrument. “REV 3” is used descriptively to refer to a revision-style sound character and does not imply affiliation with or endorsement by Sequential or any other third-party manufacturer. All trademarks are the property of their respective owners.
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is rating: Pro at 4.8 against Oriental Strings's 4.2. Pro also leads on update cadence (every 4 days vs every 2 months) and review sentiment (96% vs 69%). Oriental Strings's advantage is iOS requirement (12.0 vs 14.4). On price, ads, in-app purchases and monetization model 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
Oriental Strings costs $7.99 and Pro $7.99 up front. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.
Pro holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 4.2. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Pro has 78 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 96% of Pro's.
Oriental Strings ships an update every 2 months, Pro every 4 days. The most recent releases landed on October 5, 2026 and October 15, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | Oriental Strings | Pro |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $7.99 | $7.99 |
| Rating | 4.2 (11 ratings) | 4.8 (78 ratings) — better |
| Positive reviews | 69.0% of reviews | 95.5% of reviews — better |
| Number of ratings | 11 | 78 — better |
| Update frequency | Every 2 months | Every 4 days — better |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Monetization | Paid | Paid |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Requires iOS | 12.0 — better | 14.4 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 1.9 GB | 64 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Christian Schoenebeck d/b/a Crudebyte | AudioKit Pro |
Customer experience
Oriental Strings
Pro
In-app purchases
Oriental Strings
No in-app purchases
Pro
No in-app purchases









