Waldorf Unleashes the Streichfett String Synthesizer: Now Available as a Plugin and iOS App!

Introduction: The Return of a String Legend, Reimagined for Modern Production

A significant development in the world of music production has arrived with the announcement that Waldorf’s iconic Streichfett String Synthesizer is now accessible to a broader range of musicians than ever before. This revered instrument, previously available as dedicated hardware, has been released as a powerful desktop plugin and a versatile iOS application. This dual release marks a pivotal moment for enthusiasts of classic string machine sounds and modern music production workflows alike, making the beloved instrument available to a significantly wider audience.  

The Streichfett carries a rich heritage, serving as a contemporary homage to the “previously extinct species of String Synthesizers of the 70s and early 80s”. Its design ethos is deeply rooted in recreating the lush, evocative textures that defined “classic movie sounds from the 70s and 80s”. Beyond mere emulation, the Streichfett is renowned for its capacity to deliver “rich and creamy pads unlike any other instrument”. This establishes the instrument’s unique sonic identity and underscores why its software iterations are highly anticipated by those seeking authentic vintage textures with modern convenience.  

A core promise underpinning both software versions is their faithful reproduction of the original hardware’s sound. Both the plugin and the iOS app are “Based on the same dual sound engine as the Streichfett hardware”. This commitment ensures that the authentic, beloved sound of the Streichfett is meticulously replicated across platforms, providing sonic fidelity regardless of the chosen environment. The strategic shift from a dedicated hardware unit, typically priced at $499.00 , to significantly more affordable software versions—with the plugin at 99,00 € and the iOS app at an introductory price of 9.99 EUR / 9.99 USD —reflects a broader industry movement towards greater accessibility and portability in music production. This approach allows Waldorf to strategically expand the reach of a niche, high-quality sound, making it available to a much larger audience who might not otherwise invest in specialized hardware. This effectively democratizes access to a sought-after sonic aesthetic.  

What Makes Streichfett Sing? A Deep Dive into its Signature Sound Engine

At the core of the Streichfett’s unique sonic character is its “dual sound engine”. This architecture comprises a “fully polyphonic String Section” designed for crafting lush, evolving textures, and an “eight voice Solo Section” specifically engineered to complement the strings with shimmering, percussive elements. This dual design is fundamental to the instrument’s versatility and its distinctive sonic palette.  

The onboard effects play a crucial role in shaping the Streichfett’s character and adding depth. The “Ensemble Effect” is particularly vital, providing essential “depth and movement to the String Section” , a hallmark of classic string machine sounds that creates that characteristic lush, swirling texture. Additionally, the “Effects Section” offers adjustable “Phaser and Reverb” , allowing for further sonic sculpting and spatialization, adding polish and atmosphere to the sounds. A key dynamic capability is the “Animate Effect,” which “modulate[s] the Strings Registration, allowing spectacular sound morphs”. This function enables the creation of evolving pads and textures that breathe and change over time, moving beyond static sounds.  

The Solo Section features presets such as Bass, E-Piano, Clavi, Synth, and Pluto (the latter two specifically for the plugin version). It is important to note that these names are somewhat deceptive; “the sound has little to do with that name. Instead, these are shimmering and slightly percussive sounds that blend well with the string section”. This unique approach contributes significantly to the Streichfett’s distinct sonic palette, offering complementary textures rather than literal instrument emulations.  

Despite a “simple and easy to comprehend” user interface, the Streichfett controls a “rather complex sound engine” capable of delivering “rich and creamy pads unlike any other instrument”. This design philosophy prioritizes immediate gratification and creative flow. The intuitive interface allows users to quickly access powerful features, and the “Animate Effect” offers complex sonic evolution via a single control. This approach minimizes menu diving and technical hurdles, which is particularly beneficial for mobile users who need rapid sound adjustments and an uninterrupted creative process. For the iOS app, the ability to make “Sound adjustments… quickly using touch gestures” further enhances this immediate interaction, underscoring a design choice that directly benefits musicians who prioritize staying in a creative flow and achieving drastic sound changes with minimal effort. This consistent design across hardware and software makes the Streichfett naturally adaptable to touch-based interfaces, appealing to a generation of producers who value intuitive workflow and on-the-go creativity.  

Streichfett on Your Desktop: The Plugin Experience

The Streichfett Plugin seamlessly integrates the revered sound engine directly into any Digital Audio Workstation (DAW). It supports all common formats, including VST2, VST3, AU, and AAX, ensuring broad compatibility for producers operating on both Windows and macOS systems. This comprehensive support means that the classic Streichfett sound can now be effortlessly incorporated into a wide array of existing production environments.  

For smooth operation, the plugin requires specific system configurations: Microsoft Windows 7, 10, or 11 (64-bit only) on Intel- or AMD-based PCs, and macOS 10.14.x or higher on Intel- or M1-based Macs. This clear guidance assists users in verifying compatibility before acquisition.  

The plugin also features enhanced control capabilities that leverage the advantages of a software environment. It offers support for Poly and Channel Aftertouch, Sustain Pedal, and Modulation Wheel, providing expressive performance capabilities that can be easily automated within a DAW. Users also have the choice between velocity-sensitive or fixed velocity, alongside tuning and transpose functions for fine-tuning. Furthermore, the plugin expands the memory with “16 programmable presets” , a slight increase from the hardware’s 12 patches , offering more storage for user-created sounds. These additions, including expanded preset memory and advanced MIDI control support, represent a clear enhancement over the hardware. This demonstrates that Waldorf is not merely porting the hardware’s sound engine but actively optimizing and expanding its functionality for the digital realm. The software format allows for greater memory capacity and more extensive integration with standard MIDI messages and DAW automation, making the plugin a potentially more powerful and expressive tool for modern production workflows. This strategic enhancement ensures that the software versions are not just faithful reproductions but potentially more versatile tools for contemporary music production.  

