Let’s face it, there are too many cool iPhone applications for musicians that we couldn’t limit our list to just five—so here we present you with another batch of programs that you’ll want to download as soon as you finish reading this. From instructional tools to creativity enhancing apps, all of these programs unlock the full potential of your iPhone (and iPod Touch) and also hopefully hint at the technological advantages that will be available in the next few years. Because if these applications are any indication of upcoming technology for musicians, the future possibilities are literally unimaginable. [Click here for Part 1 of this series.]
Fret Surfer Guitar Trainer: If you’re looking for a good guitar teacher but can barely afford to pay your monthly iPhone bill, Fret Surfer Guitar Trainer is the perfect app for you. The trick is that when you use the app it feels more like playing a game than it does, you know, learning—and the application has two modes to keep things interesting: one where you find the note when given a string and fret and another where you pick the note given the location on the guitar neck. However our favorite part is the fact that you can review the results to discover what area of your playing could use improvement and keep practicing on those areas until you’ve mastered the entire fretboard… or your battery gets completely drained, whichever comes first. Price: $2.99 [iTunes]
Bloom: If you ever get stuck in a creative rut (and let’s face it, which one of us hasn’t?) then Bloom is the ultimate tool to get you back onto the writing process without missing a beat, literally. Designed by composer Brian Eno and his collaborator Peter Chilvers, the application combines instrumentation, composition and artwork to form an application that’s as aesthetically pleasing as it useful. Essentially all the user needs to do is tap on the screen and the program uses the quadrants to generate patterns and melodies that evolve when the program is idle. Oh and when you’re ready to move onto your next opus, just shake your iPhone and start over. Now all we need is an application that will allow Brian Eno to write actual music for us; but in the meantime, this should do the drink. Price: $3.99 [iTunes]
Chordica: Chordica is a bunch of different tools in one. For starters it’s a great instructional tool that will help teach you how to play music in less time it takes to watch the last Lord Of The Rings movie; it also contains accompaniment for thousands of songs, so it’s like having a virtual band in your pocket where you go; and finally if you’re not an expert on musical theory, it will give you a preview of how different chords and melodies sound like together so that you can come up with the best possible combination of sounds for your next hit song without having to touch your guitar. That said, Chordica is just a tool—and if you really want to fully utilize the software’s potential you’re going to have to apply your own dose of creativity and hard work into crafting a composition that will make you the next big thing in the music world. Price: $2.99 [iTunes]
Beatmaker: At $19.99, Beatmaker is one of the pricier apps in the iTunes store, but it’s also undoubtedly one of the most powerful. Toted as a mobile music creation studio, the program is essentially an ultra-powerful drum machine that’s capable of being used during live performances and allows you to import your own samples as well as a full library made by musicians and producers. In other words, you can create your own beats, add samples, mix it, export them and have a professional recording without going near a studio or drum set. Another plus about the program is the multitude of variables that you can toy with including a editing waves, panning, tuning, fading and more, all of which are able to be tweaked until you come up with your perfect sound. Whether you’re a new to the music world or a professional gigging musician, Beatmaker should be an essential tool in your repertoire. Price: $19.99 [iTunes]
iShred: If you’re looking for a virtual guitar application that doesn’t sound like it’s coming out of a tiny iPhone speaker, then iShred is the app for you. The application is packed with high-quality guitar samples that are fed through eight different effects pedals and then an amp simulator, allowing you to recreate everything from classic British Invasion tone to shred-worthy distortion with a few taps on your iPhone. Additionally the guitar playing itself is remarkably intuitive and allows you to pull of technical fretboard work such as hammer-ons and pull-offs with ease. Finally once you’ve come up with the perfect song and riff combination, you can save your creation with the built-in recorder and jam a sweet lead on top of it or send it to your band mates. What we’re trying to tell you is that next time you’re out on tour playing video games, switch off the Xbox and fire up iShred instead. We just want a cut of the royalties. Price: $4.99 [iTunes]