AmpliTube Orange review and comparison

Whilst I still enjoy playing a bit of guitar now and then I'm nowhere near as competent as my friend Paul who offered to take a look at IK Multimedia's AmpliTube Orange app and compare it against other apps and hardware to see which he thought came out best. Here's what he decided ...

How to get the sound of an Orange guitar amplifier without actually owning one....

With the release of AmpliTube's Orange apps, I thought it would be interesting to compare the sounds with those produced by some other Orange emulators. Sadly I don't own a real Orange amp but have always enjoyed the distinctive edgy crunch that characterises this established British manufacturer.

The following comments are of course totally subjective and reflect my personal opinion and taste.

The contenders are:

1. AmpliTube Orange as endorsed by the real Orange company.
2. JamUp Pro's OR30
3. Bias "British Rock 50"
4. Tech 21 Oxford (Sansamp). This is a hardware guitar pedal with analog electronics

Audio was sent through the iPad via a Roland Duo Ex interface.


Clean sounds:

My personal favourite was the AmpliTube AD30 with a full bodied "rounded" sound, whereas the the OR50 seemed a little too "thin" despite attempts to manipulate the eq section. The Tiny Terror is an excellent value amp head in real life, but has just a single tone control which is duplicated here. It didn't hit the spot for me (but see my comments on the over-driven sounds below). The Jam-up and Bias emulations sounded fine, but perhaps lacked the character of a real amp.

The Oxford pedal stood up well against the digital emulations with a warm, less brittle (digital?) sound. It has a very flexible (and sensitive) tone stack and a little tweaking leads to a huge range of sounds.

Over-driven sounds:

This is more up my street. Crank up the gain and immediately the AmpliTube models start spitting out that British crunch complete with authentic hiss and noise. All the models demonstrated a distinctive harmonic distortion mostly noticeable on the high strings and I believe this is a characteristic of the real hardware.

I did an A/B comparison between the Rockerverb 50 and the Oxford and managed to get the tone suprisingly close... picture the opening riff for T.Rex's 20th Century Boy. Fantastic! Again I found the AD30 had a rounder tone and I was able to dial in more bottom end (which is the sort of sound I go for). This time the Tiny Terror's tone control did actually produce a useful range of sounds and I found myself thinking that maybe I should invest in the real thing! The Thunderverb channel A produced an interesting "raspy" drive which could cut through in the right sort of mix but was not entirely to my taste and the OR50 was my least favourite. Prior to the AmpliTube offering, I had always enjoyed JamUp's "Orange" amp but was suprised to find it rather thin and lacking in character when compared to the others. There was also a lack of tone variation and quite a
strong compression component to the sound.

But still, I have had it sounding great in a mix so it can't be all bad! I only played with the basic Bias model and didn't dig in and fiddle with the internal components; it was similar to the JamUp model but with less compression and more background hiss. It might be that something as simple as changing the position of the simulated microphone would bring the two models closer sonically. The Tech 21 sounds fantastic when cranked up and has a character control the allows radical re-modelling of the sound. And there is that harmonic distorion that I mentioned earlier...

Some conclusions:

AmpliTube offers a fantastic suite of Orange models and in my opinion outguns the Jamup version. Although interestingly this exercise has proved to me the quality of the Tech 21 Oxford and what can be done in the old fashioned analog domain. But you have to remember the Oxford will set you back £159 whereas the AmpliTube Orange is just £10.49. And of course a real Tiny Terror costs a whole load more....

Amplitube Orange on the app store ($14.99 / £10.49)

My impressions of Oscilab

I thought I'd jot down a couple of notes about Oscilab, and as I wrote this it turned into  more of a rant about interfaces and how our music reacts to them. Anyway, as a result I thought it might be best to split this post up into a few headings.

Some (slightly rambling) thoughts generally about interfaces
I have to admit that I was really looking forward to Oscilab when it first got teased, and let's face it, cross platform apps and anything that works well on Android is few and far between to say the least. So Oscilab looked like it was going to be really amazing. The videos showed it doing some really interesting things and producing really amazing sounds, so it had to be great, yes?

Well, that's what I was expecting. When I opened up the app it made no sense to me at all. I didn't get it, and these days, I really like to be able to dig in to an app very quickly and start making some sounds with it. Let's face it, we all tend to be busy, in fact that's one of the reasons we (and certainly I) like mobile apps for making music.

However, I persevered, and if I'm honest, it didn't take very long at all to get into this app when I'd got my head around how it worked, or perhaps I should say, how I had to work to make it work for me. Whichever way you look at it, it worked for me, but the interesting thing for me, was how.

It's probably true to say that my usual way of sequencing or composing or writing follows a fairly standard format. I like piano rolls, I like step sequencers and that sort of thing, so Oscilab's approach to sequencing was very different. Although, as I said before in many ways, that's very refreshing. In fact, I often feel that a change of interface can be a good way to try different musical directions. It doesn't always work, but it's always good to try, and that's how I felt about Oscilab.

Actual impressions of Oscilab
So, my impressions of the app itself. Well, as I said above, I actually found the app a very interesting way to work. In fact the workflow is nothing like what I'm used to. I wondered if I'd get used to setting pitch through Oscilab's interface, but it didn't take long at all. In fact, I quite like it now. It's a different way of looking at things, a different way of achieve self expression but without having to know about all the usual stuff that we can get hung up on, especially if you come from a traditional western musical background.

On reflection, using the Oscilab interface is actually very easy. I expect that a few people reading this will wonder what all the fuss is about, but for others it might make sense. So, if you have been put off when seeing the Oscilab interface and thought it didn't make sense for you, then think again.

I've found that the app has made me rethink how I respond to different interfaces and how I think about music making. I've really enjoyed using it and I expect it'll become more and more a part of my workflow.

Hopefully I'll get a track out made using Oscilab in the not too distant future. Anyway, I think it's a very different app, but perhaps not in the way you'd think. So, if you haven't tried it out, I think you should seriously give it some thought.

Oscilab is on the app store. Click below:

Digital DJ Tips reviews the PDJ Handheld

A great and full review of this handheld unit from Digital DJ Tips.

Some first impressions of Auria

Opening up this app for the first time gives you some idea of what a step forward it is. I started by playing the demo track that's included with the app. It isn't a bad track, it isn't particularly to my taste, but that's not the point. The point is how the track demonstrates Auria, and I think it does it quite well, to start with anyway.

Just messing about with the controls in Auria's mixer starts to give you a view on how complex the app is and the depth of control it gives you. But really this is just the start, there is so much more in this app and my guess is that the developers have a great deal more planned for it as well.

So to give you my first impressions, this app is going to be a major change in how we view mobile music production. It raises the bar significantly, and I hope that this will be a good thing.

The Modern DJ on vjay for iPad

The Modern DJ posts video and links to reviews on the new vjay app from Algoriddim. Find it all here.

GuitarJack 2, pictures, thoughts, amazement ...

I thought I'd post up some more shots of the GuitarJack 2 and how it works with FourTrack. I have to say that the software / hardware integration is very slick indeed and a big improvement on the first version.

But what really strikes you is the quality of the GuitarJack 2. Not just the external build quality, but the sound quality through the device. I can't remember where I read it, but I remember that someone had written that they thought that there was something wrong with the guitarjack when they plugged in their guitar because there was no noise, but it wasn't broken, just noiseless. Well I found that too. The line in is great too, it works very well to have a stereo in for the iPhone or iPad.

My main planned use of this is recording iDevice to iDevice, but perhaps more of that another day. You could plug anything into the GuitarJack 2 and get great sound out of it I'm sure. The quality is amazing and completely configurable within FourTrack too, which is very handy.

I'll admit that I wanted to be impressed with the GuitarJack 2, but it has exceeded my expectations quite easily. Very nice job Sonoma, excellent job.

What I would have liked to see come inside the box was a case for the device itself, or perhaps a case for it and an iPhone to make it even more secure. Perhaps that will come in the future.

You can find out more about the GuitarJack 2 including where to buy it via the Sonoma site.

What I've been playing with: TNR-i

I had some time to spare and was looking at the apps on my iPhone trying to decide what to play with that I hadn't used in ages. So picked TNR-i. I think it has been ages since I last used this app, and of course there was something in there that I'd started ages ago (not bad in fact), and I ended up jamming along with it.

