Rytmik Lite Chiptune Synthesizer

It's not an actual synthesizer, it's a tracker suited to make chiptunes and it's adequate for that purpose.

This program is really great if you're new to music making, and want to branch out from really limiting phone apps. Absolutely beginner friendly. But unfortunately doesn't seem to have keyboard support. Not a big problem for me at my current level, but something others may be concerned about. I upgraded to ultimate, and find both programs useful for my specific needs, as I don't adhere to simply one genre of music.

I highly recommend this if you want to make some chiptune for your own personal projects. Or just want to have some fun without an overwhelmingly complex program.

TL;DR: Very good beginner app and for people who just want to make something simple for a project, if you are an expert and looking for high production software this isn't it.

iTS OK FOR MAKING A FEW SIMPLE TUNES. The layout and usage feels like a 1990s bit of software. Would prefer a more simplistic layout with windows that open taher than the whole interface changing. its very hard to create a tune. but I only bought it to make a few samples string together. Honestly for what I need its far easier to bash a few things and humm some notes than try work this out.

The challenge for this piece of software is figuring out how it's different from other versions of 'rytmik'.

This version has one instrument - 'dr synth'. This may be disappointing by comparison to other options until you realize that 'dr synth' is an extremely versatile instrument that's capable of producing all of the sounds you're looking for in chiptune. The thing is, 'dr synth' is included in 'rytmik ultimate' as well - but you might not even notice it among all of the other instruments available.

With this one, you're only going to be using 'dr synth', and you'll be amazed how easy it is to tweak and bend in the rytmik interface. 'Dr synth' allows for you to 'draw' the wave, and fine tune all sorts of different aspects of it in the 'fx' tab.

Still - you get 'dr synth' in the ultimate version - you don't get all the demos and examples though, which really will help as starting points for different sounds, especially drums. You also don't get this 'curated' version of the 'rytmik cloud', which has only stuff made with 'dr synth'.

Even though you get access to 'dr synth' in 'rytmik ultimate' already, this is worth picking up - it's like a total chiptune ecosystem!

This is a neat idea, but if you're looking for more than a toy ala the old MTV Music Generator games, don't bother wasting the money on it. There are literally dozens of free programs that give you way, way more freedom. You can download things like SunVox without paying a dime or agreeing to signing all the rights away to the music you make with the program, and it makes even the "Ultimate" version of Rytmik look like a poor joke.

If you're at all interested in making music, chiptunes or otherwise, don't waste your time and money on something you'll be guaranteed to drop anyway.

The name oif this application is misleading in that it does not and cannot "synthesize" sounds as an actual chiptune synth can [ see: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chiptune ].

Want a music "toy" that can play samples of sounds that sound like old console games and / or write "songs" like the "trackers" of the 90's but with less tracks?
Buy this.

Want a musical instrument that will work with your Digital Audio Workstation [DAW]?
Don't buy this. Rytmik is programmed with the UNITY 3d engine and it is not capable of being used as a DAW plug-in nor MIDI synth. This is not a synthesizer. It is a very limited audio loop player. You cannot use it with a MIDI conmtroller nor can you actually "play it except via a QWERTY keyboard.

Want to be able to expand your sounds and export your "songs"?
You can buy sound upgrades and export capabilities by buying the "Ultimate" add-on and additional sound packs but if you want to use your own your own samples you are out of luck. All of the configuration and sounds are stored in UNITY native compressed file format. The application does not allow you to import or save your own sound banks.

If you want a real chiptune tracker app try OpenMPT https://openmpt.org/ which can do the things that this app cannot.

I do not recommend this program. It's options are very few, there are practically no samples to work with in the light version and there is no tutorial to show you how it is supposed to work. lacking.

It might be a decent sequencer once you get past the unintuitive interface, which seems to borrow the main workflow from Fruityloops. But this lite version is absolutely not worth it. It's WAY too featureless. There is ONE instrument.

I don't lke paid demos and that's what this is. Furthermore, for a program with that unintuitive interface this really is a bad demo because it took me a while scratching my head trying to find the other instruments. I was clicking everywhere, trying to find a basic drum to go with my beep boops until I realized that's all I was gonna get.

