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A closer look at Capo, the app that helps musicians learn music
The tag line that follows Capo reads, "reverse engineering rock and roll." And that's exactly what Capo does. Capo is an app (Mac OS X or iOS) specifically designed to help musicians learn how to play music in an environment that makes it easier to hear what's going on in the music -- by reverse engineering it. Say you're trying to learn to play a particular song, but you're struggling to identify the exact chord progression in that song because it moves too quickly. Or, in another song, there's a crazy guitar riff you'd like to play, but you can't make heads or tails of it because it's insanely fast. How do you figure out exactly what's going on in that song so that you can learn to play it yourself? Well, you could go out and buy the sheet music or tab, but that's not always practical or convenient, nor is it always desirable. As a musician, developing your hearing skills is one of the best ways to improve your overall musicianship. Capo makes it a little easier to do that, especially if you're a beginner or intermediate. How does Capo do this? Through a number of clever and nifty features, but most notably by giving you a larger amount of control over how you hear music.
iKlip attaches iPad to mic stand, musicians rejoice
If you're a musically-inclined techie, you probably noticed the introduction of IK Multimedia's iKlip late last year, we certainly did. And since several of you probably received an iPad last month, we thought it was worth a mention today. Especially for the musicians out there. Musicians have embraced the iPad from the beginning, but have struggled to find a practical way to use it to read music while playing an instrument. Thankfully, IK Multimedia has come up with an obvious yet effective solution to this predicament: the iKlip. The light weight, multi-angle iKlip attaches your iPad to just about any microphone stand with ease -- vertically or horizontally, with access to all your iPad's buttons. Built with "...thermoplastic molded components for extreme durability and secure holding abilities under the most demanding situations," you'll have no further difficulty reading a musical score while playing your instrument, tweaking settings for your guitar effects app or even singing the lyrics to your favorite karaoke song. Hey, if you're a public speaker, this is probably worth you checking out, too. The iKlip is available for US$39.99 from IK Multimedia's website here. [Thanks to commenter hankermac for pointing this out.]
Tascam introduces Portastudio, 4-track recording on your iPad
It was about 30 years ago that Tascam introduced the first 4-track cassette recorder -- the Portastudio 144. In 1984, Tascam introduced the Porta One, a revolutionary product that many would argue kick-started the home recording studio as we know it today. Many artists demoed their music on the Portastudio, and some even released records recorded entirely on a Portastudio. Now, Tascam has released Portastudio for the iPad. Faithfully modeled after the Tascam Porta One, the Portastudio app has four tracks to record onto (one at a time), VU metering, high and low EQ, panning and a vintage vibe cassette transport and counter to track your position. It does look remarkably like the original Porta One. Once you've finished your production, you can mix down your recordings to a CD quality WAV file that will land in your iTunes library. The Portastudio will use the iPad's built-in mic or a mic plugged into the tablet's headphone jack. Tascam says that Portastudio for iPad doesn't officially support class-compliant audio interfaces, but they do acknowledge that some have worked in testing when plugged in through Apple's Camera Connection Kit. It's also been reported that some USB microphones will work with the iPad through Apple's Camera Connection Kit, too. Naturally, It goes with out saying that the better the mic, the better the quality of your recording. Portastudio is available on the App Store for US$9.99. [via Engadget]
Count The Beats: A closer look at Amplitube 2.0 for iOS
A few weeks ago, IK Multimedia released Amplitube 2.0, the next iteration of its guitar effects and amplifier emulator app for iOS (don't forget, you need the external iRig piece of kit, too). It's only been about 5 months since version 1.0 came out, but when we got word that version 2.0 was in the works, we got pretty excited. Update 2.0 brings 5 new stomp boxes (additional in-app purchase required), a promise of improved sound quality, a 4-track recorder and master FX section with 3 effects (in-app purchase), the SpeedTrainer as well as the ability to import songs from your iPod library, and a few other tidbits, too. The nice thing is, you can download a free version of 2.0, like version 1.0. That means you get the improved sound quality, SpeedTrainer, and the ability to import your songs from your iPod library at no extra cost. However, the bulk of the new additions in 2.0 are only available through in-app purchase. The question is, are they worth it? Click the "Read More" link below to find out.
