Can you point me to the GeoShred Help Resources?
There are many resources to help you with questions that you may have about GeoShred. Here are some resources that you might find helpful.
Video User Manual and Application Notes
There is an 8 chapter video user manual, and over 30 "how-to" application notes covering many common scenarios
- In GeoShred go to "Menu > Help > Video Manual and Application Notes"
- On our YouTube channel at https://www.moforte.com/GeoShredTutorial
- On the moForte Website at https://www.moforte.com go to "Menu > GeoShred > Video Manual and Application Notes"
Reference Manual
- There is extensive reference manual in GeoShred under "Menu > Help"
- Online here at https://www.moforte.com/GeoShredHelp
- Note that there is a search box at the top of "Menu > Help" to assist you with searching the help system
FAQs
The extensive FAQ topics cover the most common questions that we have been asked over the years.
- In GeoShred under "Menu > Help > FAQs".
- Online here at https://www.moforte.com/faqs
Jordan Rudess Master Class
- Jordan Rudess also has a master class here: https://www.moforte.com/JordanRudessMasterClass
Context Sensitive Help
- Under the '?' there is a context sensitive help system. For the three primary views it brings up bubble help. For the instruments and effects processing units it will navigate the help system. "
Help in Other Languages
- It's possible to view the reference manual in other languages using Google Translate.
- The User Videos can also be subtitled using Google Translate.
email Support
- Finally if you can't find what you are looking for, you can send us an email at: support '@' moforte.com
Here is a video showing how to access the GeoShred Help Resources
Here is a video that shows how to access the GeoShred Help Resources in other languages using Google Translate:
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How can I see the GeoShred Help Resources in another language?
It's possible to view the reference manual in other languages using Google Translate. The User Videos can also be subtitled using Google Translate. Here is a video that shows how to access the GeoShred Help Resources in other languages using Google Translate:
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Can I search the GeoShred Help Resources?
Yes, there is a search box at the top of help that you can use to search the help system:
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Can I see the GeoShred Help resources in China?
Unfortunately, the GeoShred help resources cannot be seen in China unless you are using a VPN. In the future, we plan to host the GeoShred help resources inside China.
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Is there a PDF manual?
Because GeoShred is a complex product, we feel that explaining how GeoShred works, is best done with a video user manual. There is also a reference manual under "Menu > Help". Because the reference manual is deeply linked it does not translate well to PDF. Here is information on where to find the user video manual, and the reference manual.
Video User Manual and Application Notes
There is an 8 chapter video user manual, and over 30 "how-to" application notes covering many common scenarios
- In GeoShred go to "Menu > Help > Video Manual and Application Notes"
- On our YouTube Channel at https://www.moforte.com/GeoShredTutorial
- On the moForte Website at https://www.moforte.com go to "Menu > GeoShred > Video Manual and Application Notes"
Reference Manual
- There is extensive reference manual in GeoShred under "Menu > Help"
- Online here at https://www.moforte.com/GeoShredHelp
- Note that there is a search box at the top of "Menu > Help" to assist you with searching the help system
FAQs
The extensive FAQ topics cover the most common questions that we have been asked over the years.
- In GeoShred under "Menu > Help > FAQs".
- Online here at https://www.moforte.com/faqs
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How do I get support for GeoShred?
You can mail questions to support '@' moforte.com, or in GeoShred you can go to "Menu> Help> Report a Problem".
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Is writing a review about a problem a good way to get customer support?
Nope! a review is not an effective way to get support. It takes 2-3 days for your review to appear, and 2-3 days for our response to reach you. It's really better to reach out to us directly at support@moforte.com. We usually respond within a few hours during California working hours and often within minutes.
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How do I write a Review?
If you like GeoShred please consider writing a review. The reviews help us keep the features coming. You can write a review for GeoShred by tapping on "Menu > Help > Review Button" (on the bottom of the page).
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Can you point me to educational resources for GeoShred, classes, teachers?
Here are several resources for learning how to play GeoShred.
- LivDemy (https://www.livdemy.com/) has classes, some with Mahesh Raghvan and some with Madan Pisharody.
- Madan Pisharody offers classes through Swar Laya Music Production https://swarlaya.com/
- Raji Krishnan offers classes. See her YouTube Channel (https://www.youtube.com/@rajikrishnan7889/videos ) and email raji.rahul.krish@gmail.com
- Jordan Rudess also has a master class here: https://www.moforte.com/JordanRudessMasterClass
- There is a detailed video manual and application notes here:
https://www.moforte.com/GeoShredTutorial
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What are the basics about the GeoSWAM instruments? How much do they cost?
- The GeoSWAM Models that are integrated into GeoShred are known as the GeoSWAM Instruments.
- There are 11 instruments, GeoPizzBass, GeoCello, GeoViola, GeoViolin, GeoFlute, GeoBassFlute, GeoTenorSax, GeoClarinet, GeoOboe, GeoTrumpet, GeoBassTrombone.
- There is an IAP store in GeoShred for purchasing the GeoSWAM instruments.
- For GeoShred Pro, Play and Control the standard price for the GeoSWAM Instruments is $14.99 USD each.
- For GeoShred Studio on the Mac the standard price for the GeoSWAM Instruments is $50.00 USD each.
- There are also three collections which offer a lower cost than purchasing the instruments individually.
- GeoSWAM Collection I: Bowed Strings and Woodwinds - This collection offers 6 instruments for the price of 5! The collection includes the following 6 GeoSWAM instruments: GeoViolin, GeoCello, GeoTenor Sax, GeoFlute, GeoClarinet and GeoOboe.
- For GeoShred Pro, Play and Control this collection is $74.99 USD.
- For GeoShred Studio on the Mac this collection is are $250.00 USD.
- GeoSWAM Collection II: Brass, Bass Flute, Pizz Bass and Viola -This collection offers 5 instruments for the price of 4! The collection includes the following 5 GeoSWAM instruments: GeoTrumpet, GeoBassTrombone, GeoBassFlute, GeoPizzBass and GeoViola.
