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Fingerlab BloopMachine Is a Free Generative Acid Synth
Fingerlab BloopMachine is a free acid synth-sequencer for iOS and macOS: a wavetable voice, a deep generative step sequencer, 48 patterns, Song mode and AUv3 support.
M
Marcus Feld
November 2, 2026 · 7 min read
Fingerlab released BloopMachine on 29 October 2026, a free acid bassline synth-sequencer for iOS and macOS. Fingerlab is the studio behind DM1 and Mynth, so it knows how to build instruments that feel good under a finger on a touchscreen. The idea is direct: a TB-303 pushed well past the edge, free to download, with generative sequencing that keeps a single pattern alive and squirming.
At a glance: BloopMachine is a free acid synth-sequencer for iPhone, iPad and Mac. It pairs a wavetable voice with a resonant filter, driven by a deep step sequencer that can automate every parameter and behave generatively. The full version adds the complete FX section, all 48 patterns, Song mode and preset saving. It supports AUv3, and the only cost is a single in-app purchase.
What is BloopMachine?
BloopMachine is an acid machine in the TB-303 tradition, the lineage that runs through acid house, techno and decades of squelchy basslines. That classic sound lives in the interplay of note length, slide, accent and a screaming resonant filter. BloopMachine builds its voice around that relationship, then hands pattern-making to a sequencer built to surprise you.
The sound engine is a wavetable oscillator feeding a resonant filter. That gives it the rubbery, vocal character acid depends on, with more harmonic range on tap than a strict single-oscillator clone. Fingerlab isn't chasing museum accuracy here. The goal is energy, motion and the odd happy accident.
What BloopMachine does, feature by feature
A generative step sequencer. The sequencer is the heart of the app. It automates every parameter step by step, and it leans generative, so a pattern keeps evolving instead of looping flat. This is where the TB-303 comparison pays off, because acid has always lived in how a line mutates over sixteen or thirty-two steps.
A wavetable voice with a resonant filter. The oscillator is wavetable-based, and it runs into a resonant filter built for the classic acid squelch. Push the resonance, move the cutoff, and the filter sings the way acid wants it to.
Forty-eight patterns and Song mode. The full version holds 48 patterns and a Song mode for arranging them into a full track, so BloopMachine isn't just a loop toy. Build a verse, a drop and a breakdown, then chain them.
An FX section for grit and space. The complete FX section, unlocked in the full version, adds the colour and depth that turn a dry bassline into a finished part.
AUv3 and standalone. Because it supports AUv3, BloopMachine loads inside hosts like GarageBand, Logic Pro, AUM and Cubasis on iOS and macOS, or runs on its own. That makes it easy to drop into a mobile or desktop session next to your other instruments.
Fingerlab BloopMachine specifications
| Spec | Detail |
|---|---|
| Developer | Fingerlab |
| Type | Acid bassline synth-sequencer (303-style, generative) |
| Sound engine | Wavetable oscillator with resonant filter |
| Sequencer | Deep step sequencer, automates every parameter, generative |
| Patterns | 48 patterns plus Song mode (full version) |
| Effects | FX section unlocked in the full version |
| Plugin format | AUv3, plus standalone app |
| Platforms | iOS and macOS |
| Price model | Free download, single in-app purchase for the full version |
| Released | 29 October 2026 |
BloopMachine vs D16 Phoscyon 2
The desktop benchmark for a 303 in software is D16's Phoscyon 2, and the two make a useful contrast. Phoscyon 2 is a paid plugin with deep modelling, a large preset library and a full effects engine, built for a committed studio. BloopMachine is free, mobile-first and leans generative, made for speed and play.
| Fingerlab BloopMachine | D16 Phoscyon 2 | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free, with full-version IAP | $119 |
| Platforms | iOS and macOS | Windows and macOS |
| Format | AUv3, standalone | VST, VST3, AU, AAX |
| Engine | Wavetable with resonant filter | TB-303 modelling |
| Sequencer | Generative, automates every step | Classic 303 sequencer, arpeggiator |
| Presets | 48 patterns | 800+ presets |
| Best for | Fast, free, mobile acid | Deep desktop 303 production |
If you work on desktop and want the deepest 303 modelling and a big preset library, D16 Phoscyon 2 is the more complete studio tool. If you want to sketch acid on a phone or iPad for nothing, or you like a sequencer that throws ideas back at you, BloopMachine is the easier call. For a paid desktop middle ground with a huge step sequencer, there's also Arturia Acid V, and the SH-101-leaning TAL-BassLine-101 is another classic voice.
Who BloopMachine is for
BloopMachine suits producers who want acid basslines fast and free, especially on iPhone or iPad where a good 303 is still rarer than on desktop. The generative sequencer makes it a strong idea generator, the kind of app you open to find a line you wouldn't have programmed by hand. AUv3 support means those ideas move straight into a mobile DAW without bouncing audio.
It's a specialist rather than a general synth. It won't cover pads, leads or polyphonic parts, and desktop-only producers who never touch iOS get less from it, since there's no Windows or VST build. The full FX section, all 48 patterns, Song mode and preset saving sit behind the in-app purchase, so the free tier is a taster rather than the whole meal. That's a fair trade for a free download, and the core is usable before you pay.
How much does BloopMachine cost?
BloopMachine is free to download on the App Store for iOS and macOS, and it's usable as is. A single in-app purchase unlocks the full version, which adds the complete FX section, all 48 patterns, Song mode and preset saving. There's no subscription.
Get BloopMachine on the App StoreYou can read more on the official BloopMachine page. For more instruments worth your time, see our best synth VST plugins of 2026 and our roundup of the best free VST plugins of 2026.
FAQ
Is BloopMachine really free?
Yes. BloopMachine is a free download for iOS and macOS and works as is. A single in-app purchase unlocks the full version, adding the complete FX section, all 48 patterns, Song mode and preset saving.
Does BloopMachine work as a plugin?
Yes. It supports AUv3, so it loads inside AUv3 hosts such as GarageBand, Logic Pro, AUM and Cubasis on iOS and macOS, and it also runs standalone.
What platforms does BloopMachine run on?
It runs on iPhone, iPad and Mac from a single app. There's no Windows or VST version.
BloopMachine or a desktop 303 like Phoscyon 2?
Choose BloopMachine for free, mobile-first, generative acid. Choose D16 Phoscyon 2 for a paid desktop plugin with deeper 303 modelling and a far larger preset library.
Verdict
BloopMachine is an easy recommendation, mostly because the barrier to entry is zero. Fingerlab took the 303 idea, gave it a wavetable voice and a resonant filter, and wrapped it in a generative sequencer that keeps lines moving on their own. AUv3 support means those ideas travel into a real session, and the free tier is properly playable rather than a locked demo. The full FX, 48 patterns and Song mode behind an in-app purchase are a reasonable ask for turning a sketchpad into a finished-track tool. It's a specialist, and desktop-only producers lose out with no Windows build, but as a free acid machine for iOS and Mac it's a lot of fun for the money. For a deeper desktop option, start with D16 Phoscyon 2.