Guitar World & Agile Partners introduce Lick of the Day app
If there's one thing we love here at TUAW -- besides Apple, of course -- it's music. And it especially rocks our world when these two great loves meet. So, when we got wind that Agile Partners (makers of GuitarToolKit and TabToolkit, which, by the way, are fantastic) and Guitar World Magazine were collaborating on an iOS app, well, you can only imagine, the TUAW offices were in a ruckus. Today sees the launch of Guitar World Lick of the Day: an iOS app that teaches you a new guitar move every day, by the pros. With tutorial videos featuring Guitar World instructors, and the likes of Joe Satriani and Zack Wylde (to name a few), now you can have that master class you've always wanted! So, how does it work? You download Lick of the Day free from the App Store. It comes preloaded with a few sample lessons, but the idea is that you subscribe to the lessons for either one-month (US$4.99), three-months (US$12.99) or six-months (for US$19.99). Each lesson is video instructed with a corresponding practice mode. In the practice mode there are settings that control the music notation, tempo of playback, a looping option and playback with a metronome. A "dynamic fretboard" will show your fingers where they need to go, synchronizing with the scrolling music notation. It's all very sharp and effective. And if you're left handed, don't fret! You can invert the fretboard to accommodate. Finally, each lesson has a "performance note" that's written by a Guitar world instructor, too. We've had a brief play around with the app and can safely say that we are already shredding it up like never before. The tutorials come in a variety of styles / genres of music for guitar: from rock and blues to jazz and country licks. With iPad and iPhone / iPod touch versions, If you're a guitar player and you're looking to improve your skills and technique, we'd definitely recommend you go and check out Lick of the Day, now! However, if you've never picked up a guitar or you can only just manage Kum-ba-yah-my-Lord, you might need a more experienced friend to help you get your head around it. Either way, Lick of the Day is an exciting and effective app that we can't wait to spend more time with. Hit the read button for some PR shots of the app and a video about the app.
iOS 4.2 to support MIDI
It's come to light that the upcoming release of iOS 4.2 (due in November) will support all-out MIDI. According to Mike Keller, writing for PC World, Core MIDI on iOS 4.2 should work just as Core MIDI does on Mac OS X, meaning that your iDevice running iOS 4.2 will communicate with other MIDI compatible devices and hardware via USB (using the iPad's camera connection kit USB adapter) or WiFi, using Apple's own MIDI APIs. What can we expect to see from MIDI in iOS? Well, until the official release of iOS 4.2, we won't have all the details. But the guys over at Create Digital Music have put an interesting guide together to demonstrate some of the capabilities of what a MIDI-equipped iDevice could look like, using a developers release of iOS 4.2. Up until now, music creation on the iPhone and iPad has been more of a novelty affair rather than a serious contender and choice for pro musicians. Could MIDI support in iOS be the catalyst that changes that? For me, one of the big attractions of MIDI support in iOS would be the ability to use an iPad / iPhone, loaded with high quality samples, as a replacement for the more traditional laptop + MIDI controller (keyboard) setup commonly used in live musical contexts. All we'd need is for some high quality sample manufacturers (Native Instruments, you interested?) to port a version of their software to the App Store. For all the details, and a video preview of the iConnectMID as well as a look at the Line 6 MIDI Mobilizer, click here. [via Engadget]
AmpliTube for iPhone updated to 2.0 - allows you to play along at your own speed
This week, the guys from IK Multimedia released version 2.0 of AmpliTube for the iPhone. We took a closer look at AmpliTube 1.0 back in June and were pretty impressed with what it had to offer. Since then, uses have requested the ability to import songs and play them at a custom, slower tempo. Fortunately, IK Multimedia has responded. AmpliTube 2.0 introduces SpeedTrainer, which allows you to speed up or slow down your imported songs (up to 50 of them from your iPod library or your computer over Wi-Fi) without affecting the pitch. Now there are no more excuses. We expect to hear that Satriani album performed perfectly by next week! Other new features include five new stomp boxes (in-app purchase required), a four-track recorder with a master FX section (three additional effects requiring in-app purchase), an option to export your recordings as high-quality audio (or in MP3 format via email) and improved sound quality with DSP code derived from the desktop versions of T-RackS 3 and AmpliTube 3. Apparently, an update to the iPad version will be coming in the next three to four weeks, too. If you've updated, let us know how it's working out in the comments below. Click here to watch the demo video on IK Multimedia's website.
