GSDSP MagicBlur 4+

As advertised

Magic Blur works as the blurb suggests it will, as a lovely sound-twisting effects set.

The interface may be needlessly inscrutable in places. Not enough parameter information appears in the display, either in the form of always-visible data or through optional settings or as on-touch floating boxes. But in both cases, these design choices have become - sadly and annoyingly - common among app developers. The look of the app seems to take precedence, for too many music-app developers, over usefulness.

This developer shouldn’t be singled out for doing what most developers do in this regard, but I mention it in the hope the developer will adjust some of the function labels and provide more MIDI-parameter data.

The ability to replicate elements of effects/sounds and to be precise about specifying what an app should do and is doing is one of the key strengths of computer music production. Developers lately have forgotten this in misguided efforts to force users to “use their ears” or in hopeless attempts to replicate the workflow of antique equipment.

The MIDI data is there anyway, in some form, behind the scenes. As a general matter, regardless of the particular app or developer, I want to be able to see this data and to use it without guesswork, triangulation, or fiddling at length with GUI controls to get simple results.

That said, once you understand the controls, for sound-shaping core of the app works beautifully, providing a wide range of modulation. There is not a lot in the app store offering a direct parallel. Apesoft and the related Amazing Noises offer partially overlapping products, to give examples, but this one finds its own distinct place.

On the whole, this app is worth the full load of review “stars”.

One odd, if minor, thing: it would cost me more to “complete my bundle” than to buy the one app I do not own from the new bundle offer. That should not happen.

Developer Response ,

Thank you for your very thoughtful comments. We love this sort of high quality feedback and always take it into account when designing. Regarding the bundle. The rules of the store are unfortunately outside our control.