If you have any interest in this application, watch some videos online, see if this is what you want then buy the fully featured version.

As for me, I felt conned, to be really honest. I expected a lite version to have more features than that. This left a bad taste in my mouth and I will not be purchasing any other version of this software.

Are you planning to make music for video games? This is a perfect tool for that. The files naturally come in .wav format, so you'll probably need an audio converter like Audacity, but otherwise this tool is very useful for creating great-sounding video game music. The user interface is easy to use, there's a whole lot of enjoyable instruments to work with, and the program allows you to save the data for 999 songs: you can export as many as you want, but those 999 will be perfectly editable.

Thanks for listening, Cinemax.

According to the new License Agreement things are now different. This is copied straight from their agreement.

"CINEMAX agrees that all rights, title and interest in the user-generated content, excluding the pre-existing material, shall belong to you. By creating user-generated content and uploading it to Rytmik Cloud you automatically grant CINEMAX, for a full term of copyright, a worldwide, irrevocable, transferable, non-exclusive, no-charge and royalty-free, unlimited right and license to use, reproduce, modify, adapt, publish, perform, play, distribute, sub-license, create derivative works of and otherwise exploit in any way known, including commercial exploitation, this user-generated content."

This states that your creations are yours. Fair warning, if you want to keep your music soley to yourself for personal and monetary gain, do NOT upload it to their cloud. If you keep it off of their cloud, which you do have the option to do so, then it is yours. If you upload it to their cloud then they can do with it as they please. If you look past this or just don't care then I recommend this software.

Thanks a lot for listening to your customers, Cinemax. I wish all companies would listen. :)

Below is my old review. I changed my opinion of this product based on the change in their Software License Agreement. Before, I didn't recommend this.

So far, this is the only product that I do NOT recommend because of their shady ways.

This was copied and pasted straight from the SOFTWARE LICENSE AGREEMENT. This means that I can't earn money off of my work while they can legally exploit everyone's work and earn money off of YOUR songs. Until this is changed, I can NOT recommend this product. I have the right to make music that I can monetize and only allow Rytmik use if I give permission. This is a product wrapped up as a wolf in sheep's clothing. This is theft wrapped up as audio productions tool.

CINEMAX hereby grants you, for a full term of copyright, a worldwide, non-exclusive, non-transferable, limited right and license to install and use one (1) copy of the software solely and exclusively for your personal non-commercial use (“license”).

By creating user-generated content you automatically grant CINEMAX, for a full term of copyright, a worldwide, irrevocable, transferable, non-exclusive, no-charge and royalty-free, unlimited right and license to use, reproduce, modify, adapt, publish, perform, play, distribute, sub-license, create derivative works of and otherwise exploit in any way known, including commercial exploitation, this user-generated content.

As for the product...if you don't mind not being able to use YOUR work for own monetary gain nor do you mind a company stealing off of you LEGALLY, it's not a bad program. Besides this, I would recommend this program.

This was stated by a comment and I feel it needs to be shared.

"Techbane Feb 18 @ 5:40pm
This has been discussed, and the implications of that passage from the EULA are that, yes, you grant the parent company the rights to use, modify, distribute, and sell your original work. I don't think that's actually happened yet in its several years of various iterations, its main application insofar seems to be the video compilations they put out every now and then showcasing some of the more popular works published on the service without having to go to everybody individually and asking permission. I can certainly see why some people would be leery about that regardless.

It does NOT, however, nullify your own copyright as author of the work. You are still free to do whatever the hell you like with it yourself, including selling it. So there's that.

Techbane Feb 18 @ 7:26pm
As an addendum, afaik this only applies if you specifically use the cloud service, since they don't have any way of lifting it straight from your hard drive."

Yes, you can do whatever you want with it, including selling it and earning a profit, but personal non-commercial use say no profit. If you make something, it is copyright be you. If you copyright it, then you can do whatever you want. The agreement and law are don't seem to work together here. By saying yes to the agreement to install it, you can't monetize your own work. If this agreement changes, please let me know so I can change this review.