Count The Beats: Moog Filtatron - a closer look
Last week, Moog Music released Filtatron, an iPhone app modeled after Moog's own analogue hardware. If you're not familiar, and you're wondering what the heck a Moog is anyway, you may be surprised to find you've probably heard one dozens of times before, performed on countless albums. Moog Music, founded by Dr. Robert Moog, is the maker of digital and analogue synthesizers like the Minimoog and the Moog Theremin (although the original Theremin was invented by Léon Theremin). A good example of a Moog synthesizer can be heard by the band Air, on their track Kelly Watch The Stars, off their album Moon Safari (Listen in at about 2:10 for what sounds like a Moog Theremin to me). Typically, Moog Synthesizers are rather expensive, being that they are hand made for a rather substantial, albeit niche market. Therefore, I can't say I've spent any time with a real Moog. As much as I'd like to say I have a couple kicking around in the spare room of my house, I don't. So, unfortunately, I don't know a great deal about the sounds of Moog hardware other than what I've heard off recordings. And, I suspect, that's how most other users will approach Filtatron, too. Thankfully, Filtatron goes a long way to helping users understand what it does and how it does it by including a built-in user guide and glossary. After you've had an initial play, I highly recommend you have a good read over these to get the most out of the app. It certainly helped me out. There's also a whole bunch of presets to show you exactly what Filtatron can do, and how to get there. At this point, you may be wondering what Filtatron actually does. In a nutshell, let me try to explain. Using its filter ladder -- a four-pole resonant ladder filter modeled after the filter found on analogue Moog hardware -- Filtatron shapes sound, giving it characteristics akin to a real Moog filter. In Filtatron, there are two different ways of using this filter. You can either shape the sound using the knobs and dials found on the main tab of the app or by using the two "hands-on" pads provided -- allowing you to swipe and move your fingers around the pads to adjust and control most of the parameters found in Filtatron. To provide further character to the sound, there's a FX module, with fully featured delay, and an amp with distortion and controlled feedback, too.
Count The Beats: Filtatron by Moog Music to be released Monday
This is just a heads-up to let you know that Moog Music is releasing their own iPhone / iPod touch music app on the App Store on Monday. From the PR, we can glean that Filtatron is a real-time audio effects engine and studio tool that has a finely-modeled Moog Ladder Filter at its core. Yes, it's the same filter that gives Moog instruments their warm, thick character and tone. Now, in the palm of your hand (and at a mere fraction of the cost), you can make your own deliciously eerie, yet oh-so-creamy Moog tones. Mike Adams, president of Moog Music had this to say. "Filtatron represents the first time that the signature Moog sound is available outside of a high-end, hand-made Moog synthesizer. This powerful app extends the studio capabilities of traditional Moog users, and also provides music enthusiasts and Moog fans a fantastic way to create and share their personalized presets. All for a price that makes the Moog sound accessible to a wide audience." With loads of presets and samples, it looks like Filtatron will have plenty to get your creative Moog tunes flowing. What's quite exciting is that you can use the Filtatron sampler to record your own unique sounds, and then you can mash them up with the Moog Ladder Filter as well as the built-in effects module, including delay. It seems that the overall sound is controlled with a virtual amp, which provides tones that range from warm analog overdrive to extreme distortion. Filtatron will be available from Monday on the iTunes Store for US$4.99. We're certainly looking forward to having a play with this one. Check out the demo video after the break, and let us know what you think in the comments. For all the Filtatron details, click here.
