Sugar Bytes releases Egoist groove instrument for iPad

Sugar Bytes' Egoist groove instrument plugin always looked like an iPad app in waiting, and the good news for owners of Apple's tablet is that they need wait for it no longer.

Looking super-similar to the desktop version, this iPad edition combines a loop slicer with a beat/bass section and also lets you sequence up to seven effects.

The slicer chops up your loaded sample into up to 16 pieces, and different parameter settings (reverse, attack, decay, level, pitch etc) can be applied to each. There are 16 patterns, enabling you to use 16 samples simultaneously. Factory samples are provided, but you can also use your own field recordings or MP3s.

You can combine your loops with sequenced basslines and beats (there are 400 drum samples to choose from, and pitch controls on each of the three drum tracks), while the effects unit is based on Sugar Bytes' Effectrix technology.

Once you've created some patterns, they can be chained together using the song sequencer, while the slice keys enable you to play sequencer steps from your keyboard.

Promising to bring "fun and immediacy" back to mobile music making, Egoist is available now on the Apple App Store. It's currently being offered for the introductory price of £13.99/$19.99/€17.99 - this price will rise by 33% on 1 December.