Thanks a lot, techbane.

Fair warning to those who are looking into this software, get the upgrade to Rytmik Ultimate as soon as you can. With this version all you get are two basic one note sound bytes that can only make what I can only describe as early DOS or commodore 64 music. Even then good luck trying to figure out how to use the damn thing on your own because the only way to learn how to use the software is to look up the manual on the official website (It's just a pet peeve of mine that i have to go to an external website just to learn how to use the software). To be honest this is my first music software I bought off steam (not the first I've used, that was FL Studio) and first impressions were terrible but after upgrading to Rytmik ultimate, I honestly like using it in my spare time when I'm not in the mood to play Gmod or TF2 (or any game for that matter).

worth the money, im into the synthetic sounds and old school srtyles. i found it easy to use its a simple sort click and drag system. in a matter of 5 hours i have made 3 little tunes that i enjoy alot.

when payday roles around again im gonna get the ultamate and see how better it is.


the only bad thing about this is the addiction of it. I lost sleep over worrying that ill lose insperation but somehow your pretunes help me.

im reccomending to my friends

Everyone who's ever wanted to make their own chiptune-style music but hasn't needs to get this wile it's on sale for $4, especially if they're experienced in making music. Incredibly easy-to-use interface full of pre-made, fully-editable music clips, make composition easy for novices.

And, if you are an experienced composer, this is a great tool for pumping out gritty, chiptune-style samples to use in your DAW.

Or, if you're developing a game and you want to add your own original music, but aren't a composer (yet), this might be the thing for you.

Highly recommended.

Fun For Four Dollars (normally 6)

Enjoyable to play around with but ultimately constrained, a bit like eJay back in the noughties.

Decent amount of content for the price and the accessibility to get creative is always welcome.

Originally didn't really like Rytmik Ultimate, but started playing around with it for a while, I mean I spent like hours and hours, still it needs a little work, like more than 5 tracks I think is the limit? It's made for Ipad also so it has to be a little dumbed down but for easy music production besides like FLstudio, this one is cheap as heck and pretty great for what it is!\

don't like how exporting takes the same time as the song length however.

I love this!
As a huge chiptune fan, this is a huge thing for me.
It's so easy to use, and easy to learn.

If you wanna be a composer, for retro games, or just retro tunes, get it! and, play around ~!

(original review)

This program is hard to learn. It is marketed as an easy program, but a confusing sound making section complicates any chance of making anything your own. Nice default loops though...

P.S. Also needs some video tutorials or something to get someone started in sound/music production

(new review)
Everything i sad above is a misunderstanding. (I still haven't used the loop making section though.) This thing is awesome and needs only a basic tutorial for the drag and drop interface (because someone won't understand it, it is way to simple.) This program is worth it if you don't want, dare I say it? royalty free music from random places on the internet (ugh). I would suggest this if you just want to mess around or are getting serious but just can't get that right feel of 8-16 bit.

So I just tried this out after watching the tutorial and...
Yeah, get it. It's cheap, it's easy, and it's chiptunes.
That's really all I need to say.

The fact I could come up with two catchy chiptune battle themes within an hour is absolutely awesome. A great way to try the Rytmik Ultimate software. It's got simple placement options as well as a plethora of adjustments to make sounds your own. You can also add in notes via a virtual keyboard (which I have yet attempted to use.. Kept it simple for now.)... So far I would say it is software I look forward to using in future projects.

Updated Review:

I was too harsh in my original review. I messed with the program for more time, and found that it is much more simple to use than I thought. It took me quite a bit of time to understand however, and I'm still trying to figure things out. But, for $5, this is quite a nice little tool.




Original Review (I originally had my review say "not recommended"): Has potential, but it's got a clunky mess of a layout with no description of how to use anything. I can't tell if I'm actually able to make and place my own notes, or if I'm stuck using loops. It's all unclear. This is of course coming from someone who is not used to using intermediate music software like FruityLoops and the sort, so it may just be on me. But, it'd be nice if the program was more user friendly and intuitive, which it just isn't right now. I'm sure it'll get better with time.