Count The Beats: First look at Amidio's Seline HD app for the iPad
The guys over at Amidio Inc (Touch DJ / Noise.io) have recently released their latest app for the iPad, Seline HD (US$5.99). Seline HD is a musical instrument designed for performance and composition of music on the iPad. One of its key features is to make the creation of complex melodies easy, while accompanying those melodies with big sound scape type pads. With its all new, ergonomically designed interface, the ioGrid, Seline HD makes playing music a breeze, literally, without the strain (RSI, anyone?). Seline HD's intuitive CrystalClarity HD sound engine analyzes what you are playing in order to add subtle nuances to your strokes of genius. And the keys are designed to be suitable for players with all hand sizes, according to Amidio's press release. So, how do you play? You lay your hands down on the keys, like you're about to play a piano. A fully adjustable 16-note scale is divided between your left and right hand, odd and even notes respectively. The idea is to place your index, middle, and ring finger over three individual columns, each finger being responsible for its own column. As a result, interesting playing and improvisational input possibilities occur, but more importantly, you get the added comfort of knowing you will never hit a wrong note. In your face, music teacher! But the playing doesn't end there. Some well thought out features enhance your Seline HD skills even more. Aiming for the center of each key (in a column) will provide maximum volume, while aiming slightly off center and to the edges will provide less. In effect, more or less velocity. Your thumb (or you can move and use your index finger) is left to control a center, two semi-tone, up or down pitch bend, while going left or right will add manual vibrato. There's also note shift, up or down buttons (to create great trill sounds), and, in addition to this, the joystick on each side calibrates the attack of the notes being played. To add a luscious background to your melodies, activate the Drone (chorded synth pads). Analyzing what you are playing, the Drone will add sound scape backgrounds to your melodies. Using Amidio's CrystalClarity HD sound engine, Seline HD makes it easy for beginners to play as well as for seasoned musicians to find depth in the experience. By implementing dozens of algorithms to analyze the melody being played, Seline HD will subtly introduce character and expression to your input. For example, play an intensive solo where you land up holding the final note, Seline HD will detect this passage and add a subtle vibrato to that final note, as a finishing touch. To top it all off, Seline HD is equipped with a full range of recording possibilities, including direct recording to .wav files. With 20 built-in factory voices (flutes, bowed strings, reeds, synth leads, and more), and nine drone voices, we're looking forward to spending some quality time with Seline HD. After the break, check out Seline HD's tutorial video, Seline HD being used by The iPad Orchestra, and Jordan Rudess (of Dream Theater) playing a piano accompanied by Seline HD.
Count The Beats: Akai brings the analog synth to your iPhone, and more
If you have a secret love affair with shoulder padded t-shirts (that you wear around the house when no one's looking), and you instinctively roll up your sleeves when you put on your favourite blazer jacket (and don't get why people look at you funny), then here's an app for you. Back in June Akai Professional released SynthStation for the iPhone / iPod touch, and we got excited. Very excited. Why? Because we love synths, especially when they are the old school type (cue Terminator soundtrack). And it just so happens to be that Akai has got a rather large name for itself when it comes to synths, especially the old school type. So we decided to take a closer look. You know, any opportunity to lay down some ominous beats over a sea of warm pulsating analog synth. SynthStation is an all-in-one mobile music creation setup. It comprises of three virtual analog synths sonically tailored for melodies, chords and bass lines respectively. To go with your texture, there's a comprehensive and customizable drum kit, too. Add some awesome sounding synth effects, a sequencer, on the fly input and tweaking, a mixer to pull it all together and you've got yourself a package that Thom Yorke may even appreciate for his next solo project.