- For GeoShred Pro, Play and Control this collection is $59.99 USD.
- For GeoShred Studio on the Mac this collection is are $200.00 USD.
- GeoSWAM Collection I & II - This collection offers 11 instruments for the price of 8! The collection includes the following GeoSWAM instruments: GeoTrumpet, GeoBassTrombone, GeoBassFlute, GeoPizzBass, GeoViola, GeoViolin, GeoCello, GeoTenorSax, GeoFlute, GeoClarinet and GeoOboe.
- For GeoShred Pro, Play and Control this collection is $119.99 USD.
- For GeoShred Studio on the Mac this collection is are $400.00 USD.
- Note, due to App Store limitations, previously purchased instrument IAPs can not be applied to a collection purchase because the Apple App Store does not support bundles for In-App-Purchases (IAPs)
- Note: All prices are initially set in US Dollars (USD). Apple sets the local territory price and may add additional local charges such as VAT, GST, HST. Prices may vary on a daily basis due to market driven international exchange rates. Always check the store in your territory for the current local price.
- The GeoSWAM IAP store is available for both GeoShred Pro, and GeoShred Play. If GeoShred Control users wish to purchase the GeoSWAM instruments, they must upgrade to the functionality of GeoShred Pro first.
Here is our standard pricing table for GeoShred Pro,Play,Control Products and GeoShred Studio Products
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Is GeoSWAM a replacment or competitor for Roli Noise?
GeoSWAM was never intended to be a replacement or competitor for Noise. It's a different concept, fundamentally about merging the fluidity of playing on the glass using GeoShred, and the GeoSWAM models.
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I bought all the SWAM plugins for the Roli NOISE App, do I have to buy them again?
There is no connection between Roli Noise and Wizdom GeoShred. Roli is a different company. Audio Modeling licensed some early SWAM instruments to Roli. GeoShred is developed by Wizdom/moForte. We collaborated with Audio Modeling on more up-to-date models.
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Can the GeoSWAM instruments be controlled with a conventional MIDI Keyboard? A wind controller?
The GeoSWAM Models that are integrated into GeoShred are known as the GeoSWAM Instruments. The GeoSWAM instruments are expressive multidimensional instruments.
GeoShred is best performed, expressively, from GeoShred's isomorphic keyboard on an iOS/iPadOS device. That being said you can perform GeoShred with an:
- MPE controller, use MIDI Configuration "MPE Channel Mode"
- A conventional MIDI controller with a breath knob (CC-2), use the MIDI Configuration "Single Channel"
- A conventional MIDI controller with a breath headset (CC-2), use the MIDI Configuration "Single Channel"
- A conventional MIDI controller with a foot pedal (CC-4), use the MIDI Configuration "Single Channel"
- A conventional MIDI controller with an expression pedal (CC-11), use the MIDI Configuration "Single Channel"
- From a Wind Controller (CC-2), use the MIDI Configuration "Single Channel"
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What is the difference between the GeoSWAM instruments and the stand-alone instruments from Audio Modeling?
The GeoSWAM instruments are monophonic and are optimized for the GeoShred keyboard and MPE controllers. Not all controls found on the native SWAM instruments are available in the GeoSWAM instruments, and some controls are handled differently. A complete list of the controls for each instrument can be found here:
- GeoPizzBass
- GeoCello
- GeoViola
- GeoViolin
- GeoBassFlute
- GeoFlute
- GeoTenorSax
- GeoClarinet
- GeoOboe
- GeoBassTrombone
- GeoTrumpet
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Can I use the GeoSWAM instruments with AUv3?
Yes, GeoShred can be hosted in any AUv3 host. As an AUv3 plugin instance, GeoSWAM instruments can be recorded and played back using GeoShred's keyboard or an MPE compliant controller.
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Can you explain more about the cost of the GeoSWAM instruments?
The GeoSWAM instruments are not sample sound packs, each is a full physics model that took many years to develop by Audio Modeling, the creator of the SWAM technology.
- For GeoShred Pro, Play and Control the standard price for the GeoSWAM Instruments is $14.99 USD each.
- For GeoShred Studio on the Mac the standard price for the GeoSWAM Instruments is $50.00 USD each.
Note: All prices are initially set in US Dollars (USD). Apple sets the local territory price and may add additional local charges such as VAT, GST, HST. Prices may vary on a daily basis due to market driven international exchange rates. Always check the store in your territory for the current local price.
Here is our standard pricing table for GeoShred Pro,Play,Control Products and GeoShred Studio Products
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Why are published prices always in US dollars (USD)?
All prices are initially set in US Dollars (USD). Apple sets the local territory price and may add additional local charges such as VAT, GST, HST. Prices may vary on a daily basis due to market driven international exchange rates. Always check the store in your territory for the current local price.
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Can I purchase the GeoSWAM instruments for GeoShred Play? GeoShred Control?
The GeoSWAM IAP store is available for both GeoShred Pro, and GeoShred Play. If GeoShred Control users wish to purchase the GeoSWAM instruments, they must upgrade to the functionality of GeoShred Pro first.
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Can I use the GeoSWAM instruments I purchased for GeoShred Pro with my copy of GeoShred Play/Control?
No, each version of GeoShred (Pro, Play, Control) has it's own IAPs. Also note that you should not have more than one GeoShred on your device because they all share the same AUv3 App ID and this will cause confusion for hosts. They share the same App ID to facilitate migration of projects.
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Can I use the GeoSWAM instruments I purchased for GeoShred Pro with my copy of GeoShred Studio?
No, GeoShred Studio is a different product and has it's own instruments with a different pricing model. The GeoShred Studio instruments are a separate purchase from the GeoShred Pro, Play, Control Instruments. GeoShred Studio is focused on desktop production work for composition and scoring using physically modeled instruments.
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If I purchase a single instrument first, and then the collection, can my purchase of the single instrument be applied to the purchase of the collection?
Unfortunately, due to App Store limitations, previously purchased instrument IAPs can not be applied to a purchase of the collection.This is because the Apple App Store does not support bundles for In-App-Purchases, only for Apps
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What is the minimium iOS/iPadOS and MacOS version required to run the GeoSWAM instruments?
