Features & Capabilities

Graphics editor for drawing music and sound. Software simulator of the unique Russian synthesizer ANS. +AU

Virtual ANS is a software simulator of the unique Russian synthesizer ANS - photoelectronic musical instrument created by Evgeny Murzin from 1938 to 1958. The ANS made it possible to draw music in the form of a spectrogram (sonogram), without live instruments and performers. It was used by Stanislav Kreichi, Alfred Schnittke, Edward Artemiev and other Soviet composers in their experimental works. You can also hear the sound of the ANS in Andrei Tarkovsky's movies Solaris, The Mirror, Stalker.

The simulator extends the capabilities of the original instrument. Now it's a full-featured graphics editor where you can convert sound into an image, load and play pictures, draw microtonal/spectral music and create some unusual deep atmospheric sounds. This app is for everyone who loves experiments and is looking for something new.

Key features:

  • unlimited number of pure tone generators;
  • powerful sonogram editor - you can draw the spectrum and play it at the same time;
  • any sound (from a WAV file or a Microphone/Line-in) can be converted to image (sonogram) and vice versa;
  • support for MIDI devices;
  • polyphonic synth mode with MIDI mapping;
  • supported file formats: WAV (only uncompressed PCM), PNG, JPEG, GIF;
  • Audio Unit Extension (AUv3), Audiobus;
  • many new features compared to version 2.3; see the full list: https://warmplace.ru/soft/ans/changelog.txt

Homepage, user manual and versions for other systems: https://warmplace.ru/soft/ans

User Growth & Download Statistics

App
By:
Alexander Zolotov
Rating:
4.80
(57)
0.10
Version:
3.0.4 Last updated: 2025-10-03
Version code:
878420866
Creation date:
2019-06-03
Compatible devices:
Size:
30.78MB
Price:
2.99
URLs:
Website ,Privacy policy
Full description:
See detailed description
Source:
Apple Apps Store
Data ingested on:
2026-06-07
Compare stats and ranking:

Contact the developer

Chrome-Stats does not own this Apple app. Please use these information below to contact the Apple app developer.
Developed by:
Alexander Zolotov
Apple Apps Store
https://apps.apple.com/us/app/virtual-ans-3/id1465860248
Website:
https://warmplace.ru/soft/ans

User Reviews

Virtual ANS 3 is praised for its innovative image-based sound design, enabling experimental textures and atmospheric soundscapes. It shines as a hands-on tool for live performance (video layering and looping) and benefits from a high-res interface and rich drawing tools. However, it faces recurring UI/UX frictions on iOS, a learning curve with updates, and debate over paid upgrades.
Pros
  • Innovative image/pixel-based sound generation enabling spectral/microtonal textures.
  • Strong suitability for experimental soundscapes and atmospheric textures.
  • Fun, hands-on performance tool with video layering and live-loop capabilities.
  • Regular updates and a higher-resolution interface improve usability and visuals.
  • Rich set of drawing tools (brushes, gradients) that enhance creative workflows.
Cons
  • UI/UX on iOS can be fiddly: controls are small and windows can be hard to close, with cramped viewing areas like the sonogram.
  • Learning curve and changes between updates can make upgrades feel non‑drop‑in.
  • Paid upgrades are controversial, with some users feeling they pay again for a product.
Recent reviews
Russian audio engineer Yevgeny Murzin’s 1958 ANS synthesizer, there is only one, as a frequently updated tastefully expanded multi platform app/software. Thank you, thank you, thank you Alexander Zolotov!
by Ph*****, 2025-06-11

it took me a while to form a cohesive project with this, i'll admit. however, once I did, it was incredibly satisfying. i'd like to conclude that the best usage for this app is forming unique soundscape with a darker sci-fi appeal. making use of all the tools—unique brushes, different gradients, and otherwise—you can make quite a bit of complex tracks with an otherwise "simple" interface.
by GB*****, 2025-05-04

Update: Oh my gosh, you really don’t know much about iOS! Use hot-key’s how? With what keyboard? iOS doesn’t have a control key nor an escape key. Are you saying I need to buy an external keyboard since iOS only opens it’s virtual keyboard when in a text field? Rescaling the Font isn’t designed correctly. You’re using a reference point on the right side of the letter so as you increase the Font size, the note labels go off screen to the left. Looks sloppy. It wouldn’t be so bad if you weren’t charging customers again for virtually the same product, it really is just an update, and giving us ‘beta ware’ on top of it. Tell us so in the app’s description. I found an app to created a PDF of you online manual since you were too lazy to do that for your customers. —- I can’t close the synth controls (which are WAY to small, unnecessarily). It won’t toggle off. Touching outside of the control window won’t close it like other windows do. The synth controls for ADSR and volume do not work. User manual should be available as a PDF, not just a web page. Why is it so hard for developers to get through their heads that not everybody always has excess to the Internet! The app’s manual says VA3 will crash if you attempt to load the wrong type of wave file! It should never crash. That’s just bad coding. The manual says that Start/Stop AU doesn’t work yet. And actually, the manual is foe Windows and Macs. The developer just inserted a few lines for the iOS version, leaving all the Windows/Mac Hot-keys! My gosh it only would take 10 minutes to revise the manual for iOS. How disappointing. 5-stars to 1-star. —- I still have/use version 2.3b so when I saw the enhanced version, I bought it, again. 🤓 It’s has always been the only music app that drawing forms by your finger really worked. I know, other apps have the feature but they usually impossible to really draw waves accurately. Virtual ANS 3 is perfect to go along with Mood, Spacecraft and OuttaBass. I still do not use SunVox as it’s an eye test, the text is too small to deal with.
by Er*****, 2024-12-18
View all user reviews ›

Best Virtual ANS 3 Alternatives

Here are some Apple apps that are similar to Virtual ANS 3: