Arpeggist vs OCTACHRON MIDI Drum Sequencer
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
Arpeggist
This app transforms single notes or chords into complex musical patterns using a programmable step matrix editor and a unique random generator. It allows for live playing with an onscreen or hardware keyboard and includes an internal sound generator for immediate use.
- Programmable step matrix editor
- Random arpeggio generator
- Live playing with onscreen keyboard
- Internal sound generator
- Chord generator
- Dozens of selectable scales
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Arpeggist is a MIDI Note arpeggiator with a very flexible step matrix editor for programming and a unique “rolling dice” random arpeggio generator. You can build arpeggios from scratch or use one of the factory arpeggios as foundation. You can also create an unlimited number of user arpeggio presets. Just play a chord or a single note and it gets transformed into a grooving monophonic synth line or a rhythmical chord pattern. Full featured programmable Arpeggiator • User programmable sequences with up to 32 steps. • Can trigger single notes and chords. • Unique randomizer generates Arpeggios with 100% usability. • 40 Factory arpeggios included, unlimited user arpeggios possible. • For each step you can program tie (bound notes), accent, transposition and note order • Use to control MIDI compatible Synthesiser Live • Play trigger notes live with the onscreen keyboard. • Optionally use CoreMIDI compatible hardware keyboard. • Chord generator plays complex chords on one finger playing. • Internal sound generator. • Selectable Arpeggiator MIDI Output port. • Dozens of scales selectable • Variable Keyboard layout for scale optimized playing Global • Audiobus 2 compatible (Input slot) with Preset saving. • Inter App Audio • Exchange user presets with File Sharing in iTunes. • Support for virtual MIDI input/output connections.
OCTACHRON MIDI Drum Sequencer
This app is a flexible MIDI drum sequencer for iOS, offering up to 16 tracks with advanced modulation and sequencing. It can be used standalone or as an AUv3 plugin in DAWs, and is optimized for drums but also suitable for melodies. It requires iOS 12 or higher.
- 16 mutable tracks
- AUv3 MIDI plugin
- Standalone operation
- Parameter locking
- Smart randomizer
- Chainable patterns
- Custom time signatures
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OCTACHRON is a very flexible iOS MIDI Drum Sequencer with up to 16 tracks and rich modulation and sequencing capabilities. It is optimized for drums, but also a lot of fun for basic melody lines. It works standalone or as AUv3 MIDI plugin in your favorite iOS DAW or mixer. (E.g. AUM, Logic Pro, Cubasis, Beatmaker, ApeMatrix, Groove Rider, Nanostudio and more (not GarageBand)) PRESS REVIEWS - “OCTACHRON is almost perfect now” (haQ attaQ) - “Favorite MIDI Sequencer - User's Choice Award 2022” (iOS AUv3 Facebook Group) - “An exciting MIDI sequencer with advanced features” (Synth Anatomy) - “Particularly the probability parameters are a lot of fun” (Amazona) !!! PLEASE NOTICE: OCTACHRON IS A MIDI SEQUENCER AND DOES NOT CREATE ANY SOUNDS OF ITS OWN !!! We believe in specialization. This is why OCTACHRON is focused on in depth MIDI sequencing. Control your favorite iOS drums like Blip Box, Ruismaker or MV08, synths like Zeeon or Model D or any other hard- or software MIDI instrument with it. iOS 12 or higher required. If used with a host software, this has to be compatible with the MIDI AudioUnit standard. OVERVIEW - Standalone or AUv3 AudioUnit - 1-32 steps with flexible clock divider and custom time signatures - Up to 16 mutable tracks with adjustable length - Up to 8 chainable patterns (song mode) - Swing with flexible swing grid - Save, restore and export your pattern presets, MIDI files and MIDI mapping presets - Parameter lock for velocity, ratcheting, offset, trigger probability, trigger condition, gate length and MIDI CC Modulation - Scales generator - MIDI control pattern selection, play and mute - Customizable mapping and mapping presets - Works iOS 12 upwards - Optimized for iPad and iPhone - Also compatible standalone with M Macs and Apple Vision Pro LOTS OF MAPPING PRESETS FOR POPULAR DRUM APPS AND HARDWARE - AR-909, Axxon 2 & Blip Box - Dadamachines Automat, Digistix & DM1/DM2/Drumlab - DrumComputer by Sugar Bytes - EGDR 606, 808 & 909 - FAC Drumkit, Hammerhead - Koala Sampler & Korg Gadgets - MV08 & NS2 Slate - Pure Acid Drums - Ruismaker & Ruismaker FM - SDS-X, Sitala & Splat-To-Clat - VA Drum SM, VA Drum2 808 & 909 - Vatanator - Korg Electribe EMX & ER-1 - Korg Volca Beats - MFB 522 - Roland MC-101 - Roland TR-08 - Roland TR-707 & 727 - Roland TR-808 - Roland TR-909 Also save, load and share your own MIDI mappings ... SMART RANDOMIZER - Smart pattern randomizer - Randomizer configuration per track - Trigger mutation per track - Mutation of internal and CC modulation parameters PARAMETER LOCK - Velocity and MIDI CC modulation - Multiple hits per step with ratcheting - Offset - Trigger probability - Trigger condition - Gate length - MIDI CC on every step - 8 CCs per Track - Mutation of Internal and CC Modulation TRACK SETTINGS - Assign MIDI notes to each track or use mapping presets - Individual track length to create polyrhythms LIVE PERFORMANCE FEATURES - Instant pattern switch option - Mute function per track to easily build up layers CONNECTIVIY - Sequence other standalone apps, AUv3 AudioUnits or external hardware via MIDI - OCTACHRON derives its timing from the host application, its internal clock or via AbletonLink - Trigger on different MIDI channels per track NO TRACKING - OCTACHRON works offline - No push notifications - No ads or in-app purchases - No tracking tools - Active on social media and in the mobile music community - Ongoing development and support and many new features on the list FOR MELODIC INSTRUMENTS GENERATE VARIOUS SCALES IN ALL KEYS OCTACHRON is optimized for drums. But it also supports standard melodic scales like major, minor and also more unusual ones like mixolydian, phrygian and more ...