As of May 2024, The minimium required version of iOS/iPadOS to run the GeoShred and GeoSWAM instruments is iOS/iPadOS 13
The minimium required version of MacOS to run the GeoShred Studio and GeoSWAM instruments is MacOS 10.15
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Do the GeoSWAM instruments support 3D touch?
Yes, the GeoSWAM instruments use 3D touch for both velocity and pressure. Here is a list of phones that support 3D touch. Many of these can be purchased used and are an excellent value to use for a full KeyX/KeyY/KeyZ MPE controller.
- iPhone 6S
- iPhone 6S Plus
- iPhone 7
- iPhone 7 Plus
- iPhone 8
- iPhone 8 Plus
- iPhone X
- iPhone XS
- iPhone XS Max
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How is velocity and pressure supported on an iPad?
On an iPad, velocity is taken from KeyY Touch, the vertical distance where the key is tapped, with 0 at the bottm and 127 at the top. Pressure is mapped to KeyY sliding.
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What is the maximium slide range for each of the GeoSWAM instruments?
Here are the slide ranges for each of the GeoSWAM instruments. These instruments are limited to this range to maintain realism.
- Violin and Cello: Full String Length (up to 25 Notes = Two Octaves)
- Clarinet: Octave
- TenorSax: Fifth
- Flute: Fifth
- Oboe: Fifth
For more detailed information click here.
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Are the GeoSWAM instruments polyphonic and why doesn't that Play Mode "Poly" button make them Polyphonic?
The GeoSWAM instruments are all mono.
Mono/String/Poly is the "Play Mode" of the keyboard and is not related to the polyphony instrument in the preset.
- In "Mono" mode you can only play one note at a time. For MIDI Out, Mono mode corresponds to MIDI mono mode.
- In "String" mode you can only play one note at a time for each row. Because the row is mono (like a guitar), you can use the HOPO gesture (Hammer On, Pull Off). For MIDI Out, "String" mode corresponds to MPE, MIDI Mode 4. It's also known as Channel-Per-Row.
- In "Poly" mode you can play more than on note per row like a conventional keyboard. However the HOPO gesture is not possible. For MIDI Out, "Poly" mode corresponds to MIDI Mode 3. It's also known as Channel-Per-Note.
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What are the basics about the Naada instruments? How much do they cost?
- The Naada Models that are integrated into GeoShred are known as the Naada Instruments.
- There are 22 instruments, Bansuri, Bass, Bass Clarinet, Carnatic Violin, Cello, Dizi, Duduk, Erhu, Guan, Gaohu, Nadaswaram, Pan Flute, Pipa, Rudra Veena, Sarangi, Saraswati Veena, Sarod, Shehnai, Sitar, Suona, Viola and Zhonghu.
- There is an IAP store in GeoShred for purchasing the Naada instruments.
- For GeoShred Pro, Play and Control the standard price for the Naada Instruments is $14.99 USD each.
- For GeoShred Studio on the Mac the standard price for the Naada Instruments is $50.00 USD each.
- Naada Collection I - This collection offers 7 instruments for the price of 5! The collection includes the following Naada instruments: Bansuri, Shehnai, Duduk, Carnatic Violin, Sarangi, Saraswati Veena, and Erhu
- For GeoShred Pro, Play and Control this collection is $74.99 USD.
- For GeoShred Studio on the Mac this collection is are $250.00 USD.
- Naada Collection II - This collection offers 7 instruments for the price of 5! The collection includes the following Naada instruments: Bass, Bass Clarinet, Cello, Nadaswaram, Pan Flute, Rudra Veena and Viola.
- For GeoShred Pro, Play and Control this collection is $74.99 USD.
- For GeoShred Studio on the Mac this collection is are $250.00 USD.
- Naada Collection III - This collection offers 8 instruments for the price of 5! The collection includes the following Naada instruments: Dizi, Guan, Gaohu, Pipa, Sarod, Sitar, Suona,and Zhonghu.
- For GeoShred Pro, Play and Control this collection is $74.99 USD.
- For GeoShred Studio on the Mac this collection is are $250.00 USD.
- Naada Collection I & II - This collection offers 14 instruments for the price of 8! The collection includes the following Naada instruments: Bansuri, Bass, Bass Clarinet, Carnatic Violin, Cello, Duduk, Erhu, Nadaswaram, Pan Flute, Rudra Veena, Sarangi, Saraswati Veena, Shehnai and Viola.
- For GeoShred Pro, Play and Control this collection is $119.99 USD.
- For GeoShred Studio on the Mac this collection is are $400.00 USD.
- Naada Collection II & III - This collection offers 15 instruments for the price of 8! The collection includes the following Naada instruments: Bass, Bass Clarinet, Cello, Nadaswaram, Pan Flute, Rudra Veena, Viola, Dizi, Guan, Gaohu, Pipa, Sarod, Sitar, Suona,and Zhonghu.
- For GeoShred Pro, Play and Control this collection is $119.99 USD.
- For GeoShred Studio on the Mac this collection is are $400.00 USD.
- Naada Collection I & II & III - This collection offers 22 instruments for the price of 12! The collection includes the following Naada instruments: Bansuri, Bass, Bass Clarinet, Carnatic Violin, Cello, Dizi, Duduk, Erhu, Guan, Gaohu, Nadaswaram, Pan Flute, Pipa, Rudra Veena, Sarangi, Saraswati Veena, Sarod, Shehnai, Sitar, Suona, Viola and Zhonghu.
- For GeoShred Pro, Play and Control this collection is $179.99 USD.
- For GeoShred Studio on the Mac this collection is are $600.00 USD.
- Note, due to App Store limitations, previously purchased instrument IAPs can not be applied to a collection purchase because the Apple App Store does not support bundles for In-App-Purchases (IAPs)
- Note: All prices are initially set in US Dollars (USD). Apple sets the local territory price and may add additional local charges such as VAT, GST, HST. Prices may vary on a daily basis due to market driven international exchange rates. Always check the store in your territory for the current local price.