Count The Beats: AmpliTube and iRig review for the iPhone
A few weeks ago IK Multimedia announced its iRig hardware and AmpliTube app for the iPhone / iPod touch. Today the software has officially gone live on the UK iTunes store ready for your perusal. The app comes in three variations: AmpliTube Free, AmpliTube LE (£1.79) and just AmpliTube (£11.99) being the fully featured version. Naturally, you need the iRig hardware (around £23), too, so you can plug in your guitar. We were fortunate to get an early look at the iRig and a pre-release version of the app from IK Multimedia. Read on for our first impressions and thoughts on this potentially set-up altering piece of gear. The iRig Hardware The iRig in itself is a very simple item. Essentially, it allows you to plug a mono 1/4" jack (from your guitar / bass / keyboard / instrument) into your iPhone, and then take the output via stereo 1/8" mini-jack to your external source (headphones, powered speakers, mixer, or an amp). However, depending on your PA or mixer, and we expect most amps, you'll need a 1/8" mini-jack to a 1/4" jack converter lead so you can plug it in. Small in size and sturdy in feel, the iRig will fit right in with your other cables and patch leads. Similar to your "built like a tank" pedal case, the iRig will have no problem being chucked around with the rest of your gear. If anything, you'll be trying to find the misplaced thing much like your mysteriously vanishing capo 20 minutes after you should have left for the gig. There's not much else to say here. It feels good and looks good, but will it sound good? Click the 'read more' link to find out..
Count The Beats: IK Multimedia announces Amplitube iRig for the iPhone
To all you guitarists out there, we know you're incredibly particular about tone when it comes to your axe and the boutique pedals you play it through. But lets be honest, every now and again it can be a little tiresome lugging that oversized pedal board, and your vintage amp, through the underground for that one-off "favour for a friend" gig. Especially when the venue won't be able to handle your tone anyway (as apposed to that sell out rockin' show you did with the guys the night before). Well, it seems like IK Multimedia has beat Line 6 to it. Now you can leave the industrial strength cases behind in exchange for your iPhone and the iRig (of course you still need your guitar). IK Multimedia has brought their renowned guitar and effects virtualization software to the iPhone with the iRig. For £29.99 you can purchase the iRig peripheral hardware that enables you to plug your guitar / bass into your iPhone and then your iPhone into your amp, sound desk -- whatever tickles your fancy. The baseline iRig app is downloaded off the app store (which comprises of two stomp boxes, one amp+cabinet and two microphones). If you wish you can upgrade the app with more stomp boxes, amps+cabinets and microphones via the a-la-carte in-app purchase and download process. We're very much looking forward to trying this out for ourselves. If the iRig plays like Amplitube does on the Mac, there are some exciting possibilities ahead, one of which being less back ache! Check out the video after the break, or IK Multimedia's iRig website for more info.
Count The Beats: IK Multimedia brings GrooveMaker to the iPad
On the heels of the popular GrooveMaker app for the iPhone / iPod touch, IK Multimedia (musicians first) has released GrooveMaker for the iPad. Perfect for that upcoming house party (DJ set) you've been planning. If you're into house, hip-hop and drum 'n bass style music (mixing loops and samples into endless differing arrangements and combinations) then GrooveMaker is definitely worth having a look at. IK Multimedia's press release says: GrooveMaker for the iPad offers the same smart features and streamlined workflow as the iPhone version, but also takes advantage of the new larger multi-touch surface to provide enhanced operation with an integrated, advanced controller. Users will find a convenient mixer-like environment with large slider controls for volume, pan and master volume of the 8 controllable loop tracks, plus instant access to tempo, solo and mute functions all on the same screen. Also, GrooveMaker for iPad adds even more control when working with loops, providing a new level of creative flexibility. Users can now switch "snapped" grooves with a single touch, plus control the number of loops that are automatically combined during a random mix. GrooveMaker iPad is the perfect addition to a DJ set, providing unlimited creative flexibility in live remixing and DJ applications. Although we've not had a chance to try out the app here in the UK yet (soon, my precious...), we're very excited about seeing this kind of music creation app on the iPad, especially from IK Multimedia. There are 4 GrooveMaker packs for the iPad available now on the iTunes Store. Video after the break.
