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Music production has never been easier than it is today. Everyone can start creating music with VSTs, music-making software, and apps. Great artists have many tools in their arsenal and music-making apps should be one of them. Kendrick Lamar’s track “Pride” was produced using only a guitar and an iPhone.
Today you can create an entire track on your iPhone or iPad – anywhere you want. You never know when creativity kicks in, and sometimes it occurs when you are away from your studio equipment. Using apps is a great idea to quickly get your ideas down.
However, if you want to take your music production up a notch, a proper computer will give you more options in terms of a wider array of professional software. Make sure to read this review of the best computers for music production!
iMaschine 2
iMaschine 2 is developed by Native Instruments, one of the most acknowledged developers, manufacturer, and supplier of music software and hardware. The app lets you sample, record, and mix tracks directly from your iPhone or iPad. It features a huge selection of free sounds which can be extended by purchasing expansions for different genres.
If you are using MASCHINE STUDIO, MASCHINE, or MASCHINE MIKRO, you can easily export your tracks and import them into your studio. With iMaschine 2 you can create professional tracks without expert knowledge in music production.
Figure
Figure is a beginner-level music app, with an easy-to-understand interface. The options are rather limited, and you will not feel overwhelmed by all the different options. Everything is pattern and loop-based, making it extremely useful for quick ideas when using the built-in sound library.
By choosing your tempo, key, bass, lead, and drum beat, you can produce music in just a few minutes. Choosing your key will let you see all notes within a specific scale, making it extremely easy to play professional melodies.
Blocs Wave
Blocs Wave is a great music arrangement app, primarily focused on testing and developing ideas. The free version includes 6 sound packs with over 300 ready-to-use samples. Discover Tab lets you choose sounds for drums, bass, percussion, vocal, melodic, and FX. The second section – Wave Editor allows you to edit and alter samples from Discover Tab in a detailed manner. If you have your own samples, they can easily be imported and manipulated in Blocs Wave. Overall, this app provides professional-grade sounds with beginner-level effort.
KORG iKaossilator
What differs KORG iKaossilator from every other music app is its innovative interface. Instead of tweaking parameters intricately, iKaossilator has a unique X-Y interface. The X-Y touchpad recognizes the gestures and movements of your hands and fingers. Play and tweak different instruments by simply stroking, tapping, or rubbing the screen with your finger.
This app isn’t as advanced and feature-packed as KORGS’s other instruments. However, everybody should be able to have fun with it, from absolute beginners to experienced producers. With the built-in loop sequencer, you can create tracks with up to 5 channels. You can also export your audio files and import them into your favorite DAW for further tweaking.
Music Maker Jam
Music Maker Jam is a fun tool to quickly sketch your tunes, and import them into other DAWs for finishing. It allows beginners to create professional-sounding music without a steep learning curve. The app is primarily for hobbyists and beginners, and the simple interface lacks some of the advanced functionalities of digital audio workstations (DAWs). However, the streamlined workflow makes it incredibly fun to play with, which can boost your music creativity.
The free edition includes 425 sounds/loops and 8 separate tracks. if you want more sounds and effects, you can purchase the Premium version.
Conclusion
Whether you think these apps are toys or tools, one thing is undeniable, they are a huge amount of fun to play around with. Many musicians tend to spend a lot of time on the go, having their hardware or software unavailable. You never know when creativity kicks in and these apps allow producers to get their ideas down on the move. Music-making apps are a new method of music creation, and they are here to stay.
