Synthtopia

At the 2015 NAMM Show, Yamaha introduced a new iOS app that combines a virtual synth with vintage synths – the Yamaha Synth Book.

This app features a complete history of Yamaha Synthesizers, an integrated virtual analog soft synth, and serves as a portal to Yamaha’s online synth communities.

The app is being released as part of Yamaha’s celebration of its 40 year history of makin

The history features detailed, “behind the scenes” information about the 40-year design and development history of Yamaha synthesizers. It covers the technological breakthroughs behind key Yamaha synthesizers, from teh CS-80 to the DX-7, and some fantastic vintage synth rarities, too.

The app also includes a software synthesizer. .

AN2015 features virtual analog modeling like the AN1x. It also features a drum part that you can use for backing.

Yamaha highlights two ways to use the synth:

• As standalone iOS app – There are 2 modes available, SYNTH mode and Drum mode that work at the same time, e.g. when drum phrase is playing, Analog sound can be selectable and playable with the drum phrase, and vice versa without stopping ongoing music
• Use it with a MOXF as an external tone generator – When connected to the Yamaha MOXF Music Production Synthesizer (OS version 1.10) using the Lightning to USB Camera Adapter by Apple, the MOXF becomes the MIDI/Audio interface for the iOS app creating a very powerful music production system.

Specifications

• ‘Analogue’ Synth
  • Tone Generator: Virtual Analogue Modelling
  • Polyphony: 8
  • Preset voice: 64
  • Arpeggiator: 1-Scale: 1
  • Polyphonic Pad
• Drum Part
  • Tone Generator: Audio (Drum loop and time stretch function included)
  • Part: 1
  • Polyphony: 1
  • Drum Pad: 16
  • Drum Pad Set: 5

Other features include a portal to Yamaha’s social media forums and a catalog of the company’s current synth lineup.

Yamaha Synth Book is a free download from the App Store.