2013
12/14
Using Thumbjam as an audio to MIDI converter
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Thumbjam App icon

Tim Behrens explains how he uses the audio to MIDI conversion in ThumbJam to play samples in Sampletank (it works for other programs, too).

Behrens notes:

I am not discouraging anyone from buying any apps here. Just showing how I use Thumbjam to achieve sounds close to what the dedicated midi conversion apps do.

For anyone who is serious about this kind of feature, I would recommend checking out the Midi Guitar app, as it is certainly tracks well and is polyphonic.

One last thing I’d say is that you have to practice with these apps. You can not just play your guitar like you normally do. Notes have to be muted more, there is a bit more latency, sustain will confuse it, vibrato jumps around. It takes time, but hopefully I demonstrated that you can get some very playable results.

Thumbjam is available in the AppStore for $8.99

2013
12/13
Vulcan Harp For iPad
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Vulcan Harp

Fans of Star Trek™ can now play Mr. Spock’s Vulcan harp on their iPad! Replicating the alien instrument from the classic Star Trek™ series, the app is fully functional and features multi‐level sounds, cool effects, and the iconic design of the original harp. Use the sleekly styled controls to compose spacey music or play fascinating songs.

Whether you’re a Trek fan, musician, or just interested in playing a unique instrument, the app’s richly detailed appearance and wide‐ranging musical abilities make for an instrument unlike any other.

Features:
——-
• 15 vibrating strings – each identified, making it easy to play songs
• Distinct pluck dynamic where the sound occurs on release of a touch similar to a harp
• 5 instrument sounds from futuristic to the classic harp
• Large 6-and-a-half octave range in 5 octave banks
• Custom multi-level distortion and reverberation controls give you a wide range to experiment with
• Ability to select pentatonic scale (five notes per octave)
• One button background arpeggio (sequence chords)
• Rich, inlaid wood detail appearance on the harp and moving starfield background
• SoundCloud recording to share your creations
• Concise tutorial to locate controls

Looking for more information about the Vulcan harp app?
————————————————
Visit us online: startrekvulcanharp.com
Follow us on Twitter: @StarTrekHarp
YouTube video: youtube.startrekvulcanharp.com
Join us on Facebook: fb.startrekvulcanharp.com
Questions or suggestions? Email us at vulcanharp@shiverware.com

Vulcan Harp Background:
———————
The Vulcan harp is also called a Vulcan lyre, lute, lyrette, and lytherette.

The Vulcan harp is played in four episodes in Star Trek™: The Original Series: “Charlie X”, “Amok Time”, “The Way to Eden” and “The Conscience of the King”.

Spock and Uhura both play the Vulcan harp. Tuvok owns one in Star Trek: Voyager™, Melian owns one in Star Trek: The Next Generation™, and (mirror universe) Kira Nerys owns one in Star Trek: Deep Space Nine™.

Spock plays “Row-Row-Row Your Boat” on the Vulcan harp in the film “Star Trek: The Final Frontier™”.

The Star Trek™ Vulcan Harp app is licensed by CBS Interactive, Inc.
App created by Shiverware Interactive Software Developments, Inc.
TM CBS Interactive Inc. All Rights Reserved.
TM & © 2013 CBS Studios Inc. Star Trek and related marks and logos are trademarks of CBS Studios Inc. All Rights Reserved.

Vulcan Harp is $1.99

2013
12/10
Robotic Drums Drum Synthesizer Drum Machine
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Robotic Drums

Drum synth with probability sequencer. Demo video here: http://goo.gl/1E2HIa

Robotic Drums is an analog modeled drum synth coupled with a probability sequencer. This special combination, makes the app suitable for live sound manipulation, sequence experimentation and regular beats. The main highlights for this app are:

– A minimalist interface, with a high emphasis in flow.
– 6 analog modeled synthesized voices.
– A probability sequencer. You control how “random” a sequence is.
– Quantized pattern switching.
– Dropbox support for saving sessions and sharing across devices.
– AudioBus support.
– Midi clock sync support.