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is review sentiment: OCTACHRON MIDI Drum Sequencer at 81% against Arpeggist's 14%. OCTACHRON MIDI Drum Sequencer also leads on rating (4.6 vs 2.0) and ratings volume (106 vs 3). Arpeggist's advantage is price ($2.99 vs $9.99) and iOS requirement (7.0 vs 12.0). On update cadence, 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
Arpeggist costs $2.99 and OCTACHRON MIDI Drum Sequencer $9.99 up front. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.
OCTACHRON MIDI Drum Sequencer holds the better App Store score, 4.6 against 2.0. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: OCTACHRON MIDI Drum Sequencer has 106 ratings behind it against 3, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 14% of Arpeggist's written reviews are positive against 81% of OCTACHRON MIDI Drum Sequencer's.
Arpeggist ships an update every 5 weeks, OCTACHRON MIDI Drum Sequencer every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on November 1, 2026 and November 2, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | Arpeggist | OCTACHRON MIDI Drum Sequencer |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $2.99 — better | $9.99 |
| Rating | 2.0 (3 ratings) | 4.6 (106 ratings) — better |
| Positive reviews | 13.6% of reviews | 81.0% of reviews — better |
| Number of ratings | 3 | 106 — better |
| Update frequency | Every 5 weeks — better | Every 2 months |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Monetization | Paid | Paid |
| Devices | iPad | iPhone, iPad, iPod — better |
| Requires iOS | 7.0 — better | 12.0 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 11 MB | 12 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Harry Gohs | Markus Teufel |
Customer experience
Arpeggist
OCTACHRON MIDI Drum Sequencer
Bugs and requests
Arpeggist
Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.
OCTACHRON MIDI Drum Sequencer
Reported bugs
24 issues- Clock div issues reported
- No sound output reported
- Projects broken by update
- Skipping first note on pattern change
- GUI glitchy/choppy
Show 19 moreShow fewer
- Crashing when loading custom mapping
- Repeating notes unexpectedly
- Kick muting in song mode
- Controller faders not working perfectly
- Unwanted random notes
- MIDI recording not an option
- Pattern change via MIDI difficult
- GarageBand AUv3 compatibility issues
- No sound output
- Projects corrupted after update
- Clock division not working
- Difficulty changing patterns
- MIDI note sequences cannot be recorded
- Choppy visual experience
- Random notes played with ThumbJam
- Crash when loading saved custom mapping
- Skipping first note when switching patterns
- Repeating notes without repeat enabled
- Kick drum mutes in song mode
Requested features
26 requests- Add touchable pads
- Add MIDI Step record feature
- Add triplets
- Add MIDI file export and import
- Add system-wide preset save and load
Show 21 moreShow fewer
- Add randomization for different genres
- Increase channel count to 16
- Add more options for MIDI input for real-time control
- Add MIDI learn button for each track
- Add option to record drums live into the sequencer
- Add more patterns
- Follow mode for song mode GUI
- Enhanced mod edit mode with inline editing
- Ability to drag/select patterns in song mode to auto loop
- App preset for Arturia iSpark
- MIDI channel per drum sound
- Number indicating parameter value while changing
- Ability to tie patterns
- Note length option
- 16 channel support
- MIDI channel per track
- Pattern resync for DAW synchronization
- Expandable number of patterns and rows
- Preview sounds
- Import sound directly into slots
- Triplets division
In-app purchases
Arpeggist
No in-app purchases
OCTACHRON MIDI Drum Sequencer
No in-app purchases
Questions
Is Arpeggist free?
Is OCTACHRON MIDI Drum Sequencer free?
Which has better reviews, Arpeggist or OCTACHRON MIDI Drum Sequencer?
Do Arpeggist or OCTACHRON MIDI Drum Sequencer have ads?
Which is updated more often, Arpeggist or OCTACHRON MIDI Drum Sequencer?
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