Streichfett in Your Pocket: The iOS App Experience

The release of the Streichfett iOS app marks a significant step forward, bringing the full Streichfett sound to iPad and iPhone, thereby enabling professional “mobile music production”. This makes it an ideal tool for quickly sketching musical ideas, adding lush textures on the go, or even completing full tracks, with the capacity to produce both “massive string” sounds and “delicate nuanced sounds”.  

The app’s “clearly structured user interface” is meticulously optimized for touch gestures, facilitating “quick and intuitive sound creation” with “a few taps and swipes”. Crucially, it supports AUv3 hosts such as Apple’s Logic Pro for iPad, Steinberg’s Cubasis 3, and AUM for both iPad and iPhone. This makes it a professional-grade virtual instrument that integrates seamlessly within mobile DAWs. For those who prefer tactile input, external MIDI controllers can also be connected via USB, offering traditional playability. The strong emphasis on AUv3 host compatibility and external MIDI support for the iOS app indicates Waldorf’s understanding that mobile music production has evolved beyond simple standalone applications or casual use. By providing deep integration with professional mobile DAWs and supporting traditional MIDI control, the Streichfett iOS app is positioned as a serious tool for professional mobile workflows, aligning with the broader trend of iOS devices becoming legitimate, powerful portable studios.  

The app is designed to foster on-the-go creativity, emphasizing the immediate benefit of being able to “Create and Save Your Favorite Presets with Ease” directly on the device, wherever inspiration strikes. The core focus of the app is “making and playing music,” effectively removing technical barriers to creative expression.  

Pricing & Availability: Get Yours Today!

The Waldorf Streichfett Plugin and iOS app are officially available starting July 2nd, marking a new chapter for this iconic sound.  

The pricing structure for both versions offers compelling value:

• Streichfett Plugin: Priced at 99,00 € , this offers the full desktop power of the Streichfett sound engine at an accessible price point for DAW users.  
• Streichfett iOS App: Features an attractive introductory price of 9.99 EUR / 9.99 USD, available for a limited time until July 13th. After this introductory period, the price will adjust to 17.99 EUR / 14.99 USD. Users outside the EU and US are advised to verify local pricing in Apple’s App Store, as prices may vary.  

The aggressive introductory pricing for the iOS app, which is nearly half the regular price and significantly more affordable than the plugin, represents a strong marketing approach designed to drive immediate adoption and generate early positive reception. This strategy, particularly evident in the “Instant buy!” reactions from early users , suggests Waldorf’s confidence in the product’s quality and a clear intent to quickly establish market share in the competitive mobile music app space by incentivizing rapid downloads and favorable initial reviews.  

The Streichfett Plugin can be purchased directly from Waldorf’s official website. The iOS app is available for download in Apple’s App Store. Initial community reception has been positive, with early adopters expressing excitement. While some minor feedback regarding preset naming has been noted , it indicates areas for potential future updates, demonstrating transparency. To experience the Streichfett’s sonic capabilities firsthand, an official sound demo/trailer is available.  

For a quick overview of the key differences and commonalities between the two new software editions, please refer to Table 1 below.

Table 1: Streichfett Software Editions at a Glance

Why Streichfett is a Must-Have for Modern Musicians

The Streichfett’s sonic versatility is a major draw, praised for its ability to produce everything from “massive string” sounds and “delicate nuanced sounds” to “rich and creamy pads”. This makes it an exceptionally versatile instrument, suitable for a wide array of musical genres, from cinematic scores to electronic music and pop.  

A core value proposition of these new software releases is the access they provide to the revered sounds of 70s and 80s string machines without the challenges associated with original hardware. Vintage hardware synthesizers, particularly the “extinct species of String Synthesizers of the 70s and early 80s” , are often prohibitively expensive, rare, require specialized maintenance, and demand significant physical space. The software versions directly address these challenges, offering the classic sound without the associated drawbacks. They provide the reliability, perfect recall, portability, and seamless integration demanded by contemporary music production workflows. This strategic move effectively democratizes access to a specific, highly sought-after sonic aesthetic, making it available to a much broader demographic of creators. By making this classic sound accessible and affordable, Waldorf is enabling a new generation of musicians to explore and incorporate historical sonic aesthetics into their modern productions, fostering creative continuity and innovation by allowing artists to blend vintage textures with contemporary production methods.  

Furthermore, the intuitive user interface, touch control (for iOS), and deep DAW integration (for the plugin) make sound creation fast, enjoyable, and efficient, fostering creativity rather than technical hurdles. This allows musicians to focus on their artistic expression, streamlining their workflow and enhancing their creative process.  

Conclusion: Experience the Streichfett Today

The Waldorf Streichfett, now available as both a robust desktop plugin and a highly portable iOS app, offers a compelling package for modern musicians. It delivers authentic vintage string sounds through a powerful dual sound engine, controlled by an intuitive interface that belies its sonic depth. The versatile onboard effects, including the distinctive Animate function, further enhance its sound-shaping capabilities.

This dual release not only makes the Streichfett’s legendary sound more accessible than ever before but also optimizes it for contemporary production workflows, whether in a studio environment or on the go. The strategic pricing and deep integration capabilities underscore Waldorf’s commitment to meeting the demands of today’s diverse musical landscape.

Musicians are encouraged to experience the legendary Streichfett sound for themselves. The plugin can be acquired from Waldorf’s official website, and the iOS app is available on Apple’s App Store. To truly appreciate its capabilities, listeners can explore the official sound demo/trailer. This release brings a classic, sought-after sound directly into the hands of modern creators, ready to inspire wherever their musical journey takes them.  

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