Some details:

VOICES

There are 6 analog modeled synthesized voices, each with a noise and an oscillator section. This flexible configuration allows each voice to generate sounds that range from punchy bass drums, to snappy snares, to lo-fi tones, to sound effects and much else in between.

THE PROBABILITY SEQUENCER

The sequencer for each voice is based on probabilities. A step on a sequence is not just a “switch” but a measure of “how likely is this step to be triggered”. This allows for highly dynamic sequences that maintain a certain base, but never sound the same from one pass to another.

THE PATTERNS SECTION

Each session can hold 16 patterns. Switching patterns in a live situation is always controlled by a “pattern quantization” parameter, which determines when the pattern switch actually happens. This allows for pattern switches to occur exactly when expected, maintaining the musical flow of a piece.

SESSIONS

Sessions can be saved to Dropbox, this allows to share sessions across devices or even to use as an easy method to share patches with the community.

Robotic Drums is available for $4.99

2013
12/09
Guitar Lessons On iPad
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Stairway-To-Lesson

Get started with tons of well explained guitar lessons! More lessons will be continually added to this app and we take requests! We’ve covered a good variety of music and experience levels. So whether you’re a beginner or an advanced player, there will be something on this app for you and more on the way!

36 Lessons and 7 Jam Tracks!

• All lessons custom to this app only. Not links to YouTube or outside sources.

• Something for every level of guitarist!

• Learn from knowledgable full time instructor/touring musician!

• Lessons are intuitive and easy to understand!

• Leave requests and get customer service right from the app!

App tutorial at: www.SmashTownMedia.com

This release includes lessons for:

Guns ‘N Roses – Sweet Child O’ Mine
Led Zeppelin – Stairway To Heaven
Metallica – Nothing Else Matters
Lynyrd Skynyrd – Sweet Home Alabama
The Script – Breakeven
Plain White T’s – Hey There Delilah
AC/DC – Back In Black
Green Day – Jesus Of Suburbia
Beatles – Hey Jude
Henry Mancini – Peter Gunn
Beethoven – Ode To Joy
Dave Matthews – Crash (Verse/Chorus)
Dave Matthews – Crash (Post Chorus)
Plain White T’s – Airplane (Intro/Verse)
Plain White T’s – Airplane (Chorus/Bridge)
Bruno Mars – Lazy Song
Eagles – Hotel California (Guitar Solo + Jam Track)
ACDC – Thunderstruck (Intro + Jam Track)
ACDC – Thunderstruck (Guitar Solo + Jam Track)
ACDC – Thunderstruck (All rhythm riffs)
Black Sabbath – Iron Man (Guitar solo + Jam Track)
Black Sabbath – Iron Man (All sections covered)
Deep Purple – Smoke On The Water
Pentatonic Boxes – (Soloing Tips + Jam Track)
John Mayer – Why Georgia (Intro, Verse, Pre Chorus)
Jessie J – Price Tag (Verse/Chorus + Jam Track)
Jessie J – Price Tag (F Major Pentatonic Lesson)
Beatles – Come Together (Verse/Chorus)
Green Day – Boulevard of Broken Dreams (V/Ch)
Pink Floyd – Money (Guitar Solo + Jam Track)
Beatles – Day Tripper
NEW LESSON: Metallica – Nothing Else Matters (Guitar Solo)

All songs on Stairway To Lesson are officially licensed through ASCAP.

———— Troubleshooting FAQ ———–

*VIDEO WON”T LOAD – First, Make sure you have solid 3G or Wifi signal. Secondly, very very rarely, our video server could be down temporarily, in which case, please try the app again later, and you should be golden!

*AUDIO ONLY – In some cases if you’re on a cellular network with weak signal you may see the screen go black and hear only audio. This means you have a weak network signal and you are streaming the Audio Only Stream. This app works best with strong 3G or Wifi.

*APP WON”T OPEN/INSTALL – In some cases, if you downloaded the app through iTunes maybe from your computer and transfer it to your device, it may not open. Make sure you have the latest software update for your device, and you should be golden!