- The Naada IAP store is available for both GeoShred Pro, and GeoShred Play. If GeoShred Control users wish to purchase the GeoSWAM instruments, they must upgrade to the functionality of GeoShred Pro first.
Here is our standard pricing table for GeoShred Pro,Play,Control Products and GeoShred Studio Products
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Can the Naada instruments be controlled with a conventional MIDI Keyboard? A wind controller?
The GeoSWAM Models that are integrated into GeoShred are known as the Naada Instruments. The Naada instruments are expressive multidimensional instruments.
GeoShred is best performed, expressively, from GeoShred's isomorphic keyboard on an iOS/iPadOS device. That being said you can perform GeoShred with an:
- MPE controller, use MIDI Configuration "MPE Channel Mode"
- A conventional MIDI controller with a breath knob (CC-2), use the MIDI Configuration "Single Channel"
- A conventional MIDI controller with a breath headset (CC-2), use the MIDI Configuration "Single Channel"
- A conventional MIDI controller with a foot pedal (CC-4), use the MIDI Configuration "Single Channel"
- A conventional MIDI controller with an expression pedal (CC-11), use the MIDI Configuration "Single Channel"
- From a Wind Controller (CC-2), use the MIDI Configuration "Single Channel"
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Can I use the Naada instruments with AUv3?
Yes, GeoShred can be hosted in any AUv3 host. As an AUv3 plugin instance, Naada instruments can be recorded and played back using a MIDI Controller. GeoShred is best performed, expressively, from GeoShred's isomorphic keyboard. That being said you can perform GeoShred with an:
- MPE controller, use MIDI Configuration "MPE Channel Mode"
- A conventional MIDI controller with a breath knob (CC-2), use the MIDI Configuration "Single Channel"
- A conventional MIDI controller with a breath headset (CC-2), use the MIDI Configuration "Single Channel"
- A conventional MIDI controller with a foot pedal (CC-4), use the MIDI Configuration "Single Channel"
- A conventional MIDI controller with an expression pedal (CC-11), use the MIDI Configuration "Single Channel"
- From a Wind Controller (CC-2), use the MIDI Configuration "Single Channel"
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Can you explain more about the cost of the Naada instruments?
The Naada instruments are not sample sound packs, each is a full physics model that took many years to develop by AccelMatrix, the creator of the Naada technology. For GeoShred Pro, Play and Control the standard price for the Naada Instruments is $14.99 USD each. For GeoShred Studio on the Mac the standard price for the Naada Instruments is $50.00 USD each.
Note: All prices are initially set in US Dollars (USD). Apple sets the local territory price and may add additional local charges such as VAT, GST, HST. Prices may vary on a daily basis due to market driven international exchange rates. Always check the store in your territory for the current local price.
Here is our standard pricing table for GeoShred Pro,Play,Control Products and GeoShred Studio Products
Back to top of page
Can I purchase the Naada instruments for GeoShred Play? GeoShred Control?
The Naada IAP store is available for both GeoShred Pro, and GeoShred Play. If GeoShred Control users wish to purchase the Naada instruments, they must upgrade to the functionality of GeoShred Pro first.
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Can I use the Naada instruments I purchased for GeoShred Pro with my copy of GeoShred Play/Control?
No, each version of GeoShred (Pro, Play, Control) has it's own IAPs. Also note that you should not have more than one GeoShred on your device because they all share the same AUv3 App ID and this will cause confusion for hosts. They share the same App ID to facilitate migration of projects.
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Can I use the Naada instruments I purchased for GeoShred Pro with my copy of GeoShred Studio?
No, GeoShred Studio is a different product and has it's own instruments with a different pricing model. The GeoShred Studio instruments are a separate purchase from the GeoShred Pro, Play, Control Instruments. GeoShred Studio is focused on desktop production work for composition and scoring using physically modeled instruments.
Back to top of page
If I purchase a single instrument first, and then the collection, can my purchase of the single instrument be applied to the purchase of the collection?
Unfortunately, due to App Store limitations, previously purchased instrument IAPs can not be applied to a purchase of the collection.This is because the Apple App Store does not support bundles for In-App-Purchases, only for Apps
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What is the minimium iOS/iPadOS version required to run the Naada instruments?
As of May 2024, The minimium required version of iOS/iPadOS to run the GeoShred and Naada instruments is iOS/iPadOS 13
The minimium required version of MacOS to run the GeoShred Studio and Naada instruments is MacOS 10.15
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Do the Naada instruments support 3D touch?
Yes, the Naada instruments use 3D touch for both velocity and pressure. Here is a list of phones that support 3D touch. Many of these can be purchased used and are an excellent value to use for a full KeyX/KeyY/KeyZ MPE controller.
- iPhone 6S
- iPhone 6S Plus
- iPhone 7
- iPhone 7 Plus
- iPhone 8
- iPhone 8 Plus
- iPhone X
- iPhone XS
- iPhone XS Max
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How is velocity and pressure supported on an iPad?
On an iPad, velocity is taken from KeyY Touch, the vertical distance where the key is tapped, with 0 at the bottm and 127 at the top. Pressure is mapped to KeyY sliding.
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Are the Naada instruments polyphonic and why doesn't that Play Mode "Poly" button make them polyphonic?
The Naada instruments are both Mono and support Duophony.
Mono/String/Poly is the "Play Mode" of the keyboard and is not related to the polyphony instrument in the preset.
- In "Mono" mode you can only play one note at a time. For MIDI Out, Mono mode corresponds to MIDI mono mode.
- In "String" mode you can only play one note at a time for each row. Because the row is mono (like a guitar), you can use the HOPO gesture (Hammer On, Pull Off). For MIDI Out, "String" mode corresponds to MPE, MIDI Mode 4. It's also known as Channel-Per-Row.
- In "Poly" mode you can play more than on note per row like a conventional keyboard. However the HOPO gesture is not possible. For MIDI Out, "Poly" mode corresponds to MIDI Mode 3. It's also known as Channel-Per-Note.
