Yamaha Corporation of America introduced four new apps for the iPad, several of which also work on the iPhone: NoteStar is a free app that allows musicians to play along with songs (while the app itself is free, each song costs $3.99 and comes with accompanying band music, vocals and sheet music); Song Chords helps musicians learn new chords and augment existing chords with new chords by interacting with midi keyboards and providing chords and a chord dictionary right on the iPad's screen--like NoteStar, it is free but there is a fee per song; Piano Diary uses midi technology and allows users to play, record and share (via YouTube) keyboard performances; Page Turner, true to its name, automatically turns the onscreen page for you when your iPad is connected to a Yamaha keyboard.
Another app with a page turner, The Gig Easy, features its own foot pedal so that you can control the turning as you play. It also allows the musician to write their own notes on the onscreen page, just like they would on paper sheet music.
Jammit, meanwhile, now offers an app specially designed for those interested in learning and playing along with today's most popular songs. The free app (per-song fees vary) allows users to isolate specific tracks (ie. guitar, keyboard, drums or vocals) and even lets you loop specific sections of the track, or slow them down (a great trick for learning faster guitar riffs.)
The NAMM convention also introduced the industry to AmpKit, a new iPad app available through Agile Partners. It lets a guitarist emulate the sounds of various amplifiers, virtually taking cumbersome recording equipment out of the studio. Unlike the apps previously mentioned, this one isn't free; its cost depends on the variety of plug-ins and hardware the user chooses to add.
These and other exciting apps new to the market are building upon technology we already have at our fingertips. If you have any sort of tablet or smartphone, we recommend that you do a quick search through your app marketplace for the latest developments. To get you started, here are some great mobile device apps for musicians, songwriters and music enthusiasts:
Shazam
Like having the ultimate music expert in your pocket, Shazam can identify a song within seconds. The user simply presses a button while listening to a song, and Shazam responds by offering the song title and artist. The app can also store your tagged songs for you, and gives the option to purchase it immediately on iTunes. You can share tagged songs via Facebook and Twitter, and even access Shazam's music charts to find new music--all completely free of charge.
Pandora Radio
This must-have app is the mobile version of Pandora, the groundbreaking Internet radio program that allows you to build your own online stations based on songs you like (and don't like.) You can customize multiple stations according to genre or artist, and edit on-the-go via a very user-friendly mobile display. The basic Pandora app is free; there is also an upgraded (read: commercial-free) version available for a monthly fee.
HT Professional Recorder
Any songwriter, musician, poet, public speaker or student with a smartphone can benefit from this app. Not only does the HT Professional Recorder allow you to record ideas, soundbites and entire lectures with the click of a button, it also organizes those files for you into a very user-friendly library. The app also has email, Wi-Fi options and several premium audio recording modes (including ones that let you record from varying distances) so that you are never left hanging when inspiration strikes.
ClearTune
An extremely responsive fine-tuning meter, ClearTune is vastly comprehensive yet easy to use. It utilizes the built-in microphone on a standard iPhone, and it offers support for custom temperaments, notations like solfège, transposition, and adjustable calibration.
Rhyme Time
Here's a simple app that does just what its name implies: provides an extensive, easy-to-use rhyming dictionary on your mobile device. It is definitely a helpful tool for songwriters and poets.
ThumbJam
Mastered air guitar? Consider this the next step up. This fun app lets you pick an instrument, complete with all necessary scales, and jam--even if you've never taken so much as a single lesson. And what's more, you'll actually sound like you know what you're doing. If you do know what you're doing, you can use ThumbJam in a more ambitious capacity: Tilt and shake to add vibrato, tremolo, note bends, volume swells, etc. The app was designed to sound just like the real thing, whether that be a Djembe drum or a string ensemble. You can build your own loops, import songs, layer, whatever--and then export the results as audio files. ThumbJam even lets you connect with other users via Bluetooth, so that you can jam with your friends.
Ocarina
A fun and interesting app built around your smartphone's microphone, Ocarina allows you to create music in a unique way. You can blow into your microphone or manually press holes to make sound, hold down combinations of holes to change pitch, tilt your phone to change vibrato rate and depth, and even change keys and modes. Then automatically record, archive and play back songs. Tap the globe icon, and you can hear other Ocarina players from around the world!
Guitar Toolkit
An all-in-one bundle specially designed for the guitarist, this app has everything you need to get started--a tuner, scales, a metronome, and a gigantic chord library.
Pocket Guitar
For the times you wish you could take your instrument with you but can't, Pocket Guitar offers a solution. The app offers 6 different types of guitars to play on (Acoustic-Electric, Classical, Electric, Electric Bass, Muted, and Ukulele) as well as built-in effects including Delay and Distortion, and Chorus.
Haven't seen what you're looking for yet? You can also browse AppsForSongwriters.com for eBooks and other informative apps, all available for instant downloading today. And remember to keep checking back with us at HillTop Records as we bring you the latest music industry news!
