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Say welcome to the first app from rushworks for Apple’s iPhone as well as for Smartphones. This application emulates an instrument named Caisa COSMA, tuned F-Major, built by Bill Brown in Munich, Germany. There are similar apps around, featuring other steelpans (Hang, Halo, Bell to name a few) which belong to the same family of instruments, the idiophones. Now we wanted to complete the road with this app. Simple handling; just tip on the silver dots and play melodies as well as repeating patterns. Also there are areas to play on, featuring not tone fields but the rim of them. This provides you some interesting additional sounds to fill in percussion-like effects.
Aside of this, you can flip the whole instrument by pushing the rotate-icon.
Why the heck, should I…?
As a player of the Caisa you would know, yes, it’s also fun to drum a little on the backside of this steel turtle. With some percussionist’s skills you can do a lot on the dark side of the Caisa – it’s similar to that, what guitar players can do on their instrument. They are not just working the strings, no. The advanced players also use to play rhythms on the guitar’s body. And it sounds great when they do it right. So you can do a similar playing on the Caisa. Sure, not at the same time on the front AND the backside, that’s a bit too tricky. At least I didn’t find out, how to handle it…
A funny gimmick is, you can let real hands appear on the display, virtually playing the Caisa. This feature can be turned on/off. Also included is a short video, that shows how to play the instrument in real life.
This app features the pure “dry” Sound of the Caisa, later apps or an update (not yet sure about the How and the When) will contain the option to add echo, reverb and other spatial effects. Maybe a recording function too, let’s see. For the moment it’s a neat alternative for the Caisa-player, who is going on a trip and who definitely wont to spend the next days totally without his baby. And yes, above all this it’s a nice and stylish toy anyway. 😉
Here you can find the app in the stores for smartphones:
and here for your iPhone.
Let us know how you like it and show us your playing skills on that virtual steel. The best videos will be published, here, in our blog. Provide us a link to Youtube or similar platforms, that’s the most smart way to become part of the race.
Happy playing!
rushworx 
Hi I just downloaded the Caisa App on my iPad 2 but I have no Sound. What can be wrong? iTunes Music plays back properly.
Thanks for your help,
Aletta
Hey Aletta, I’ll forward your question to my developers. But actually it should work, otherwise the app wouldn’t have passed Apple’s quality control and so it wouldn’t appear in the store. I’m afraid, it depends on your hardware. But give me some time. I’ll see what I can do for you. Talk soon!
Hi, i just downloaded it for my Ipad 3. I got no sound eighter.
Hey Mari, my technician told me, the app is ready for iPad3 too. So you should check all audio options on your device. Maybe there’s something still muted.
Greets!
Hello Aletta, we tested the app on an iPad2 and it works fine. So it seems it depends on your iPad’s audio preferences. I will write you an email in your native language, by the way. See you!
Quite nice – Good Sound even when playing two toned .
I can’t find which caisa tuning is used for this app – as this would be very interesting for new fans…
First try then buy – or so 😉
You should tell the tuning type below
Do you intend to allow more tunings in the future? This is a “big deal” using the odd hang app!
Hey Birgit!
Thanx for pointing me to that, indeed I never mentioned the tuning. It’s F-Major, recorded on the Model Caisa COSMA.
Yes, there is a plan for an later update, featuring more scales. Not sure, whether we can make it like the odd hang app, but we’ll try.
Btw, wir sitzen im deutschen Sprachraum. 😉
I JUST got it. I like it a lot. But, I cannot play 2 notes at the same time. I need/want to play 2 at the same for a harmonizing effect. It only allows one touch. VERY LIMITING!
PLEASE HELP?! thanks. I would love to own one FOR REAL
So, go and buy it! 🙂 Look inside the app, there is a website where you can order your real instrument.
Hey Ryan, yes, the app at the moment is still monophonic. But we are working on the upgrade. Watch out for news here on the blog, I’ll post about the V1.1 – and I can inform you by email, of course.