KRFT Modular Music Making

Craft some Kraftwerk tunes

KRFT is very rewarding for more seasoned iPad musicians

KRFT is a music-making app with a difference. You put together ‘play surfaces’ and use them to compose loops – all at the same time. The end result feels unique, with a decidedly futuristic vibe, as you tap away at angular neon constructions rather than a more typical virtual piano keyboard.

The snag is that a KRFT blank canvas can be intimidating, because you must constantly consider various elements. These can include instrument layouts you make by dragging around shapes (cells), song components that those cells trigger, and the arrangement of the song you’re working towards. Fortunately, the app bundles demos to play with, and explains how a cell’s shape determines its function. Diamonds, for example, are loops, ovals are samples/sound effects, and rectangles can be used to trigger multiple cells.

Construction of loops is more orthodox: you tap out notes on a piano roll like the one in GarageBand, or play a grid that could be a minimal piano or set of drum pads depending on your chosen instrument. Whatever you write can later be edited through moving individual notes or adjusting each sound’s properties. And when you think of something new or need to bring coherence to components that are only semi-randomly positioned until that point, the play surface can be redesigned by dragging cells.

Experimental and rewarding

The nature of KRFT makes it well suited to non-linear composition and live performances alike. There is integration with other apps through Ableton Link and Inter-App Audio, but KRFT feels a lot more like a standalone product than part of a system.

Instead, this is a music app that revels in experimentation and playing around. Yes, there’s a learning curve but, take your time, start with simple constructions, and KRFT soon clicks. It’s also very rewarding for more seasoned iPad musicians. The novel approach it takes compared to rival music-making apps can inspire entirely new ways of thinking about music creation.

KRFT’s unconventional creation process leads to tracks that evolve over time as you get to grips with the app.

Different shapes represent different loops and effects, but there is also a more traditional piano roll at your disposal.