Our top 5 FREE iOS music making Apps list
There’s a ton of music making Apps available on the iStore, we tried them and came up with a list of our favourites.
Groovebox
What is it:
Groovebox is one of the most intuitive music making apps, designed to be reminiscent of a rack of synthesizers and drum-machines. It’s simple and easy to use, with a host of parameters for creating your own unique sounds. It comes packed with a variety of MIDIs and presets to get you going quickly.
Best feature(s):
Groovebox features a built-in piano roll and drum sequencer, it’s great for sketching ideas on the fly. You’re able to export your project’s as Ableton project files, or even use Ableton Link to sync up your PC and mobile device.
Not so cool:
Some of the more advanced synthesizer features only open up once you get the paid version, that being said there’s still plenty of sonic control, and loads of fun in this app!
Final Thoughts:
While not being 100% free, the features in the free version are still enough to get some cool grooves going, so Groovebox is definitely worth the mention here
Where to get
Bebot – Robot Synth
What is it:
Bebot is a touch-controlled robot, that sings when you play notes on the touch screen. It seems silly at first, but it’s capable of some very cool sounds which is why it makes out list of cool music making apps.
Best feature(s):
Bebot is very easy to use, no sound or music knowledge required. It has some effects built in and offers quite a bit of tweaking to create unique sounds.
Not so cool:
Bebot doesn’t offer any way of exporting your sounds, you have to record directly off your phone.
Final Thoughts:
Bebot is great if you just want to play around with some sound, or you’re looking for a robotic sound for a track you’re working on.
Where to get
Musyc
What is it:
Musyc is like a modular musical puzzle. Draw shapes or lines in an obstacle course and watch your music being generated as sprites move through your configuration. Part musical, part artistic – loads of inspiring fun to be had.
Best feature(s):
Musyc present inspiring new ways to look at music creation and can be a great tool for creating atmospheres or intros for your track.
Not so cool:
Musyc can be very confusing at first, but it comes with some premade configurations to choose from for inspiration.
Final Thoughts:
If you’ve got writer’s block and you’re looking for some fun inspiration, check out Musyc, it’s definitely one of the more inspiring music making apps for those moments of inspiration.
Where to get
Take
What is it:
Take is a mobile vocal recording platform aimed at making sketching out song ideas much easier. It has a very simple interface and offers a wide variety of options to make life easier when songwriting.
Best feature(s):
Take is very easy to use and comes packed with a bunch of features for singer/songwriters like autotune effects and more, so you can get an idea of what the produced track might sound like.
Not so cool:
Take doesn’t offer much control in terms of adjusting the effects, although there are a variety to choose from.
Final Thoughts:
This one is more for the rappers and singers, but it’s a handy tool to have on your phone in case inspiration strikes!
Where to get
Ear Wizard
What is it:
EarWizard, made in collaboration with Dream Theatre’s Jordan Rudess is a helpful app designed to train your ear to easily identify complex chord progressions and scales.
Best feature(s):
EarWizard features quirky animations to make learning more fun, and the lessons are designed by Keyboard legend, Jordan Rudess
Not so cool:
Aimed less at electronic musicians and more at songwriters, although we could all benefit from a bit of ear training
Final Thoughts:
EarWizard is a helpful app for training your ears to identify chords and also teaching you the common progressions used when writing songs.
Where to get
Whether you’re a rapper or techno DJ, I’m sure you will find something fun and helpful on this list of music making apps, let us know if you have any iOS sound app favourites!