5 great iPhone apps for music production and inspiration

A small device like the Apple iPhone may not replace your computer and DAW, but it’s perfect for excercising your musical creativity!

We’ll have a look at three more or less complete music creation tools, one app for melody making and one for inspiration.

Here are five apps you should try if you’re a producer or like to play around with music.

FingerBeat

Price: $4. Download: Find in app store.

This app reminds me of an old version of FruityLoops. And that is ment to be a compliment. FingerBeat is easy to understand, and it’s amazingly simple to make cool beats.

You play with premade genre sound kits, unless you want to make a kit yourself. When you have selected your prefered tempo, you create one bar at the time in the step sequencer by tapping the drum pads. Then copy and make variations on the following bars. Sample your own sounds, adjust pitch, tweek levels and panning in the mixer and bam. It’s a hit!

The preset kits sound pretty good, but you don’t have that much to choose from within each genre. But the biggest con is this: I haven’t found any way to export or save more than one song per sound kit. That’s a bummer. Other than that FingerBeat is loads of fun for a small amount of money.

Watch a demonstration of FingerBeat at YouTube.

Simple Songwriter.

Simple Songwriter

Price: $2. Download: Find in app store.

I just love this one. It is in my opinion the most useful app on this list. Simple Songwriter lets you put together chords in a very easy way. Pick a key, hit record and tap chords in any order you like. Perfect for melody creation, both on the bus and next to your DAW in the studio. It’s no problem to save your work for later.

I am missing one thing though. I would love to play a single note melody on top of my recorded chords. A simple integrated piano would be much appreciated.

Watch a demonstration of Simple Songwriter at YouTube.

Bloom

Price: $4. Download: Find in app store.

Brian Eno and Peter Chilvers have made this app. You’ve probably already guessed the musical style this beauty takes you into. Bloom is an abstract ambient tool. Sit back, relax and tap away.

There isn’t too much to control, but you can choose mood, delay amount and volume. Bloom is too simple for it’s price, but still pretty fascinating.

I’m a sucker for ambient and the style of Brian Eno, so I find this app is very inspiring. You may use Bloom for a break in between studio sessions, or just for relaxation. The app comes with a pretty neat sleep timer.

Watch a demonstration of Bloom at YouTube.

BeatMaker

Price: $20. Download: Find in app store.

This is another mini DAW. It’s expensive, but the most complete music production tool out there for iPhone.

BeatMaker has got it all: A sampler, drum machine, step sequencer, arrange view, audio effects and audio editing. It comes with a 31 page manual! It is in other words much closer to a full scale DAW than the other apps on this list.

With the included desktop application for your Mac or PC, it’s easy to transfer sounds from your computer to your iPhone or iPod touch. Go buy BeatMaker if you are looking for a complete portable production tool and don’t mind the price.

Watch a demonstration of BeatMaker at YouTube.

iSequence

Price: $3. Download: Find in app store.

iSequence is a single screen sequencer. It’s not as good lookin’ as the two competitors above, but pretty powerful. It includes 55 instruments, a chance to save and load compositions and a very easy way to transpose your melodies!

Wav and midi export isn’t available yet, but will be in the future. Have a look at the demonstration below.

Watch a demonstration of iSequence at YouTube.

3 Responses to “5 great iPhone apps for music production and inspiration”

1. Six months – The best so far | Innotune says:

   2010/03/01 at 22:21

   [...] 5 great iPhone apps for music production and inspiration Quick reviews of five apps you should own to boost your musical creativity whilst on the move. Written by Endal. [...]

   Current score: 0
2. beat maker – Will That Be Crm Or Ecrm Software For Your Website says:

   2010/03/06 at 04:16

   [...] 5 great iPhone apps for music production and inspiration | Innotune [...]

   Current score: 0
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   2010/08/30 at 07:21

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   Current score: 0