RISCy is a drag and drop synthesizer puzzle full of sonic perturbation. You live code via the limited instruction set in the lower part of the interface; drag out tokens to the top area to build your synth graph, drag a token back off the top area to remove it. Each token has an aural consequence, and some special tokens also change the nature of the hidden graph connecting active tokens; puzzling out these relationships is part of the fun. You'll be able to make lots of noisy sounds as well as generative sequenced patterns. Press ! to clear the graph and reset; press ? to get a random starting point. Download RISCy if you are open to stranger computer music sounds, and avoid it if you just want diatonic melodies and piano sounds!
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RISCy FAQ
Is RISCy free?
Yes, RISCy is completely free and it doesn't have any in-app purchases or subscriptions.
Is RISCy legit?
🤔 The RISCy app's quality is mixed. Some users are satisfied, while others report issues. Consider reading individual reviews for more context.
Had this app a long time now and wanted to say: it's a cool hidden gem I use to get strange synth loops. No audiobus or connectivity that I know of so recording it is a challenge but nonetheless, I do find I keep going back to it, along with all of Nic Collins' notes and writings on diy noise making. Thank you for your brilliance.
Pretty interesting !! i like how different it is
i dont seem to have much control but its pretty cool and free ! Thank you .
Spectacular App!
I love RISCy! Been using it since around January and continue to learn new tricks and enjoy it. Definitely recommend downloading it.
No, there is no save, copy, or export but that is part of the beauty of the app. I'm sure the dev has his reasons for not doing this and I have no problem with it whatsoever.
In most music apps, I would be displeased by the above but I feel it adds to the random, generative, one-time nature of it. Sometimes we need to learn that art doesn't have to be permanent; the most beautiful things are often those which are transient. Besides, it is not too terribly difficult to insert a double male jack to output it to the recording device of your choice if you do want to revisit a creation later.
I, personally, do not mind it being mono. Works better for output recording, at least for me. And if you want stereo, not too hard to achieve when working with it as a recorded audio file.
If there were a landscape mode, it would alter the parameters--I am assuming, at least--so I'm happy with the vertical view. I suppose if the parameters would, in fact, be different, it could make for an interesting extra way to create, but there is enough fun to be had as-is, so I am far from complaining here.
The new delay and tempo tokens make me quite happy. Thanks for adding those! I was giddy when I saw there was an update and even more so to see what the new additions were.
My favorite part about this app is it can produce great results whether you are not in the mood to think as you create or for when you do want to think as you create. Anyone who appreciates good old noise will have a blast with this app. One of my favorite uses for this app is to get a nice noise bit going and leave it running as a base for creating over live with comps and hardware.
Definitely heed the sound level warning seen when the app first opens, especially with headphones as it can get quite loud. Just because it seems low one minute does not mean you won't make a change which is loud. Learned the hard way.
Download it. What are you out if you don't like it? Nothing.
Shalom [+] thebananarepublican
I dig it!
beautiful
unique
weird
impossible
complex
simple
Good app, great for the money
I really like Nicholas Collins' apps. I am entirely in favor of his attitude concerning the improvisational nature of them, so I'm not terribly bothered by the lack of saving settings here (still would have appreciated it though).
Two particular complaints: on the iPod Touch, it's close to impossible to read or manipulate the tokens. It generally takes me several tries to pull a token into the field. Also, while again I like the wild and unpredictable quality of the tokens, is it too much to ask for a few words of explanation, a few definitions of the functions? I feel like any results I get are entirely based on accident. I'm more than willing to experiment even when I know what things do.
Still, as they say it's worth all the money. I absolutely see myself using this as part of my arsenal of iPod-based soundmakers.
Darn cool !
What a deliciously weird app. I love it.
Yep cool
Fascinating sound and tone generator. Would love to be able to copy and paste some of the interesting results to manipulate in music creation apps. Very cool and mesmerizing
Free is good
Oh come on! Only one portrait orientation and no landscape? Strike 1. Not designed for iOS 4. Throw it in the background and you lose everything. Strike 2. No save. Strike 3. Mono. Strike 4. Sounds too limited. Strike 5. Not native iPad supported. Use x2 pixel doubler. Strike 6. Oh that's right...you only get 3 strikes. Well like I said, free is good. Interesting idea though. It's fun not serious app.
The master of the bizarre
I love this man. Another gem. Thanks for sharing your madness with the world...
Jordan Rudess
Wizdom Music
Nick Collins is the MaN!!!
Yet another gem from the mind of the mad man! RISCy is just crazy good thanks, Nicholas!!! just awesome....Love it!...the only reason I don't have PhotoNoise yet is because I don't have an iPad ...yet ;)