Count The Beats: Learn to read and play sheet music with Etude on your iPhone
From the creators of ShoveBox, Wonder Wrap Software has just launched their new iPhone / iPod touch app Etude. Etude is a beautifully designed app that helps you learn to read and play sheet music on the piano. While the built-in synthesizer plays through a piece of music, Etude will scroll through the sheet music being read (correlating each note heard to each note read). A virtual keyboard will also display each key being pressed at the same moment each note is being read and heard. To make things even easier the playback speed can be altered so you can make sure you're hitting every note of Bach's Air! Etude comes preloaded with a few 'Scores' to get you started, but you can download (from within the app) hundreds of other songs for free from the Etude score store. Etude is certainly a novel way to develop your piano playing skills, and a fantastic application of the features of the iPhone / iPod touch for those who love music. Plus, Wonder Wrap Software is developing a version for the iPad, too. Anyone get those pre-orders in? To celebrate the release of Etude this week Wonder Wrap Software is running a promotion where you can get yourself a free copy of their desktop app SimpleChord. All you need to do is tweet.
Count The Beats: Inspiration... two apps for the musician on the move
Recently I've been preparing to move home and finally did last weekend. Naturally I had to pack up all my musical gear, equipment and of course, my Mac. In the week leading up to the move, I've had my iPhone and nothing else. With no creative outlet and the pressure of looming project deadlines, I found myself scouting the app store for a fix to help me start fleshing out a few creative ideas. This is what I found that worked well for me. 1. TonePad and TonePad Pro The iTunes Store describes TonePad Pro as "...the easiest way to make music. Discover the inner musician in you. Create songs by simply touching." And this is exactly what I found. With a 16 x 16 matrix, and an easy-to-use user interface (literally start tapping your fingers and music is made), I found myself coming up with little melodies and tunes immediately. Although you only have the 16 x 16 matrix, to me, what initially seemed quite limiting soon became a boundary for creative focus. You can save an unlimited number of tunes to listen back to, and upload them to a shared server where your buddies can check out what you've been musing. With the paid version, you can save your melodies into a ringtone that will sync back to your iPhone, too. 2. Flourish Flourish is something a bit more immersive. While having a steeper learning curve, there's loads more to explore here. The user interface is really fresh and unique (especially for the iPhone), and presents a creative challenge in focusing your composition whilst giving you the space to try different approaches to what you are creating. Basically Flourish represents musical phrases as physical loops: -Record loops with expressive multi-touch keyboards. -Generate percussive and melodic sequences. -Build arrangements by ear or by eye. -Select from a consonant collection of instruments. -Sequence loops by connecting them in chain. Check out the Flourish website for a few demo clips. Let us know in the comments below what other apps for the iPhone / iPod Touch, or the Mac, that are inspiring you to make music.
Count The Beats: Playing keys and synth live on a Mac (interview).
Over the coming months, the Count The Beats series is going to be taking a closer look at how the Mac (and the accompanying software) fits in with the various components of a typical rock band (drums, bass, electric guitar etc. You get the idea). In this post we're going to take a closer look at keyboards (playing keys and synths) in a live performance context. From honky-tonk piano's on fire to out-of-control oscillating synths, there is so much gear and software out there it can be difficult to know where to start, especially when it comes to playing in a live performance context. Session musician, and good friend of mine, Jon Dean does a fair bit of this, and does it well. In the last few years he's gone from classically trained pianist to Rock 'n Roll, synth and pad-crazy keys extraordinaire. I managed to pull Jon away from his busy touring schedule to sit down with me and a cup of tea with some After Eight Mints (it's a new kind of Rock 'n Roll out there, apparently) to talk controllers, audio interfaces and moving from PC to Mac, with a couple bad musician jokes thrown in for good measure. Even if you're not a keys player, it's interesting to see how the Mac continues to facilitate and encourage creative musicianship to an extent that just wasn't available a few short years ago. Click the Read More link for the interview. Photo credit: kolleggerium on flickr.
