Yonac Thereminator 2 is the second generation of the beloved pocket Theremin Synthesizer app, now for iOS and macOS.
I’ve been using iPhones and iPads as music tools for over 13 years, if not longer. Comparing what the platform was like then to what it is like today reveals massive progress. The developers at Yonac were very early in the game.
Among other releases is the app Thereminator, which came onto the iOS market in 2008—two years before the first iPad. It’s an app that incorporates the idea of a Theremin in touch, also known as a pocket Theremin. 16 years later, Yonac Thereminator 2 is now available for download, and it is a massive upgrade.
Yonac Thereminator 2
Thereminator 2 is the successor to the 2008 app and has been completely redesigned from A to Z. This ranges from the playability, the synth engine to modern connectivity. It is now at the level of 2024 apps.
Version 2 remains a touch-controlled virtual Theremin Synthesizer that is playable horizontally (pitch) and vertically (expression). Yonac added 51 musical scales and a selectable musical key function to make the excellent playing experience more accessible.
There is also a new note snap feature that can dial in any amount of glide between adjacent notes.
The virtual analog engine has made a big step forward. It is now much more comprehensive and uses the latest Yonac modeling codes. The synth engine offers eight waveforms with an 8-octave frequency range, including the original, unique Thereminator waveform.
Then, it features a virtual analog filter with cutoff and resonance controls. A multi-FX processor is onboard to refine your sound. It includes an adjustable vibrato and tremolo, a unique drive, a custom chorus/expander effect, and a modeled vintage tape delay capable of self-oscillation.
While playing the synth pitch horizontally, you can manipulate vertical parameters expressively with touch. Here, you can map the volume, filter, vibrato, and tremolo to the vertical touch.
Another big new feature of Yonac Thereminator 2 is the AUv3 support, which turns the app into a plugin for your iOS and macOS host. Plus, it has MPE support, using a special adaptation of the protocol. MIDI support is also onboard, so you can also play it using MIDI keyboards.
Yonac ships Thereminator 2 with over 50 factory presets in a preset browser, where you can save unlimited new patches. On top of that, the app is also compatible with macOS Apple Silicon.
If you purchase the app on your iPhone or iPad, you can also use it on macOS (Apple Silicon) in a standalone or AUv3 plugin in Ableton Live, Logic Pro, and other AUv3-supported DAWs.
First Impression
I’m very happy to see that one of my first apps is back with a new look and an improved engine. I’m excited to see how versatile Thereminator 2 is, as much of it has replaced Animoog Z in my setup for many years.
Yonac Thereminator 2 is available now for an introductory price of $3,99 instead of $7,99. It runs as a standalone app and AUv3 plugin on iOS (iPhone, iPad, iPod Touch) and macOS (Apple Silicon only).
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