Samvada [iPhone]

Samvada creates sympathetic strings that resonate when you sing or play into the microphone. Ideal for practising and performing Indian music. Samvada tunefully accompanies you in any scale or raga you choose. Like the taraf (sympathetic) strings of a sitar, only the notes you play in tune will ring out - helping you improve your ear and providing a harmonious accompaniment.

A number of presets come with Samvada, or you can make and share your own. The thirteen strings can be fine-tuned to the notes of a recording, or you can tune them to what sounds best to you or your teacher. The default presets are based on tunings from maestro recordings, plus some additional settings for Western-style scale tunings.

Samvada is also useful for:

• Tuning stringed instruments
• Helping with making and tuning instruments - e.g. flutes
• Providing a pleasant sonic mask for background sounds and voices
• Playing, like a swar mandal or harp
• Using as an Aeolian harp, in windy conditions

Samvada can be used at the same time as a drone recording, or other apps designed for music, such as the excellent iTabla Pro app by Prasad Upasani.

For a similar effect as a plug-in for desktop and laptop machines, try DroneBox by Oli Larkin (New version coming September 2012).

Samvada is a Sanskrit word meaning harmonious dialogue or communication. The word relates to the musical concept of samvadi, and the instrument the samvadini.

Samvada could not have been made without the generous help of:

Ustad Wajahat Khan — wajahatkhan.com
Oli Larkin — olilarkin.co.uk
Martin Roth — twitter.com/supersg559
Mohan Chandola — facebook.com/mohan.chandola
Prasad Upasani — upasani.org
David Ronan — facebook.com/daithiobadabing
Craig Grindley — bansuriflute.co.uk
Chris McGrail — kleber.net
Peter Davidson — facebook.com/zenbansuri

Samvada uses the following libraries:

libpd — Library version of Pure Data by Miller Puckette
pd-for-ios — iOS wrapper for libpd
ActionSheetPicker — for UI elements — Copyright (c) 2011, Tim Cinel
JSONKit — for presets — Copyright (c) 2011, John Engelhart