Count The beats: Training your ear with RelativePitch
Relative pitch, let alone perfect pitch (some people are born with it, everyone else has to learn!) is an invaluable skill required when it comes to playing an instrument and understanding the music you are hearing. Thankfully, Easy Ear Training has developed a nifty little app to help you along with all your pitch training needs. The idea is to learn how to hear the difference between two musical notes in a given key / octave, and be able to identify what that difference is, based on the root note. This is otherwise known as an interval: the space between two notes. For example, a minor 3rd, or a perfect 5th (think the Star Wars theme tune!). For a great description of what an interval is, click here. I also came across this iTunes U video lesson by Shawn "Thunder" Wallace [iTunes Link] describing the difference between perfect pitch, relative pitch and something that Shawn calls true pitch. Very interesting! This may sound rather complicated, but really you don't need to know any of the theory when it comes to using the Relative Pitch app. At its simplest, it will help you to hear with more detail what it is that you're listening too Relative Pitch [iTunes Link] consists of two main modes: training and testing. When you open the app, you kick off with the first lesson (of which there are 14) in the training mode. Once the first lesson is complete, a corresponding test is unlocked to examine what you have learned. On passing that test the next lesson is unlocked, and so forth. Relative Pitch will teach you to distinguish ascending, descending and harmonic intervals across four octaves. With in-app volume control, in-depth customization of the training mode, and even being able to choose the root note of the octave you want to train from, you'll make strides. Whether you are a seasoned musician or a complete beginner, Relative Pitch will have you listening with a sharpened ear and a greater appreciation of the music you love. The Relative Pitch app costs £4.99, but there is a lite free version of the app here [iTunes Link] so you can try it out. Also, keep an eye out for the revamped Easy Ear Training website launching in the coming weeks.
Count The Beats: Toyo from Amidio, Touch DJ and Noise.io
Matt's back with another Count The Beats interview (full of insightful thought-provoking content), waiting for you to devour and digest. Happy holidays! We got together with Toyo from Amidio, the creators of the mighty Noise.io Pro [iTunes Link] synth app (and other cool music apps for the iPhone and iPod Touch), to get the inside scoop on their newest app, Touch DJ [iTunes Link], the rewards of playing eastern wind instruments, some down-to-earth points on developing for the iPhone / iPod touch platform, as well as Amidio's thoughts on the future of mobile music creation. Go on, check it out, but before you do, why not whet your appetite with this sneak peek video in the second half of the post, showing Touch DJ in action at Pacha in New York City. P.S. You may recall that a while back we featured Sonorasourus [iTunes Link], another great DJ'ing app, and we said we'd let you know when it went live on the App Store. It's now up there; check it out here [iTunes Link].
Count The Beats: Interview with a mixing engineer
In the last year I've spent a fair amount of time doing some recordings. In particular, I've been working on some of my own material. Having invested a large amount of time and money into pre production and the actual recording sessions, what started out as a small bedroom demo soon escalated into something much more than that (I'm sure you know what I mean). It soon became apparent that I was going to need someone with a bit more experience and 'know how' when it came to post production, and in particular, mixing. After calling in some "favours," and reaching as far as I could into the "industry," as such, I was introduced to Mr. Stephen Harding. An exceptionally talented musician, producer, and up and coming mixing engineer. To my delight, I discovered that not only is he a pretty nice guy, he is also darn good at mixing, and he's a fan boy of all things Apple too! Amongst all our post production endeavors, Steve and I managed to sit down with a cup of tea and some rich tea biscuits to talk Macs, set-up , plug-ins, outboard gear and the art of approaching a mix backed by the stability of Mac OS X. Read on for some wise words on mixing, but be forewarned though, as is becoming customary in the Count The Beats series, there is some pretty heavy tech talk ahead. However, it does make for some juicy reading. Don't forget, if you don't understand, just nod your head and pretend you do like the rest of us! Enjoy.
