The Android music app scene isn’t nearly as robust as its iOS counterpart, and the reasons for which are beyond the scope of this article. One virtual synth app for Android worth checking out is the imaginatively titled: Common Analog Synthesizer. It provides a great sound, familiar synth controls, and the dreaded Android latency issues aren’t too much of a problem.
Common Analog Synthesizer for Android Features
- Good Quality Virtual Analog Synth Engine
- Two Oscillators with Sync and Cross-Modulation
- One LFO, Three Envelopes, LP/HP Filter
- Native Android Code to Improve Latency
- MIDI Controller Support
- Available for FREE from the Google Play Store
Android owners looking for an easy and cheap way to explore the alluring world of analog synthesis need look no farther than Common Analog Synthesizer. Downloading this Android synth app is a no-brainer.
A Great Introduction to Analog Synthesis for the Android platform
Common Analog Synthesizer sports a clean interface, making it easy to dive right into patch tweaking. The app comes with 10 presets which serve nicely as starting points for your own designs. Experts will feel at home with the standard set of subtractive synthesis controls.
Common Analog Synthesizer sports a clean interface. Screenshot by Author.
It is possible to sync and/or cross-modulate the oscillators (saw, pulse and sine waves), adding a sharp brightness to the synth tones. The filter also provides a measure of bite, especially when the resonance is boosted. The sound quality is fine, and the controls are generally responsive, which reveals a nice programming job on the latency-hampered Android platform.
Setting the modulation envelope on a slow attack and decay is a great way to add a sense of motion to a synth patch. MIDI control capabilities with a remote keyboard round out Common Analog Synthesizer’s feature set.
Common Analog Synthesizer includes basic MIDI connectivity. Screenshot by Author.
Oxxxide, the app’s developer, also has released an FM synth app and a more feature-laden paid app, called ExSynth. The latter features an analog sequencer, something that would have been nice in Common Analog Synthesizer — or at least an arpeggiator.
Android fans looking for a great synth app need to download Common Analog Synthesizer. It gives hope for the future of music apps on the Android platform.
[…] be a frustrating process compared to Apple’s iOS platform. Android music apps like kosm and Common Analog Synthesizer are fun, but the dreaded latency conspires to spoil the process. Samsung hopes to change all that […]