I know that the Tenori-on grid concept has been done a lot on the app store, but I think that the original TNR-i albeit not the first grid sequence app has a lot going for it.

One thing that really struck me about it was that with certain settings I didn't even have to look at the screen to use the app and jam along with the layer that I'd previously created. I really liked that, not that I'm advocating using music apps whilst driving or anything, but I liked that I didn't have to be glued to the screen to be happily engaged in making some music.

I think I'll have to try a few other apps to see if it's possible elsewhere.

RealBeat review

I've been playing with this for a while now and I'm really loving the somplicity of the design, and the ease of use of this sampler sequencer.

If you don't know the app the idea is really straightforward. RealBeat is a sampler for taking sounds from anywhere and making them into drum patterns, or any other kind of pattern for that matter. Creating a sample is easy. All you do is press the record button and wait for the sound. If you're sampling a drum type sound then make the sound and the app will record what it thinks you're trying to record. If it's a lower level sound just push the button to record. You can edit the samples really easily in the app and undo changes too.

Pattern editing is a breeze and anyone who's ever edited a drum pattern will be immediately at home here. The app can audio copy individual patterns and has some nice real time FX processing too.

The only thing I'd like to see is a session record function on this. That'd be excellent. Even without it this is a really nice polished app.

Want to know about uLoops? Try this

This is a great run down and review of uLoops for Android, which is a great music app for Android.

An app a day: Tweakybeat

I'm not sure how long I'll keep up this series, but I thought I'd go through all my apps on my iPhone, one a day (or something like that) and decide whether to keep them or not.

So I started today with Tweakybeat, which I've had forever, and seemingly have been waiting forever for an update to this app.

Even so, I can't bring myself to get rid of it. I love this little drum synth even though it is very limited in terms of what you can do with the patterns. It's a great drum synth and has some excellent features like the random feature on sounds and the shuffle.

I'd love this app to have audiocopy and a properly settable tempo for starters, but I still play with it without those.

So it's a keeper, but to the developer, 'please please please update it!'.

A first impression of Addictive Synth

The first thing I have to say about this iPad app is that it is very aptly named. I thought that I'd have a quick play with it, but couldn't keep to anything quick and found myself using the app for quite a while.

So what makes it addictive? For me it was the ability to draw waveforms on the screen and set the arp to hold whilst I played around with the sound. Just great fun to play with, and a really good sound engine with good parameters too.

I can't say that I've found my way around the app in it's entirety, that's something for another day, and I'll let you know how that goes. I'm especially looking forward to the recording functions.

Everyone I've heard give views on this app have said that they've enjoyed it, and can't see any reason why someone wouldn't.

I'm looking forward to spending more time with this app and integrating into some work too.



iPads at the Apple Store

SampleWiz Review from 'dwso'

Thanks to 'dswo" for this SampleWiz Review:

PROS

• Very expressive: easy and natural to get vibrato, adjust intensity. Changing octaves and key size is also well thought-out. All of this is well-demonstrated in the videos.
• Several first-rate synth and guitar presets. That's a short description, but they really make the app.
• Some of the longer samples develop in interesting ways (e.g., guitar distortion)
• Legato mode allows you to take full advantage of those longer samples, so that distortion can build for a group or sequence of notes, not just one at a time
• Unlike some, I like the visuals. Since there's no manual, it can be tough to find things the first time, but once you go through all of the buttons with help turned on, it all makes sense.You can tell that the interface has been fine-tuned for live performance.
• Hold function is powerful.
• The sound and visuals are both FUN. I have more powerful apps, but few that are so enchanting.
• Audio copy as well as paste. Not only can you work with samples FROM other apps, you can export samples from SampleWiz TO other apps.
• A loop can start anywhere in the sample, not just at the beginning. Result: there's more scope for developing a sound over time.
• Resampling lets you build up layered sounds; again, very powerful.