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What is the difference between GeoShred Pro, Play, Control and Studio?
We have a flier for the iOS/iPadOS family of products at https://www.moforte.com/onesheet Look at page 2 there is a comparison. Basically Pro is everything. Play is a preset player, no MIDI, no AUv3 plugin, no preset editing. Control is a MIDI/MPE controller, no built in audio engine. GeoShred Play+Pro or GeoShred Control+Pro and GeoShred Pro are identical. GeoShred Studio is for desktop orchestration and scoring.
GeoShred Studio is GeoShred Pro running on a Mac.
GeoShred Studio is a seperate product and is an AuV3 plug-in that runs on MacOS devices. GeoShred Connect is used to create a MIDI/MPE connection between GeoShred on your iOS device and GeoShred Studio. As a part of your normal production workflow you can use GeoShred's expressive multi-dimensional control from your iOS device to record your tracks as MIDI/MPE which can be edited as part of your production process.
And if you don't own GeoShred for iPad or iPhone you can download the free GeoShred Control MPE Controller to use with GeoShred Studio (https://apps.apple.com/us/app/geoshred-control/id1336247116). Optionally use MIDI/MPE and you can perform GeoShred Studio using an MPE controller, MIDI keyboard or wind controller.
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What presets does GeoShred come with by default?
GeoShred Pro, Play and Studio contain all the the presets based on the guitar pluck model. GeoShred Pro, GeoShred Play+Pro and GeoShred Control+Pro include the Pro features of: Preset Editing, MIDI, Auv3 Plugin, and iCloud Support.
Note that all presets are based on physics modeling and are NOT samples. There are currently 214 presets based on the guitar pluck model including:
- Shred Lead - Feedback distortion Guitar, many variations of this.
- Steel Dobro Acoustic
- Classical Acoustic
- Sitar, many variations of this
- Mahesh Raghvan's Xitar presets
- GeoJamTrax - Easy to play presets with a backing track and a diatonic (no bad notes) keyboard.
There are also 21 effects including modeled distortions, EQs, Flangers, Phaser, Chorus, Echos, Looper, Tremelo, Sympathetic Resonator, Reverb, Wah, Moog VCF, and more
There is a store with In-App-Purchases for the GeoSWAM and Naada Instruments both individually and as collections. In GeoShred, look under "Menu> Store".
The GeoSWAM instruments are available as In-App-Purhcases from are our partner Audio Modeling. They include: GeoTrumpet, GeoBassTrombone, GeoBassFlute, GeoPizzBass, GeoViola, GeoViolin, GeoCello, GeoTenorSax, GeoFlute, GeoClarinet and GeoOboe. You can see previews of these instruments here:
The Naada instruments are available as In-App-Purhcases from are our partner AccelMatrix. They include: Bansuri, Bass, Bass Clarinet, Carnatic Violin, Cello, Duduk, Erhu, Nadaswaram, Pan Flute, Rudra Veena, Sarangi, Shehnai, Saraswati Veena and Viola. You can see previews of these instruments here:
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Can I have more than one GeoShred on my iOS/iPadOS device, Pro, Play Control?
It's not good to have more than one GeoShred on your device. For instance, GeoShred Play and GeoShred Pro.
This is because all GeoShreds share the same AUv3 interface to assist users with migrating projects from Play to Pro or from Control to Pro.
Having more than one GeoShred can cause hosts to become confused about which GeoShred should be hosted. If you do happen to have more than one, chose the GeoShred that you plan to keep, usually Pro, and delete the other one, Play or Control. Be sure to backup your presets with "Menu > File" before deleting.
You may also want to reboot your device, to get iOS/iPadOS to re-index the AUv3 Plugins.
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How does the upgrade to Pro work?
GeoShred Play and GeoShred Control can be upgraded to the functionality of GeoShred Pro. This includes:
- MIDI/MPE IN/OUT, virtual and physical
- Preset Editor with full effects chain
- AUv3 Plugin Support and iCloud Support (min iOS/iPadOS, 13)
You will see this:
After you have upgraded all the grayed out [PROO][Studio] menus are now available:
And the launch screen will say "+ Pro upgrade":
If you download GeoShred Play to a second device using the same Apple ID (Apple Allows up to 5 devices, App download will NOT download your IAP. You can manually download it with "Restore Purchases"
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Is there a trial version of GeoShred?
There is not a trial version of GeoShred because the iOS/iPadOS App Store does not support trial versions of Paid Apps. Apple's App Approval Guidelines specifically disallows Paid Apps that are trial versions. There is a lower cost version of GeoShred called "GeoShred Play" which is a player for GeoShred Presets, no MIDI, no preset editing, no AUv3 plugin interface. It can be found here:
https://apps.apple.com/us/app/geoshred-play/id1227932062
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Can I put GeoShred on my other iOS/iPadOS device?
Apple's policy is that you can download an app up to 5 different devices as long as they share the same Apple ID.
Normally the way that this works, is on the second device, you go to the App Store App, search for the version of GeoShred that you own (GeoShred Play or GeoShred Pro or GeoShred Control) and you should see a cloud icon to download it again.
If you are transferring an in-app-purchase to a second device, you need to tap on the "Restore Purchase" Menu item to restore the purchase
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Can I have both GeoShred Play and GeoShred Pro on my iOS/iPadOS device?
It's not good to have more than one GeoShred on your device. For instance, GeoShred Play and GeoShred Pro.
This is because all GeoShreds share the same AUv3 interface to assist users with migrating projects from Play to Pro or from Control to Pro.
Having more than one GeoShred can cause hosts to become confused about which GeoShred should be hosted. If you do happen to have more than one, chose the GeoShred that you plan to keep, usually Pro, and delete the other one, Play or Control. Be sure to backup your presets with "Menu > File" before deleting.
You may also want to reboot your device, to get iOS/iPadOS to re-index the AUv3 Plugins.
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GeoShred is not right for me, how do I get a refund?
We are sorry that you don't like the app. Note that Apple is responsible for all eCommerce. Here are instructions for how to get a refund from Apple: https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT204084
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Will GeoShred be available for Android?
