SoundGrid is a matrix sequencer app similar to the Tenori-on device by Yamaha. The concept is simple: Make music on a 16x16 grid with the touch of a finger. I was pleasantly surprised at how much this application had to offer for such a small price.

So far, the App Store has only seen a few products of this nature. Users are presented with a grid where they must fill in the individual squares with a tap of the finger. After selecting the desired boxes, hitting the play button triggers one moving column of illuminated squares that activates sounds based on which squares you have selected. A total of eight different layers can be playing at once with one of the seven included sound banks. Also, eight different patterns can be made for each layer so that you can switch between them and add some spice to your creation.

The interface is extremely easy to use. Simply swiping your finger up or down switches to the next or previous layer, and another pattern can be selected just by tapping the number of your desired pattern up at the top of the layer. The top of the screen displays the layer in use and the sound bank chosen for the layer, along with a button for layer options. At the bottom, three buttons are present: a plus button to add a layer, a play button to pause or play your work, and a button for settings. Shaking the device also affords you the option of creating a random pattern or deleting a pattern or layer.

This application comes packed with many features that similar apps just don’t offer. For one thing, there are several different sound banks to choose from, such as drums and long beats. To me, some of the sounds didn’t really fit in with what I was going for. You might be able to enhance them with other options like the resonant filter and delay; still, some of the sounds just don’t mesh well. Along with these options, users can change the color of their layer, alter the beats per minute, and adjust the volume of each individual layer.

This app really worked well. I love all the features and the ability to save and load my creations and even share them with the online community. Whether you are an advanced musician or just someone who enjoys easily creating your own unique tunes, you should definitely pick this one up.