CONS

• No one seems to like the looming wizard graphic, including me.
• No multisampling; this is the program's only serious weakness in my view. Result: JR presets sound fine within an octave of the original sample note, but any further away and they no longer sound musical. I don't say they're unusable -- but the JR richness is gone. To my mind, this makes the lack of MIDI support less important; without multisampling, you're unlikely to move very far from the first keyboard screen. For examples, try the piano and violin samples. I don't think you'd guess this from the videos.
• The other big lacuna: currently there is no way to record a session. That's fine if you're just jamming, but a lot of people are drawn to the iPad and iPod/iPhone because it lets them _develop_ music on the bus or train. Right now, SW is good for playing music, but it doesn't make it easy to build music.
• As others have noted, the dark interface is hard to read outdoors; compared with multisampling, this would be relatively easy to fix.
• The preset count is swelled by some vocals ("Touch the wave," "Why don't you sample this," "Thank you for buying SampleWiz") that I don't think anyone is likely to USE; one would have been enough to illustrate the sampling engine's features.
• You can reverse a sample (+) in any mode, but you can only slow it down in granular mode. (Workaround: copy the sample to the clipboard, tweak it in, say, Filtatron, and export it back to SampleWiz. NOTE: This will work, but it takes you outside of the program. Part of SampleWiz's magic is: you can seemingly do it all, in one program, with one interface.)

COMPARISON WITH OTHER SAMPLER INSTRUMENTS

Beatmaker 2
+ SW has a much more expressive keyboard
+ SW has better synth presets
+ SW is half the price
- BM has multisampling
- BM can record sessions
- BM is multitrack

ThumbJam
= Both have expressive interfaces (though TJ has a few more expression axes, and makes use of the accelerometer, which SW doesn't)
= Both have excellent samples (though TJ's are more varied, with better strings)
+ SW makes it easy to create a new instrument anywhere
+ SW can mash up samples in lots more ways
+ SW can play different parts of the sample
- TJ can apply more effects (e.g., reverb as well as delay)
- TJ has multisampling
- TJ can record sessions, layer loops
- TJ is a few dollars cheaper

THINGS I'D LIKE TO SEE IN AN UPDATE

• Multisampling would greatly extend the USABLE RANGE of these instruments. It's also the most work to implement, both for the sound engine and the interface. (The existing interface is carefully laid out, so it's not obvious where the extra buttons/knobs would go.)

Here are some features that might be easier to implement:

• Get rid of the looming wizard on the keyboard, allow for different color schemes
• Implement some kind of session recording feature (with audio copy, of course, so that you can paste the session into another app).
• Play background loops, like ThumbJam. Example: you create a pattern in iElectribe or Funkbox, copy it to the clipboard, and paste it into SW's new loop player. While the rhythm pattern is looping, you play over it with the JR lead in SampleWiz. The great thing about this is, you get a lot of bang for your CPU buck, because playing loops is not a CPU-intensive task.
• SW already lets you play on two, independently-sized keyboards. If the hardware can handle it, can we also have two instruments?

Why I love Polychord

I've been playing with Polychord 2 for a little while and I really do like this app. When it updated to version 2 I was a little concerned that adding all of the synth features would turn from being a truly delightful app with a unique sound into something different altogether. But it didn't, and I was really pleased by that.

When Polychord first came out I found myself playing with it like some of the old Casio keyboards. The MT65 came to mind for me. It had a wonderful retro feel to it that was a joy to mess about with, but didn't detract from it's usability in any way. So when the update came I thought that might get broken.

It didn't. The new features in version 2 have only added to this app and in a way built on that retro sound. Whenever I start to use the app it always takes up more of my time than I expect as noodling around with it is a pure joy.

I've not tried out the recording part of the update as yet but I'm looking forward to it a lot.

I hope that in subsequent update the app can continue to build on it's original charm whilst bringing mew features. I think that this app has a lot to offer and is built on a great concept.

Let's see where it goes next.

NodeBeat for iPhone and iPad review

NodeBeat HD the iPhone version have been around for a little while now, and I've had some time to play with them both, especially iPad version, so I thought I'd tell you what I think of these apps.

To start with when I opened up the HD version I didn't get the app at all, in fact it took a few goes for me to 'get into' the app, but when I did it was really worth it.

I think that what stopped me getting into the app was that I was expecting it to do something different form what it does do, and once I'd got past that it all made perfect sense.

