To date, this app has had over 100 000 downloads and is in the top ten in a Google Play search for “drum machine”. There is also a paid version that allows saving and exporting. The average user rating is 3.4 and was last updated Sept 12 2013 so was in active development at time of this review.

The developer uses the Google Play beta testing groups system which is a nice touch to keep in contact with enthusiastic users, and there is gui library published by the developer under an open source license that others can use. . The user website has extensive help.

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It took me a couple of minutes to get the logic of the pattern sequencer, but once going it worked very well. You can create patterns, name them and then use them in a song/arrangement. One thing I really liked is that it starts playing some default patterns on first use – it’s making music from the word go.

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Overall, the features are pretty extensive, as it includes a sample editor, mixer, and piano roll view. That said, usage of things like “Auto hit” are not necessarily immediately obvious, and with so many features, spending some time with the help page and tutorials will reward the user.

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There are quite a few user comments about timing inconsistencies but I didn’t experience that. The timing for me was solid throughout my test period, even when playing in the background. I suspect the lowish rating has to do with earlier versions of this app, and given its active support by the developer and ongoing development, I expect it to improve.