GeoShred is exclusively available on iOS/iPadOS devices due to a fundamental reason - most Android devices currently lack support for low latency audio. Without this feature, even a simple touch on the screen could result in a delay of up to one second before any sound is produced, rendering GeoShred unplayable as a musical instrument on Android devices. However, Google offers a solution called the Low Latency Audio Path, and it is hoped that in the next few years, device manufacturers will adopt this technology. This could potentially enable a version of GeoShred that is compatible with Android devices that support the Low Latency Audio Path.
Andrew Huang has a nice video about the topic of porting iOS/iPadOS apps to Android https://youtu.be/-sPbcTcUmcI
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What about GeoShred for Windows?
Audio latency for Windows is reasonable. We will likely have a windows VST for GeoShred late 2026. However the Surface touchscreen latency can be poor. We measured 310 ms on an ASUS surface. It needs to be more like 10ms to 20ms. Touch screen latency is really not a function of how fast the device is. It's related to buffering in the the hardware/software path between the touch screen and the CPU. We don't see that hardware manufacturers have any incentive to improve this to reach the level of performance found on iOS/iPadOS devices.
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How do I connect GeoShred MIDI to Mac or PC based AUs/VSTs?
Connecting an iOS/iPadOS device for MIDI to Mac or PC based VSTs
- The basic deal is, you need to get midi from an iOS/iPadOS device to a mac or a PC. This is an iOS/iPadOS issue and is not specific to GeoShred. In order to do that there are three possible solutions:
- You can use a digital interface like an iConnectivity Audio4c. A class compliant digital interface supports both Audio and MIDI over iPad USB. This will work for either a mac or a PC.
- If you are on a mac, then you can directly connect to the mac using a standard USB lightning cable.
- For devices running iOS/iPadOS 11 or Mac OS 10.13 or greater, this is supported directly by iOS/iPadOS/MacOS using IDAM which is found in the Mac Audio MIDI Setup app. Here is a video application note on how to do that. https://youtu.be/ChnZ2iCoYiA
- If you are on a PC, Windows does not natively support MIDI over USB. I'm not sure why this is, but it's a major limitation for MIDI on Windows. NOTE:We have heard reports from some customers that MIDIMux/StudioMUX is no longer supported
- The second part of the problem, is that you most likely want to use the MPE MIDI configuration under Menu > MIDI. Note that many synths (VSTs) do not support MPE, but are multi-timbral. In that case you will want to chose the "Multi" MIDI configuration under Menu > MIDI.
- The third part of the problem, is that you need to match the pitch bend range between GeoShred, and the target synth (AU or VST) on the mac or windows. side. GeoShred sends RPN0, which is the midi command for setting to pitch bend range on the target synthesizer. However, many AU/VSTs do not implement this correctly. In which case, you will need to manually set the pitch bend range in the AU/VSTs UI to match the pitch been range that's in the multi midi configuration.
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How do I control GarageBand virtual instruments with GeoShred?
GarageBand does not publish its MIDI port. GarageBand is setup to only respond to physical MIDI controllers. Thus GeoShred (or any iOS/iPadOS MIDI controller) is not able to send MIDI to GarageBand. There is a work around using an app called "midiflow" which has figured out how to bridge virtual MIDI into GarageBand.
Here is our video on how to control GarageBand Virtual Instruments from GeoShred using midiflow. Please look at this carefully. You must follow all the steps, like turning on background audio for GarageBand, MPE, etc, etc.
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How do I use GeoShred to control the Desktop SWAM instruments?
We have a video showing how to setup SWAM on a desktop to be played by GeoShred:
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I'm having challenges with IAA, what can I do?
Apple deprecated IAA in favor of AUv3. This deprecation started with iOS/iPadOS 13 in Sept 2019. We feel that IAA remains an important use case for recording projects. That being said, for the time being IAA still works, but we are noticing some things that don't work as well. Here are some tips for getting IAA to work well
- Sometimes the system can't seem to launch an IAA app. We see this for other apps besides GeoShred. This can be mitigated by launching GeoShred before making an IAA connection.
- There is a shuttle control object provided by Apple that will appear in GeoShred (and other apps) that is intended to start/stop recording. At the present time this shuttle control does not seem to be reliable. We see problems with it in other apps as well. This issue can be mitigated by starting and stopping your recording from the host, for instance GarageBand
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Where are Mahesh's presets?
Mahesh's presets are built into GeoShred in the setlist "All Presets" at locations #195, #196 and #197.
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How do I transpose for South Asian Music?
Western Music and South Asian Music handle transposition differently.
- In western music the root of a scale can be changed to be a different pitch, and the scale will take on the name of the new root. For instance if the root of a major scale is changed from 'C' to 'D' then the scale will be called D Major
- In South Asian Music, the root of the Raga is always 'Sa'. It's common for the instrumental performer to transpose and fine tune their instrument to match a singer.
- In western music it makes sense to transpose a scale by a whole tone by changing the root from 'C' to 'D'. However in South Asian music, if a Raga is transposed by a whole tone, the root would still be called 'Sa' and not 'Re'
In order to transpose a raga, it's best to use the preset or global transposition mechanisms rather than changing the root. Here is a procedure that you can use to do this
- You may wish to change the note names from western to svara note names. You can do this under "Menu > Settings > Note Name Fonts > Svara"
- If you wish to transpose the current preset, look under "Menu > Model & FX >Guitar > Guitar" and you will find a Course Tune (semitones) and Fine Tune control (cents).
- If you need to change these frequently, you can put these two controls on your control surface as sliders.
- If you wish to transpose all presets globally, look under "Menu > Settings > Tuning > Global"
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How do I setup my own scale or temperament in GeoShred?
You can create your own scales, and the scale can be in any temperament that you define using ETdiffs (percent difference from Equal Temperament). Here is a video that shows you how to create your own scales and temperaments:
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Do you support Scala files?
At the moment, GeoShred does not support reading Scala files. We plan to support this in a future release.