So, what does it do? NodeBeat is a great generative app. Nodes move around each other and make connections and music. After playing with it for a minute or two it can become really mesmerizing. In fact I've found myself using the app for prolonged periods just playing around with the settings to get the app to make more complex or minimal music.

The sound from the app and the amount of control works well although some more control over the sound forms themselves could be good. I'm sure that the developer has a list of things to come though.

In some ways it makes me think about other generative applications like Bloom or the other Brian Eno apps, but NodeBeat seems to give a lot more control and the developer is already adding recording which I think will make this app really useful. In fact, I'm looking forward to this being a more integrated part of my overall workflow in the future.

Here are the current features:

• Adjustable Node Physics
• Node Add/Remove
• Pitch Shift
• Adjustable Pulse Rate and Beat Sync
• Adjustable Echo, Attack, Decay, and Release for creative sound sculpting
• Audio Waveform Display- Landscape and Portrait Views 

If you like generative applications, you could do a lot worse than take a look at NodeBeat and NodeBeat HD. Each app costs just $0.99.

An interview with 4Pockets on the Launch of MeTeoR their multitrack recorder

Now that 4Pockets have released their new multitrack recorder MeTeoR I got to ask them a few questions about it and about their views on mobile music too.


PS: When did you first decide to port MeTEoR to iOS?

4P: Once we started porting our software to iOS devices it was pretty obvious that the one piece of software we wanted to port above all else was Meteor. The iPad is really the ultimate platform for this kind of application, but we needed to get a few other applications under our belt before we started on Meteor. This is a big application both in terms of size and complexity, and the experience gained porting Aurora, StompBox and Pocket RTA have proved invaluable.


PS: What were the main challenges to bringing the app over to iOS?

4P: The nice thing about porting Meteor to iOS is that we pretty much knew the problems in advance. The obvious problems of synchronization and latency had already been tackled during the development of StompBox. We were also able to lift some of the effects processing directly from this application which is a big benefit. The main issues were related to speed, as the iPad is still nowhere near as powerful as a PC and peoples expectations are so high. It is difficult enough to deliver 12 tracks of audio, but to deliver effects processing on top of that is really pushing the device to its limits. Meteor really benefits from the increased speed of the iPad 2, but we really didn’t want iPad 1 users to miss out. We came up with a way of freezing insert effects so that these effects use little or no CPU. You can use live real-time effects, but the freeze facility allows you to use more effects than would otherwise be possible.

PS: Is the app the same as on windows mobile or are there any differences?

4P: The bigger screen and multi-touch interface of the iPad makes the program much easier to use. Editing controller data on the Pocket PC was extremely tedious on such a small screen. The iPad version has expandable controller lanes so you actually edit in-place rather than in a separate window. Global send and master effects are now stereo rather than mono and have been completely rewritten for improved audio quality. The sample editor is also a joy to use on this size of screen, with full import /export facilities both from other applications and from your iPad library. We have even introduced a method of copying multi-track data between applications, so you will be able to paste a complete song from Aurora directly into Meteor, keeping each audio track, tempo and mixing data intact.

PS: The app is going to be iPad only. Can you see it ever coming to the iPhone or touch?

4P: If Meteor is well received then I can see us porting the program to the iPhone. Technically speaking the iPhone 4 is just as powerful as the iPad, just lacking the screen space, so it will all depend on how easy it is to adapt the interface to a smaller display.


PS: Will you update the app for windows mobile?

4P: No, development on the Windows Mobile version has ceased for the foreseeable future. The future of Windows Mobile lies with Microsoft’s re-incarnation Windows Phone 7, which unfortunately relies on development in Silverlight or .NET, so there is no easy upgrade path for existing programs.

PS: Are you looking at any other platforms like android?

4P: We have no plans to port Meteor to Android at this point in time, but this might change once Android Tablets become commonplace and there is some sort of standardisation in terms of screen size and video hardware. It is still early days for Android tablets, and right now the biggest problem facing Google is fragmentation due to manufacturers having a free license in terms of hardware. We had this problem with Windows Mobile, which I’m sure was a contributing factor in its demise.

PS: What are views generally on mobile music and how it has developed over the last few years?

