Mela 5 – AUv3: Synth, FX, MIDI

The usual quality of Mela synths with a very interesting approach to modular building of the patch.

Really enjoyed DYLM as both my post fx chain, or isolated to the Tom’s on my drums- the sound was clear, the delay was tempered (useable). I am super excited for the audio projects our Russian contemporaries are pooping out. Something about the sound of Soviet tech/DSP is endearing and feels more real that lo-fi or down - tempo. Imagine an extreme intoxication from radiation, amphetamine, and Mountain Dew liquor and well you would then have something that is NOT DYLM. It’s more akin to taking some Xanax and watching a fire. Wait, I didn’t even go over the presets yet!!!! Okay, so download this free delay, load it up and test your mic with the dozens of presets - it will show u what DLYM is way better than my words.

This is a direct mainline for getting that sound in your head ; out into the real world , as fast as possible. I have tested so many music apps, and a lot have been great, and others not. this app however , is amazing. it can route audio and midi, and modulate anything faster than everthing else out there. wether it’s used as a synth and audio effect, or a midi app. it does it so well and so fast. when I turn on my iphone or ipad to make music. this is the app I go to first!!!

Nikolozi is an awesome dev, highly engaged with the user community, and he has crafted Mela into a beautiful work of art, both sonic and visual. I’ve only begun to scratch the surface of what Mela can do. With so many types of oscillators, filters, and effects to mix and match, it offers nearly infinite possibilities for sound design. Workflow is smooth and intuitive, and it encourages exploration. As a windsynth player, I especially appreciate the range of expressive control that is possible with Mela. The MIDI Source module allows me to meticulously sculpt the response curve of breath and other continuous controller inputs, so that the most subtle nuances of performance can be captured, processed, and routed for modulation in musically useful ways. The sub-millisecond smoothing adjustment eliminates filter “zippering” and other unwanted steppy artifacts that can plague other synths when controlled by breath, while still keeping latency to a minimum, which is critical for responsive live performance. Mela continues to grow and evolve, with new modules being added all the time, as well as enhancements and refinements to existing functionality. Well worth the price, and well worth investing time and effort to discover, experiment, and enjoy.

I have to say I fully support the new monetization model I think it’s ideal and it shows that the developer is in it for the long haul, and so am I, heck I haven’t even been using it that long, maybe a month or so, but it’s already become my go-to synth. If I can do it in this I’d rather do so. It’s just so fluid to use. And to think I put of getting it because it looked daunting to learn. I’ve been doing this a long time the last thing I wanted to do was learn another ultra-complicated modular synth…. but it’s really not like that at all. I picked it up and within an hour saw how it’s made with being able to do things quickly in mind, that’s important with things like this, you’re not afraid to experiment and try new things because you can build it really quickly and with as few actions as possible. It kind of bridges the gap between the oldschool modular stuff like Reaktor and modern synths like Lion. That brings me back to why I like the new monetization structure, with something this capable and this enjoyable to use, I’m more than happy to invest in its growth because I can see it becoming an all-in-one sound design studio, one that you actually want to use, one that you daydream up new possibilities in while your at work. Yes I bought up the new modules instantly, they will be very useful for fine tuning the sounds. Here’s my short term wishlist: we need a sampler, this thing is so close to the perfect drum synthesizer it’s not even funny… but with samples it will be all the way there. I have so many noise samples that I like to do sound design with I would love to bring them in mela, same goes for pads… mixing synthesis with samples is really where it’s at, I could go on but I think we’ll leave it there those are good examples. A granular processor would be much appreciated also. I’m down to keep feeding money in if you’re down to keep adding to the list of modules. Thank you for making such a useful piece of binary art. I feel I must point out the fact that the interface design is a work of art in itself and it’s quick to make a new color set so I change them all the time to suit my mood, itks one of those nice touches to a synth that go a long way toward an improved user experience. I spend so much time in this kind of think itks nice to have something nice to look at while I’m doing it. Back to the sound, one thing I’m really enjoying is feeding the phase distortion oscillator to a FM oscillator not many things let you do that. It’s very fun. Thi

This is possibly my favorite developer. It was a lot of work to become a poly synth and it’s now my go to synth . Not only are the presets additions beautifying, the set up to Build my own is a joy to use.

This is one of those synths that makes having an iOS device worthwhile: the MIDI effects alone make it useful to be used with hardware or computers. Nikolozi even sent me a code (while Mela4 was on sale) because I requested one since I have limited resources right now. This says more about his character than a review of an app ever could.

I hav been supporting your apps since the beginning love to see how everything has progressed and that your passion and work are still strong as when you started. Always working to correct any bugs and still is bringing new features. Can’t wait to see what the future holds!

I never written a review before, but this app and developer deserve it. As someone who’s been making noise for 10+ years I’m familiar with what’s out there….Kilohearts, FabFilter, Baby Audio, Xfer, CableGuys, etc… this dude is up there with the best. Mela is an incredible platform that I hope never dies. It’s a lean yet infinitely deep instrument…yet it’s an audio effect and did I mention it can do MIDI as well?! Basically any situation you’re in in the studio Mela can be your friend. Niko is an incredible dev who not only cares about the capabilities, quality and aesthetic of Mela but also the FEEL while using. I don’t know how to properly praise such an incredible experience from using the app, to giving my feedback, to getting support, getting regular updates…this isn’t an app…this is a partner in the studio. If you’re into making music, noise, bleeps, bloops, or anything in between this is a must.

Probably my favorite synth on the App Store and it triples as a fantastic audio and midi effect. 100/10.