However, you can create your own scales, and the scale can be in any temperament that you define using ETdiffs (percent difference from Equal Temperament). Here is a video that shows you how to create your own scales and temperaments:
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How do I record my performance?
You can record GeoShred to an iOS/iPadOS DAW as either and audio track or MIDI track. Audio tracks can be recorded using either Inter App Audio (IAA) or AudioBus. MIDI tracks can be recorded using GeoShred's AUv3 plugin interface. You can also record GeoShred's Audio directly to a host based DAW using the IDAM interface.
Here are the app notes on using GeoShred's AUv3 Interface, Audio Bus and iDAM.
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What is the best iOS/iPadOS device to use for GeoShred?
The exact iPad and configuration is really a personal choice. We recommend that you can get the most powerful iPad that you can afford. Here are some additional parameters.
- As of May 2024, The minimium required version of iOS/iPadOS to run the GeoShred and GeoSWAM instruments is iOS/iPadOS 13
- We really recommend that you run the latest version of iOS/iPadOS which is currently 17. There have been many bugs in iOS with MIDI, Audio, AUv3 that Apple has fixed over the last few releases. Note that the GeoSWAM and Naada Instruments are In-App-Purchaes (IAPs). GeoShred comes with the plucked string models including the feedback distortion guitar, dobro, sitar, classical ...
- There are several different screen sizes for iOS/iPadOS devices. Which size you chose is really dependent on how it feels for your hands, a personal choice.
- On iOS/iPadOS devices that support 3D touch (phones with 3D touch) You get Velocity/Pressure directly from the screen, but the screen is small. Lots of users do fine with that. See our "Collection I&II" video
- For iPads and phones that don't support 3D touch, we use what is called "KeyY Touch" for Velocity. The Velocity comes from the height of were the key is tapped, and pressure is mapped to KeyY sliding on the key.
- The choice of how much space to get is dependent on how many apps you plan to store on your device. I personally have 64GB.
- Here is a list that might help you with your decision: https://everyi.com/by-capability/maximum-supported-ios-version-for-ipod-iphone-ipad.html
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How do I get the best performance live for the iOS/iPadOS version of GeoShred?
- Only run apps that you need for your performance.
- Re-launch GeoShred, and any other app you are using, and do sound check before live performance.
- Do not use a wireless charger. Wireless charging can interfere with touches on the screen and can result in lost touches.
- If using the 1/8" jack to connect to a sound system, be sure to connect to an electrically isolated input. Stray voltage on an a non-isolated input can interfere with touches on the screen and can result in lost touches
- iOS/iPadOS Settings that should be modified unless you need them:
- Turn on Airplane mode
- Turn off Wi-Fi
- If you are NOT using a Bluetooth, turn off Bluetooth
- Turn on [Do Not Disturb | Do Not Disturb]
- Turn off [General | Control Center | Access Within Apps]
- Turn off [Battery | low power mode]
- Turn off [General | Accessibility modes]
- Turn off [Display and Brightness | Auto-Lock]
- On iPad turn off [General | Multitasking | Allow Multiple Apps]
- On iPad turn off [General | Multitasking | Picture in Picture]
- On iPad turn off [General | Multitasking | Gestures]
- If you are running an iPhone be sure to not hit more than 5 notes at the same time, because of hardware limitations touches will get canceled and all sound will be shut off on the 6th touch.
- Break a leg!
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How does pitch rounding in GeoShred work?
- If "Snap" is on, when you first touch a key, no matter were your finger is, relative to the center of the note, it will be perfectly in tune, in the current temperament. Note that GeoShred supports other temperaments besides Equal. Users in India use Carnatic Intonation which is close to western Just intonation.
- If you have "Round" turned on, as you move your finger left/right of the center of a key, the system will round the pitch to the be perfectly in tune, in the current temperament at the "Slide Speed" rate.
- What this all means is that though the number of touch points on the screen are quantized and only have a resolution of about +/-4 cents you will always be perfectly in tune, in the current temperament, and you can slide fluidly between notes and always be perfectly in tune. This is why you can slide around like a guitar player and this is why folks playing classical Indian music are able to perform Gamakas.
- The reason that pitch rounding works so well on the glass is that an iOS/iPadOS device has a high performance processor and the rounding can be computed at a high rate, generally higher than the fastest MIDI rate.
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My iOS/iPadOS device is missing touches. What can I do?
- Have you quit all apps and rebooted your device?
- Is your device running short on memory? Look in Settings App >General > Storage.
- Are you connected to a charger? Being connected to a charger cancause a loss of touches from the screen due to electrical issues.Also I've noticed that if my iPad is touching my computer that I cansee lost touches.
- Wireless chargers can cause lots of problems. Look at our video on what happened near a wireless charger in a Starbucks
- If using the 1/8" jack to connect to a sound system, be sure to connect to an electrically isolated input. Stray voltage on an a non-isolated input can interfere with touches on the screen and can result in lost touches.
- Have you looked at our notes on tips for live performance?
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How do I backup my presets?
If you turn on iCloud sync then your presets will automatically be backed up to your iCloud Stores.
You can also back your presets up manually using "Menu > Files".
Under "Menu > Files", the "Export" button can be used to copy your preset to your iCloud storage. You can also use "Import" to copy previously saved presets into GeoShred
"Export" and "Import" will bring up the standard iCloud file browser.
Here is a video with further information:
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Does GeoShred Support MIDI?
You can control GeoShred from a MIDI Controller with some caveats
- Note that the Plucked String Models, the GeoSWAM Models (from Audio Modeling) and the Naada Models (from AccelMatrix) are all physics based models designed to respond to 3D expression. This is very important for realism.
- The best controller to use to control the Guitars, GeoSWAM and Naada models is in fact, the GeoShred Keyboard. It's very fluid, it's sampled at a far higher rate than MIDI and it has Magic Pitch Rounding which is how you are able to play in tune when sliding.
- The best type of MIDI controller to use is an MPE MIDI controller. MPE controllers support per-note 3D expression (KeyX, KeyY, KeyZ). Specifically KeyX is used for pitch fluidity (very important for South Asian Music) and KeyZ (sometimes KeyY) is used for the primary control for expression, including things like tremolo, flutter,growl... etc etc).