4P: This is an exciting time for portable device owners interested in music creation. Apple especially has seen the potential in portable music creation by adding CoreMIDI support to iOS. This opens the door for many new and exciting applications which would not be possible without a touch screen. We are now seeing serious interest in the iOS devices by some of the big software and hardware manufacturers such as Steinberg, Korg, Peavey, IK Multimedia etc.

PS: What are your plans for the app going forward?

4P: Meteor includes an online shop for in-app purchases, so we hope to bring lots of new effects over time. I would also like to see tighter integration between applications, so maybe work with other software developers to allow their software direct access to Meteors mult-track import and exports.


We don’t want to limit the application to simply music creation, as many Journalists and News Reporters used the Pocket PC version for voiceovers etc. We have included the ability to import a video as a guide track, and export to compressed file formats so I’d like to see embedded email support in the first update.

So it looks like there's more good stuff to come to this app, and possibilities for other developers too.

MeTeoR is priced at $19.99

BeatStudio first impressions

I've been messing about with this app for a few days now, and to start with I was a little skeptical. I've been a fan of Frontier Designs apps for a long term (that's a long time in iOS terms), and when I got this one I thought that maybe they'd brought us something less than their usual standards. But I was wrong.

I really like drum and percussion apps, whether they follow a standard drum machine approach, or take a different approach altogether. BeatStudio takes a different angle which takes a little more getting used to, or at least it did for me.

When I started using the app it took a little while to get used to as I've said, but once I realised that this and got to grips with it, it makes a lot of sense. BeatStudio has a set of configurable pads where you tap out your rhythm and record it, from there you can layer up your beats until you've got your pattern just the way you want it.

The pattern sequencer works really well for copying lines and it is very handy for moving a beat that's just slightly in the wrong place, or indeed to put it in the right place.

What the app needs is more sounds. The current supplied ones are ok, but more kits would be welcome.

I'd have to say that I can see this being an incredibly useful drum app as it doesn't rely on you programming a beat but rather being able to tape it out. Also, as the app is universal it works great on both screen formats.

At an introductory price of less than a cup of coffee, and with Frontier's track record of updating and improving their apps I don't think you can really go wrong with this one.



The app is priced at $2.99 initially.

Chimara Synthesis bC6 [Crystal] Review

A big thank you to Arthur Vanderbilt (http://arthurvanderbilt.org) for this review of the Chimara Synthesis bC6 [Crystal] Review

Construction and Controls

The Chimara Synthesis bC6 is a hand-built (in the U.K.) synthesizer with a built-in 16-step sequencer. My model is encased in clear, CNC-machined acrylic. It has a brushed aluminum top. A distinctive red circuit board is visible through the clear bottom of the case. Controls on the top of the case include six knobs, an LED, a button, and a 1/8" stereo output jack suitable for headphones or use as a line out. Two hex screws hold the top cover down. Remove them and the cover for access to the three AAA batteries. External power is not available. The bottom of the case has an on-off switch.

The synthesizer has three primary modes: a single-shot mode where each note is triggered by the button, an auto-repeat mode where a single note plays over and over and a sequencer playback mode. Switching between modes is accomplished by turning the volume all the way down and pressing the button. A flashing LED indicates single-shot mode, a pulsing LED indicates auto-repeat mode and a solid LED indicates sequence playback mode.

The sequencer continuously records the last sixteen notes played in single-shot mode. All parameters except volume are recorded. Pressing the button stops playback or starts playback with the settings as recorded. Settings can be changed during playback, affecting the output directly, and then reset by stopping and starting the sequencer. Holding the button down for more than two seconds will put the sequencer into variable speed mode. This will keep the volume knob from affecting the volume and make it instead affect the sequencer's rate of playback.

The next knob clockwise is a waveform selector for both the LFO and the VCO. The knobs range is divided into quadrants, each quadrant selecting a different LFO waveform. Each of these quadrants is again divided into quadrants, each quadrant selecting a different VCO waveform. This arrangement allows the selection of any combination of LFO/VCL waveforms with a single knob.

The knob to the right of the button controls the envelope. The knob to the left of the button controls the LFO rate. The next knob clockwise controls the amount of either frequency or amplitude modulation affected by the LFO. The final knob, to the left of the jack controls VCO frequency (pitch).

