To some extent, making music will always be a bit of an “old school” art. This is to say, at some point it still comes down to instruments, a microphone and a studio. However, that doesn’t mean that improving technology hasn’t affected the ways in which musicians operate. In fact these days, many practicing musicians and bands are making use of advanced tech, with some even going so far as to use cloud storage from services like ShareFile to share music! The fact is, there are lots of new systems and tools that can make certain aspects of being a musician a great deal more convenient. And with that in mind, here’s a look at 5 useful electronic apps for musicians in addition to Apple’s own Garageband.
FL Studio Mobile HD – For those familiar with the Garageband program and app, the FL Studio Mobile HD app is somewhat similar, with perhaps a bit more capability for legitimate musicians. Like Garageband, this app offers you the chance to digitally create songs with up to 8 different sound tracks per song. However, the app is considered by some to be a bit more user-friendly, and also includes some more advanced options (cutting, trimming, fade-in and fade-out, etc.) that can make for a crisper finished product. Find the FL Studio Mobile HD at the App Store.
Songwriter’s Pad – Available for Android or Apple products, this app is a great tool for any songwriter or musician. Not only does it provide an easy place to write down lyrics on the go, as well as record thoughts and lyrics by audio, but it also has tools to help you if you get stuck. For example, a rhyme finder feature can help you to find the words you just can’t think of on your own, and there’s even a tool that suggests words and themes based on an emotion or feeling you type in. Find the Songwriter’s Pad at the App Store.
Cleartune Chromatic Tuner – It was probably only a matter of time before this app turned up, and essentially it’s just as simple and useful as it sounds. The app gives you an easy (and cheap, at $3.99) way to tune your instruments and find the right pitch on the go. This can be great for any kind of playing you might get up to, whether it’s a show, a recording session, or just some practice. Find the Cleartune Chromatic Tuner at the App Store.
Songbooth – This is an app that is particularly useful for musicians looking for a quick and easy way to make and share music videos. Hailed as a great way to do some music video networking to gain exposure, Songbooth allows you to create and edit video clips, using live recorded sounds, files from your existing music library, or a combination of the two. Both visual effects and sound editing features are in place to help you to make an attractive finished product. Find SongBooth at the App Store.
Nanostudio – Nanostudio is essentially a more sophisticated version of Garageband with more capabilities. Recommended only for experienced musicians and sound mixers, it allows high quality music mixing, as well as direct uploading to Soundcloud. Find NanoStudio at the App Store.
Thanks for sharing these 5 great apps for musicians. I like the one by the name ‘Songwriter’s Pad’. It can be used for writing lyrics when on the go and even for recording the lyrics in the audio format.