- Examples of MPE MIDI Controllers are the Roli Seaboard, the Roli Lumi, the LinnStrument, the KMI MPE Controllers, the Erae Touch. There are more.
- MPE speaks MIDI on multiple channels using Channel Rotation so that each note can have per-note pitchBend, Expression, Mod Wheel, ... etc, etc. Independent expression.
- Channel 1 is the manager channel. Messages sent to this channel go to all channels on the receiver. This is where to send modWheel (cc-1) , global pitchBend ... Note that messages sent to channel 1 apply to all voices on all channels.
The pitch bend range for the manager channel is +/-2 - Channels 2 ... n are the member channels. There are 2 common interpretations of this, channel/note (MIDI Mode 3) and channel/row (MIDI Mode 4)
The pitch bend range for the member channels is +/-48 - MPE messages, per channel
- pitchBend aka KeyX (this is how independent pitchBend is achieved)
- cc74 aka KeyY, usually used for "brightness" but can be used for swells as well.
- Channel Pressure aka Channel Aftertouch (NOT poly aftertouch) aka KeyZ. This is the primary expression control in MPE. It can be used for swells, or other pressure related expression.
Here is our deck about MPE
MPE in a Nutshell
- Conventional single channel MIDI Controllers generally send just noteOn/noteOff on a single channel. Because of this there are limitations. Generally you will not be able to perform pitch fluidity, pitch sliding.
- MPE controller, use MIDI Configuration "MPE Channel Mode"
- A conventional MIDI controller with a breath knob (CC-2), use the MIDI Configuration "Single Channel"
- A conventional MIDI controller with a breath headset (CC-2), use the MIDI Configuration "Single Channel"
- A conventional MIDI controller with a foot pedal (CC-4), use the MIDI Configuration "Single Channel"
- A conventional MIDI controller with an expression pedal (CC-11), use the MIDI Configuration "Single Channel"
- From a Wind Controller (CC-2), use the MIDI Configuration "Single Channel"
Here is a video covering these points.
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Can you explain about MPE?
- Channel 1 is the manager channel. Messages sent to this channel go to all channels on the receiver. This is where to send modWheel (cc-1) , global pitchBend ... Note that messages sent to channel 1 apply to all voices on all channels.
The pitch bend range for the manager channel is +/-2 - Channels 2 ... n are the member channels. There are 2 common interpretations of this, channel/note (MIDI Mode 3) and channel/row (MIDI Mode 4)
The pitch bend range for the member channels is +/-48 - MPE messages, per channel
- pitchBend aka KeyX (this is how independent pitchBend is achieved)
- cc74 aka KeyY, usually used for "brightness" but can be used for swells as well.
- Channel Pressure aka Channel Aftertouch (NOT poly aftertouch) aka KeyZ. This is the primary expression control in MPE. It can be used for swells, or other pressure related expression.
Here is our deck about MPE:
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Is there an iPhone version of GeoShred?
Yes, As of January 2017 GeoShred supports both the iPad and the iPhone.
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What is the difference between GeoShred and Geo Synth?
GeoShred's synthesis engine is based on advanced Physical Modeling Synthesis. Geo Synthesizer uses a sample based engine. Both instruments have isomorphic keyboards, but the controller facilities are quite different. The GeoShred Keyboard has also been extended to support any tuning.
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Why does distortion with normal chords sound muddy?
This muddy sound for conventional chords is caused by something called intermodulation distortion and it's just like a real distorted guitar. Here is an example of how to get clean distorted chords using hexaphonic strings
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Why can't I find the Key of G# in the scales?
Generally there is not a key of G# because it requires having adouble sharp in the key. That is why it's often notated with itsenharmonic equivalent Ab. Here is a reference on thattopic: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/G-sharp_major andhere aswell: https://www.basicmusictheory.com/g-sharp-major-key-signature, The number of flats and sharps that are in a musical key aredetermined by the cycle of 5ths.
Key Cb Gb Db Ab Eb Bb F C G D A E B F# C#Number #|b 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7The "Sharp keys" add sharps with the pattern F,C,G,D,A,E,BThe "Flat keys" add flats with the pattern Bb,Eb,Ab,Db,Gb
Because, in equal temperament,
- G# is the same as Ab
- Gb is the same as F#
- Cb is the same as B
in sheet music the keys used are generally the 12 keys that rangefrom Db to F#. In GeoShred under "Menu > Performance Settings >Keyboard > Scale > Root", you can chose any of these 12keys.
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Which iPad should I get to run GeoShred?
The exact iPad and configuration is really a personal choice. We recommend that you can get the most powerful iPad that you can afford. Here are some additional parameters.
- As of May 2024, The minimium required version of iOS/iPadOS to run the GeoShred and GeoSWAM instruments is iOS/iPadOS 13
- We really recommend that you run the latest version of iOS/iPadOS which is currently 17. There have been many bugs in iOS with MIDI, Audio, AUv3 that Apple has fixed over the last few releases. Note that the GeoSWAM and Naada Instruments are In-App-Purchaes (IAPs). GeoShred comes with the plucked string models including the feedback distortion guitar, dobro, sitar, classical ...
- There are several different screen sizes for iOS/iPadOS devices. Which size you chose is really dependent on how it feels for your hands, a personal choice.
- On iOS/iPadOS devices that support 3D touch (phones with 3D touch) You get Velocity/Pressure directly from the screen, but the screen is small. Lots of users do fine with that. See our "Collection I&II" video
- For iPads and phones that don't support 3D touch, we use what is called "KeyY Touch" for Velocity. The Velocity comes from the height of were the key is tapped, and pressure is mapped to KeyY sliding on the key.
- The choice of how much space to get is dependent on how many apps you plan to store on your device. I personally have 64GB.
- Here is a list that might help you with your decision: https://everyi.com/by-capability/maximum-supported-ios-version-for-ipod-iphone-ipad.html
