SoundPrism Review

Music creation apps have a storied history on iOS devices. One need only perform a few cursory YouTube searches to turn up countless videos of people playing the Zelda theme with Ocarina or cats attempting "Fur Elise" with Magic Piano. In a marketplace so saturated with musical tools, however, is there still room for innovation? Audanika's SoundPrism, which is thrilling to use, and as visually soothing as it is mellifluous, proves that there is.

At a basic level, SoundPrism is an enigma, and one that is almost daunting in its simplicity. Audanika's website for the app claims, "We're not entirely sure what SoundPrism is. We think it might be a musical instrument, but we're learning new stuff playing with it every day...which sometimes goes beyond the scale of that." A tongue-in-cheek statement, perhaps, but one that rings true. After a weekend (and at least one late night) with the app, I don't know whether to label it an instrument, a party game, or a meditation tool

Part of the initial mystery comes from a lack of explanation on the part of the developers. Aside from the opening splash and the barebones message in the "About" menu, there is no text in the entire app. Instead, on boot-up, the user is greeted by a minimalist screen filled with an array of gently luminous neon rectangles. Along the top is a menu that contains more rectangles filled with varying numbers of squares, and along the bottom, another menu yields several different abstract spiral patterns and a tiny picture of a hand.

Screen geography is explained as follows. The bulk of the screen contains the notes. A horizontal line holds several octaves of the same note. As you work your way up the darker rectangles, you create harmonic chords (multi-tap functionality allows three note presses at once). A slide bar along the left side of the screen enables you to change key--each modulation of which bathes the screen in a new color. The top menu lets you select how many notes to play with a single touch, and the bottom menu lets you select one of four instruments (from a brash, house music buzz, to a dulcet, otherworldly chime). You can also use the hand button to sustain notes.

Even though this may seem like a lot to take in, once you start sliding your fingers across the screen and experimenting with the various menu options, you will find that jumping in and creating music, from simple melodies to atmospheric soundscapes, is both easy and intuitive. Additionally, even though Audanika engineered SoundPrism by keeping some fairly heady music theory in mind, no prior knowledge or ability is required on the part of the user. Plus, if you are the kind of person who prefers some handholding, Audanika CEO Sebastian Dittman has created a number of helpful tutorials on YouTube.

To put it simply, it is easy to lose track of time and become absorbed by the app. You can tap out simple, quick tunes or experiment with sustained notes and languid, expansive chords, all while being lulled by the gentle colors and pulsing lights. Furthermore, one of the stunning features of SoundPrism is that it was designed in such a way that it is actually impossible to play music that is cacophonous or dissonant. While every tune you create may not be a Mozart, it will at least be harmonious. Along the way, you will never be distracted by complicated menus, endless options, or a frustrating learning curve.

If there is one problem with SoundPrism, however, it is that same lack of complexity. The app's stripped-down functionality means that you cannot create loops, save projects, or export your work. Also, the instrument options are few, and there is no built-in beatbox or metronome. All of these are minor quibbles with an app that is designed to be a streamlined "musical landscape for [you] to explore."

While the $3.99 price tag may be a hard sell for some, given the simplicity of the app, the sheer fun of exploring the interface and easily creating beautiful sounding music is undeniable. The lack of features will also likely keep the app out of must-buy territory for a number of people, but if you are a musical dabbler with a long weekend ahead of you (or a dedicated composer with a Korg KP3 effects processor), SoundPrism might just be the perfect getaway.