This post was originally published by Tony Wallace at Heuristic Music on May 10, 2009.
While experimenting with synthesizers controlled by my iPhone via OpenSoundControl (OSC), I have had the opportunity to test several OSC apps for the iPhone and iPod Touch. None of the apps are perfect (although a few come really close), but none of them are bad, either. Rather, each has a particular set of strengths and weaknesses that will make them suitable for different situations.
The five apps included in this comparison are:
- TouchOSC by Hexler
- OSCemote by Joshua Minor
- iOSC by Recotana
- Mrmr by Brooklyn Polytechnic University’s Integrated Digital Media Institute (IDMI)
- OSCRemote by Leo Vanderveen.
My assessment of each app is divided into four sections:
- Controls: a description of the app’s controls and features, including whether or not it supports custom controls.
- Setup: the app’s network configuration and support for bidirectional communication, which allows OSC applications on a networked devices to control each other.
- User Interface: the design and effectiveness of the app’s controls.
- Versatility: a description of the features and limitations that influence the app’s usability (supported data types, control customization).
My impressions reflect how useful each app is, relative to my particular situation. Your mileage may vary. Two of the apps are free and the others are under $5 each, so I encourage you to try them all to find out what works best for you.
All of my tests were conducted with Native Instruments Reaktor version 5.1.5.002.
One you’re missing is MSA Remote. It works like just like OSCemote but is cheaper.
Thanks, David. I’ll check out MSA Remote and update the article.