VA-1
Virtual-analog synthesizer
$34.99
A focused virtual-analog synth for iPhone, iPad, and Mac — with AUv3, MIDI Learn, user presets, oscillator noise, and 500 factory presets.
VA-1 is a focused virtual-analog synthesizer for musicians, producers, and sound designers. One app, one purchase — runs natively on iPhone, iPad, and Mac, and now works as an AUv3 instrument in compatible hosts.
Inspired by the workflow of classic hardware synths, VA-1 keeps playing and sound-shaping on one fast, hands-on panel. Tweak sounds in real time, build sequences, map hardware controls, and open the full effects rack whenever you want deeper shaping.
No subscription. No in-app purchases. No ads. No account required. Buy once, own it.
— 500 FACTORY PRESETS —
Across seven categories:
• 100 Bass: sub, pluck bass, reese, acid, deep house, dub
• 100 Pad: ambient, evolving, strings, soft, shimmer
• 80 Lead: solo, saw, square, dual-osc, cutting, vintage
• 60 Keys: EP, organ, synth-piano, bell, hybrid
• 60 Pluck: staccato, FM, acoustic-hybrid
• 50 Arp: rhythmic, gated, sequenced
• 50 FX: hits, risers, drops, textures, transitions
Each preset is tagged, searchable, and ready to tweak. Save your own sounds, manage user presets, and mark favorites for quick recall.
— SOUND ENGINE —
• Up to 16-voice polyphony
• Two oscillators plus sub oscillator
• Independent oscillator noise controls
• Multi-mode filter with resonance
• Dedicated amp and filter envelopes with ADSR
• Dual LFOs
• On-board effects chain: chorus, phaser, delay, and reverb
• Smoother output dynamics for cleaner chords and performance
— SEQUENCER —
Record a sequence live, loop it while you shape the sound, change length on the fly, or switch to KEY mode to transpose the pattern from the keyboard.
— MIDI & PERFORMANCE —
• External MIDI support on iPhone, iPad, and Mac
• MIDI Learn for mapping hardware controls
• Standard MIDI CCs mapped out of the box, including mod wheel, master volume, filter cutoff, resonance, and ADSR controls
• On-screen keyboard lights up as you play an external controller
• Visible octave can follow notes outside the current range
• Mac keyboard support for quick QWERTY-as-piano sketching
— AUv3 —
Use VA-1 as an AUv3 instrument in compatible hosts. Load factory presets, automate parameters, play from host MIDI, and keep VA-1 in your mobile or desktop production workflow.
— SYSTEM —
• Background audio keeps playing when you switch apps
• Improved audio recovery when switching devices or routes
• Save your own presets to your device
• Universal purchase across iPhone, iPad, and Mac
— ONE PURCHASE, ALL YOUR DEVICES —
VA-1 is a universal purchase. Buy once on any platform and install it on iPhone, iPad, and Mac at no extra cost.
Ratings & Reviews
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VA-1 1.1.0 is a major update focused on AUv3 support, MIDI control, preset workflow, sound-engine stability, and smoother day-to-day performance across iPhone, iPad, and Mac.
New in this version:
• AUv3 instrument support
Use VA-1 inside compatible AUv3 host apps. The AUv3 version includes the synth engine, plugin editor, factory preset access, MIDI input, parameter automation, and saved plugin state, so VA-1 can fit into more mobile and desktop production workflows.
• MIDI Learn
Map hardware controls to VA-1 parameters with a cleaner tap-to-learn workflow. MIDI Learn now works more consistently across platforms, with persistent mappings and less visual clutter while you play.
• Expanded MIDI performance support
External MIDI input is improved for note playing, control changes, program changes, pitch bend in the standalone app, all-notes-off handling, and panic/all-sound-off messages. Standard MIDI CCs are still mapped out of the box for common controls like mod wheel, master volume, filter cutoff, resonance, attack, decay, and release.
• Dedicated user preset area
Your saved sounds now have their own place in the preset browser, making them easier to find, manage, favorite, and return to alongside the factory sound library.
• Independent oscillator noise
Oscillator 1 and Oscillator 2 now each have their own noise control, giving you more ways to add air, grit, texture, transient bite, and analog-style movement to a patch.
• Smoother sound engine behavior
VA-1 now has improved gain staging, smoother output dynamics, safer release-tail handling, and better behavior under dense chords, long releases, and heavy effect use.
• Fixed sine-wave chord clicking/crackling
Fixed an issue where sine-wave chords could produce clicking or crackling. Polyphonic sine and chord playback is now smoother, especially with longer releases, stacked voices, and sustained playing.
• Improved sequencer timing
Sequencer playback timing has been tightened for live use, including while opening preset and effects controls. Loop wrap behavior and KEY mode performance have also been refined so patterns feel steadier while you play and tweak.
• Better audio/device recovery
Improved recovery when switching audio devices, changing Bluetooth routes, returning from interruptions, or resuming audio after system-level route changes.
• Cleaner MIDI Learn interface
Removed extra MIDI Learn marker clutter and replaced the old Mac right-click workflow with a more consistent MIDI Learn experience across iPhone, iPad, and Mac.
• AUv3 preset improvements
Factory presets are now available from the AUv3 version of VA-1, making it easier to start from the same sounds whether you are using the standalone app or a host.
• Effects and output polish
The chorus, phaser, delay, and reverb chain has received stability and behavior improvements, with safer handling during heavier patches and smoother final output under load.
• Performance and stability improvements
This update includes CPU and stability improvements for demanding patches, including smarter voice handling, safer output limiting, effect-load management under pressure, render-load guarding, and general audio-engine hardening.
• Platform polish
Includes layout refinements for iPhone and iPad, improved Mac performance workflows, stronger shared behavior across platforms, and better consistency between the standalone app and AUv3 instrument.
• General bug fixes and polish
Includes MIDI mapping fixes, sequencer fixes, audio recovery fixes, UI layout refinements, preset browser improvements, release-tail fixes, and other reliability improvements throughout the app.
The developer, Richard Gillespie, indicated that the app’s privacy practices may include handling of data as described below. For more information, see the developer’s privacy policy .
Data Not Collected
The developer does not collect any data from this app.
Accessibility
The developer has not yet indicated which accessibility features this app supports. Learn More
Information
- Seller
- Richard Gillespie
- Size
- 10 MB
- Category
- Music
- Compatibility
Requires iOS 26.0 or later.
- iPhone
Requires iOS 26.0 or later. - iPad
Requires iPadOS 26.0 or later. - Mac
Requires macOS 14.0 or later. - Apple Vision
Requires visionOS 26.0 or later.
- iPhone
- Languages
- English
- Age Rating
4+
- 4+
- Copyright
- © 2026 Richard Gillespie