*NO SOUND (MUTE) – Since recent updates, the mute switch on the side of your device will mute audio to some video apps. Simply flip the switch and you should be golden!

*NO SOUND – Some devices come with a setting that will mute sound to video. If video doesn’t have sound, open Settings> General> Use Side Switch to: (check Lock Rotation) then home button to exit settings. Then home button twice to reveal recent apps at bottom. Swipe apps to right at bottom. Make sure speaker icon does not have slash through it. You should be golden!

Get it for $7.99

2013
12/05
Swoopster Flange Fuzz Vibrato For iPad
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Swoopster Holderness Media

Swoopster is a wild, fuzzed out Flanger/Vibrato effect designed for Audiobus and Inter-app audio.

Process synths, drum machines and hundreds of other apps by connecting through Audiobus. Use Swoopster as an effect inside Garageband, Auria, Cubasis, and AudioShare using Audiobus or Inter-app audio.

Swoopster features two distinct modes:
PERFORM and TWEAK.

● PERFORM mode is focused around four XY touch pads. Touch to control flanger speed, manual, feedback and fuzz amount independently for left and right channels.

● TWEAK mode features large expressive sliders and additional effect parameters, allowing you to fine tune your sound.

The center panel of Swoopster’s interface is part of the instrument and meant to be played in real-time, including the scrollable preset list. Tap a preset to instantly load it’s settings, play different presets in rhythmic patterns, or re-trigger the current preset to restart the sweep of the Flanger. The MUTE and BYPASS buttons function as momentary switches for DJ mixer style control.

Echo Pad users loved the creative stereo imaging possible with its effects, and this approach continues with Swoopster. Both Perform and Tweak modes allow you to control the left and right channel’s effect parameters independently for wide stereo sound design. You can easily toggle between linked and unlinked channel parameters by tapping the LINK button.

In addition to Audiobus and Inter-app Audio support, Swoopster can also process external instruments such as guitar, voice and synths by connecting a microphone or professional audio interface such as the Apogee Jam, ONE, or any iOS compatible USB audio interface.

COMPATIBILITY:
● requires iOS 7.0 or later
● iPad Mini/iPad 2 or newer
● Audiobus compatible (Effect,Input and Output)
● Inter-App audio compatible (effect node)
● compatible with USB audio interfaces

Features:

● stereo Fuzz, Flange and Vibrato effect processor
● versatile flanger capable of sounds ranging from smooth phasey flange to wildly distorted, pitch shifted madness
● flanger with positive and negative feedback
● independent left and right channel effects engines can be controlled separately or linked
● Audiobus compatible (supports all 3 slots)
● Inter-App Audio compatible (effect node)
● true stereo input and effects processing
● several output style options including normal stereo, wide stereo, and sum to mono

Swoopster works with just about any professional iOS compatible USB audio interfaces. Here is a list of interfaces that have been tested and verified to be compatible:

● Apogee Jam
● Apogee Mic
● Apogee ONE for iPad/Mac
● Apogee DUET for iPad/Mac
● Apogee QUARTET for iPad/Mac
● iRig
● iRig HD
● iRig iMic
● Focusrite Scarlett series (*requires USB hub)
● Alesis io2
● Alesis IO Dock
● Behringer UCA202
● many more

Swoopster is available for $2.99

  • iPad Loops is an iOS music production blog dedicated to exposing the best iPad apps musicians, producers, and Djs. This is not a database of every app. It is, however, one of useful recommendations from someone with many years in music production. I try to update it on a daily basis (ok sometimes every two days) and I do my best to post useful apps only. My name is Jason Donnelly (Dj Puzzle). Some of the apps that contain my sounds are Synth One, EG Segments, Hammerhead, Retronyms AudioCopy, Audio Evolution Mobile, and iMPC Pro. My work is published by Roland, Antares, Magix, Soundtrack Loops, Sample Logic, Acoustica, Native Instruments, The Grammt Museum and many more. Subscribe to our RSS feed below to get updated when new apps are posted.
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