SAND: Audio MIDI Sequencer

Have SAND in your pocket. Create music anywhere. Sketch your ideas, compose with MIDI and audio clips, host your favorite plugins. All designed for creative flow, whether you're at home or on the go.

SAND is a music sketchpad for AUv3, MIDI, and audio clips—built so you can try ideas quickly, without setup getting in the way.

Please note: SAND does not generate sound on its own—it relies on AUv3 plugins you can find on the App Store. Try SAND free for 14 days; in-app purchases unlock features after the trial.

GRID SEQUENCER

Arrange MIDI and audio clips on a grid to build your ideas.
Copy, duplicate, merge, combine, and drag-and-drop clips to shape your project.
Quick clip tools: quantize, length, legato, transpose from the clip menu.
Render MIDI clips as audio by dropping them onto an audio track.

MIDI TRACKS

Work with instrument and MIDI tracks in your projects.
Load an instrument and unlimited audio and MIDI effects on each track.
Hide tracks and assign custom icons to keep sessions organized.
Save tracks as templates for future projects.

Edit MIDI in a piano-roll clip editor: quantize, legato, split, duplicate, copy, and paste.
Build chords with the chord selector.
Adjust note position, pitch, duration, and velocity.
Handle bars edit position and pitch on the note.
Use an adjustable grid or free placement.
Scale highlighting helps you stay in key.

Record with an optional count-in or from the first note.
Quantize recordings for tighter timing.

AUDIO TRACKS

Add dedicated audio tracks alongside your MIDI material.
Import audio into clips from other apps or the clip import flow, with preview before committing.
Record audio into clips with per-track input settings and track arming.
Set loop or one-shot playback, beat-aligned or immediate start, and optional clip BPM.
Looping clips follow project tempo.
The audio editor supports copy, paste, crop, gain adjustment, normalize, silence, fades, reverse, pitch, stretch, and split. With automatic or manual preview.

PLUGIN HOST

Host AUv3 instruments, audio effects, and MIDI processors.
Control parameters and presets, and save default states for new instances.
Record notes and MIDI from plugin interfaces, and capture output from MIDI plugins.
Mark plugins as favorites for faster access.

SONG MODE

Arrange clips in sections with independent lengths, played back seamlessly in order.
Launch every clip in a section at once, sections work as scene launchers.
Set a different time signature per section when needed.

AUTOMATION

Automate volume, pan, effect parameters, and MIDI for dynamic changes across your tracks.

MASTER TRACK

Apply effects globally across the project.
Use the master track's clip to generate bass lines and chord progressions.

MIDI ROUTING

Record from external MIDI devices, including hardware synths.
Send MIDI out for real-time playback and route MIDI between tracks.
Use SAND as a virtual MIDI input and output.

MIDI MAPPING

Map a MIDI controller to control the app with a flexible, customizable layout.
"Shift" mappings extend what a single controller surface can do.

PROJECT VERSIONS

Save and restore named snapshots of a project—experiment freely, then return to an earlier state.

PROJECT MANAGEMENT

Rename projects and branch copies with Save As…. (iOS 18+) Start new work from project templates. (iOS 18+)

SYNC

Sync with other apps and DAWs using Ableton Link.

ON-SCREEN KEYBOARD AND PADS

Record with a velocity-sensitive on-screen keyboard. Choose scale and root to limit keys to a scale, and adjust visible keys to match how you play. Play and record beats with on-screen drum pads.

IMPORT / EXPORT

Export clips as audio or MIDI. Export projects as Ableton Live sets. Record performances and export audio, including stems for separate processing.