March 4, 2014 4 Amazing Mobile Apps for Musicians and Composers
Although the stripped down sound retains a certain laid back charm, even the most old school sounding musicians appreciate the access to high-quality music tools made possible through the ownership of PCs, laptops, tablets, and phones. A 2013 survey from “Artist Revenue Streams” indicates that nearly half of today’s musicians feel comfortable with the idea of producing or recording music through internet sites and mobile apps, while an even greater share of artists are willing to promote their work and connect with fans in such a technologically savvy manner. The secret, of course, is finding an application that will streamline the process without negatively impacting the quality of your work.
Sequencer
If you own an Android device, you’ll definitely want to consider downloading Sequencer, an excellent application for developing the appropriate drum loops for your tracks. And according to the official Windows Blog, Sequencer’s capabilities don’t end there, The beat creation app also offers top-notch equalizer visualization, along with a wide array of tempo and pitch options. Best of all, the app is free, making it the perfect download for anyone who epitomizes the starving artist stereotype.
Symphony
Often referred to as the iOS equivalent of popular composing programs Sibelius and Finale, Symphony makes it easy to punch up the music capabilities of your already useful Tmobile iPhone 5c. With this $5 app, you can use a virtual keyboard to punch in stunning melodies, then utilize playback to ensure that the composition lives up to the masterpiece you’ve built in your head. For an even greater range of composing capabilities, consider investing in the $15 Symphony Pro, an advanced version of Symphony designed exclusively for the iPad.
ChordBot
Chord arrangement remains a contentious area for even the most talented composers. A technological ally can save you hours of messing around on the piano, trying to find and then remember the perfect chord structure for a particular section of your composition. “MusicTech” recommends ChordBot as a mobile-based chord solution that is both effective and relatively easy to use. The user interface for this $5 Android app is refreshingly simple, making it a wonderful solution for the musician who has yet to fully grasp the realm of mobile technology. But don’t be fooled by its simple interface; what ChordBot lacks in visual sophistication, it makes up for in a powerful system that can instantly provide a range of chords and arpeggios suited to your track, as well as several samples you’re welcome to use whenever you lack inspiration.
Music Studio
“PadGadget” recommends investing in Music Studio if you’re on the hunt for a one-stop shop music application. This $15 app combines several of the most useful features seen in the competitors listed above, including a piano keyboard, sound representation from over sixty instruments and a sequencer with over 120 tracks. Because of the extensive nature of this iPad app, it may be worth your while to try out the free Lite version before you purchase the real deal.
Reader Comments (1)
Shameless plug, but I think my app SongPane (http://songpane.com) deserves a mention. It helps musicians manage lyrics and chrord charts.