I originally wrote this review for Beat Slice version 1.0 by WeBothKnow but there has been an update since. There are now more songs bundled with the app AND he added a Phaser effect. This app allows you to mangle songs from your iTunes library. The concept is similar to the VST effects Dblue Glitch and Effectrix. A similar iOS app would be Steinberg’s LoopMash. It’s very simple to use and comes with a pretty good song by Vouga – I never lie. The interface is a grid which can be divided by 2,3,4,and 8 slices per measure on the iPhone/iPod and 2,3,46,8,12,16 on the iPad. You can create up to four patterns each 1 measure in length on the iPhone/iPod and eight patterns on the iPad. The iPad version also allows you to link a sequence of patterns and loop the sequence. I had a good two minutes of fun with this app but then it crashed on my iPhone 4. I then loaded it up on my iPad and that is when I noticed the additional features stated above. Some features I would like to see in a future version are : tap tempo with time-stretching like a Dj app, ability to save patterns, and audio export. Overall the effects are good. They lock up to the beat. You can get some decent results. Seems like the animation could follow the beat more accurately. Seems kinda clunky. The song in this video is “Time Change” by Jason Donnelly (Dj Puzzle)
The Reverser – does just that. Reverses the specified slice on beat. Sounds good.
Low n High – Pitches the specified slice up an octave or down an Octave. The High pitching also seems to stutter the audio slice as well.
Slicer – Stutter/Repeater effect. Can get up to as high as 64 note repeats (maybe even 128th notes I lost count lol). Hits perfectly on beat. Can even get triplets.
Electrify – Quick millisecond delay effect. Low and high settings.
LoFi – Filter effect. This one is more of a slider interface used to change the frequency.
Mute It – Rhythmic gating effect. Can get up to as high as 64 note gates (maybe even 128th notes I lost count lol). Hits perfectly on beat. Can even get triplets.
Phaser – Classic Phaser effect.
So if you’re looking for something similar to Dblue Glitch for the iPhone, iPod, and iPad OR something similar to Effectrix for the iPhone, iPod, and iPad this is your app. Use it at your next iPod Dj gig to create your own remixes on the fly.
Official description:
Crush it, Mix it, Slice it, Shift it.
Take a perfect good song from your music library and destroy it with style!
Beat Slice is an expressive remixing tool that allows you to take your existing music and transform it in multiple creative ways.
Built in effects include:
• Reverser: Reverse a beat
• low n high: Play a beat high or low
• Slicer: Cut it up and slice and glue it back together
• Electricity: Electrify the song with some shocking grooves
• Lo-Fi: Good old vinyl sound…
• Mute It: Skip it off and on like a DJ
Beat Slice is available for $4.99
