iPod Touch / iPhone Software

[Bruiser]

Hey -

I just got a 32GB iPod Touch for Christmas. There appears to be a bunch of music creation applications for it. Anyone have any insight into the good ones, as well as the ones to avoid? Thanks!

[Artemiy]

Hey Bruiser! Congrats for diving more into the bath of apple wine...

We have two iPod touches in our family, fantastic little devices. Multi touch is amazing.

However, please be careful with the music apps! There are not that many which are not toys (unless you actually want toys ). Apart from those that let you play and mix loops, or do generative music, I think I bought most of them. Although I wish I didn't because I ended up leaving just 5 or so on my iPod.

Thus I would highly recommend you:
- BeatMaker which is like a little MPC/SP sampler with 16 pads, sample editing, 2 effect busses, pattern sequencer with automation of level/pitch/pan. Very, very cool app and you can really do fun stuff with it and the quality is great.
- technoBox is a TB-303 plus either TR-808 or TR-909, very addictive little groovebox.
- Jasuto is a modular synth, very cool if you want to make your own sounds while on the go.

Oh yes, check out Bloom, Melodica, Bebot, they are toys but very cool, especially for the kids and for showing friends what the iPod can do.

You may also look at these ones which I did not buy but they look very, very promising:
- Xewton studio seems like a little pocket music workstation

I would recommend you avoid these ones:
- Noise.io is ridiculously hard to use and the results are not worth it at all... Too much buzz about this app but it makes no sense to me, the interface is awkward.
- Hexatone, read above, this is made by the Noise.io team. Easier to use but the results are far from pleasing... You can spend half an hour with it but get nothing good.
- SunVox - makes even less sense than Noise.io. Very, very hard to use.

[Bruiser]

Thanks for the quick reply.

I pretty much had my list reduced to Xewton Studio and BeatMaker. I will check out technobox and Jasuto as well.

The iPod touch is pretty cool. I just wish Apple would loosen up a little:
1) Quit restricting application availability and sales
2) Eliminate the $99 developer fee to be able to download your own self-developed applications to your own phone

Almost makes me want to jailbreak this thing...

[Artemiy]

There may be problems with their policies, however, as far as I can see for other platforms, there isn't much you can do with them. With the sheer amount of high-quality apps for the iPod/iPhone, it can do way more than any other similar device.

[Bruiser]

Yeah. The Apple gizmos are really amazing as to what you can do with them. I hope, however, that the Google-driven Android system will provide some good competition some day. Right now, they have a ways to go.

[Artemiy]

BTW Bruiser, I'd suggest you get Doom Classic, and somehow the need for any productivity on the iPod will vanish... at least for 3-4 weeks

[qishmish]

This is just a topic about i-device apps, right?

So just want to share my thoughts and opinions

- ThumbJam
This is more a fun then songwriting.. and of course result will be sounding "dead". Cause just samples of instruments transposed on different notes.. But maybe it s really good for creating short melodies-sketches.. or as a rythm if you play solo on guitar for example

- Amidio iHolophone
hmmm there is 4-pattern sample-based sequencer + 8 (16) notes available to "play solo". strange thing, yeah though sounds beautiful. don't buy this if you don't understand WHAT it is and how you can use it

-Bleep!Box
Nice groovebox with flexible synths (no samples, yeah)
I tried FREE version - Bleep!Player - there are limitations, yes.. but it's pretty good!

-NLog Synth
People like this synth.. Personally i don't like his sound so can't say anything Free version is available, yes (only factory presets in it)

-Yonac MegaSynth
It sounds so so retro

- Jasuto
YES this IS great
Because..what is modular? modular is an Open System.. is it freedom?)
Excellent for crazy noise btw

- Bebot
I considered it as a toy.. It really WAS a toy.. until they updated it and Jordan Rudess showed its potential So.. if you have VERY virtuoso fingers.. Bebot could be great 4-voices instrument for solos

- easyBeats
Have tried easyBeats LE - free version... like.. drum machine similar to TR 808 but with 16 pads and 4 patterns sequencer with useful function to change snare's rythm to kick's for example by just dragging that.
In full version you can load your own samples.. so it's like younger bro of BeatMaker

[Artemiy]

I would like to add Argon and Xenon to this list. These are now my most used apps because their virtual analog synths are really sounding great, and they're easy to use. Highly recommend both.

[MikeDavis]

One word....

Morphwiz.


yes I am a Jordan Rudess fan but the app is pretty darn cool.

youTubage of Jordan improv with piano and Morphwiz :

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O6Rq0gw1bO0

[Redrain]

I found that Nanostudio is very very powerfull and underrated synth-sequencer...

[Artemiy]

Redrain: why is it underrated? It's currently #1 music making app out there rated by most reviewers.