My Impressions

This synthesizer is a jewel. I haven't been able to keep my hands off of it since I received it in the mail. The variety of sounds and textures that you can create is amazing. Everything from modulated warbles to clear bell tones. It packs a lot of features and capability into a compact and inexpensive package. It's useful for glitch, drone, noise, improvisation and just about any application that doesn't need a hard MIDI clock sync or exacting pitch selection and intonation. The construction is top-notch and it's beautiful to look at. The only gripe I had was that it came with the wrong size hex wrench so I had to go find my set in the garage to get the top off. A small price to pay, because as soon as I got the batteries in, I was hooked.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OXkfLHuDUp4
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=otLz_f0YVpE

B-Rhymes Pro because lyrics are important too

We spend lots of time talking about the different kinds of music apps on iOS and other platforms, from synths to drum machines, from recording to noise makers. But one kind of app that we never talk about very much are apps that help us write lyrics.

If you write songs it is easy to get stuck with the words. We've all been there. You write a killer lyric that leads you down a blind alley and you end up trying to rhyme something totally impossible.

Well here's one way you might get around that problem. B-Rhymes Pro is a rhyming dictionary which works really well. I tested it out by trying to find rhymes to the most difficult words I could think of and it still came up with some great suggestions.

So if you're stuck with your words, you might find this useful. The app is priced at $2.99.

YUMI:synth for iPad: More detailed review

Now that I've had a bit more time to play around with YUMI I thought I'd put my thoughts down, although I get the feeling that this might ramble a bit.

YUMI is an instrument for the iPad, and I start by making that distinction as it is becoming increasingly important in defining the kinds of applications that are appearing for the iOS platform, and I hope in time will appear for other mobile platforms.

At the moment I think that apps fall into the following categories:

• Instruments (like YUMI)
• Synths (including noise makers)
• Sequencers and All in one type app (this really needs a better name doesn't it)
• Recording
• DJ apps
• Controllers
• Art apps

Anyway, I digress. YUMI is an instrument. That's for sure. As an instrument, by default you may need some skill to play it. This is true in a way as you can make some fairly nice sounds with this app without really knowing what you're doing, but, it is also true to say that you can make it sound awful as well.

So far I haven't quite got a completely comfortable hold to use with this app that I think would work for performing, but I can see this being a very performance orientated instrument. I can see someone performing with it and doing it with style too.

If you didn't know already, YUMI comes from the developer of the amazing Jasuto Pro modular synth for iOS, and I'd say that this is a bit of a departure for him. YUMI is a much more narrow application than Jasuto. Not that that is a bad thing at all, the two have very different focuses in terms of what they're about.

In terms of using YUMI it has been very straightforward. The controls are all simple and easy to pick up and the array of sounds available is in keeping with the whole concept of the app, which is a good thing in my book.

In terms of playing the app, again it has been very easy to get to grips with, but I think that with time you could do a lot with this app and become very proficient in performing with it.

Overall I'd say that YUMI is well worth the $3 or whatever it is charged at right now. If you're going to buy it don't expect Jasuto in any way. It is a performance app first an foremost, and is very enjoyable to use.



iPads at the Apple Store

Studio Mini XL Review

There are a few 8 track recorders for the iPad, but not a huge number to choose from. Studio Mini XL, is the big brother to Studio Mini on the iPhone/Touch.

Studio Mini XL started off as an app called OctoPod (I believe), and I wasn't terribly impressed with that as a 4 track, but since then both the iPhone app and now the iPad app have really come on. Apart from a name change which made a lot of sense the interface for both of these apps has been improved and they both now look like recording applications.

Studio Mini is 4 tracks and the XL version on the iPad is 8. Both apps have a loops channel in addition to this. Both a completely serviceable multitrack recorders that you could happily use for any recording project.

The iPad app has a tuner built in, wifi sync and iTunes import, and one of my favourite features, a notes section for your songs which I think is particularly useful.

Both apps have been consistently updated since launch and, in discussion with the developer there are more good things coming to both of these apps, so well worth a look.



iPads at the Apple Store