Apple releases new apps for songwriters and composers
Since news of Apple being set on eliminating the 3.5mm audio jack, in the upcoming iPhone 7, and possibly in future iterations of more devices, the company has gained its fair share of attention, as it’s making it abundantly clear that music is very high up in Apple’s agenda, for 2016.
With the official induction of the Lightning port as the standard for connecting audio peripherals to iPhone, iPod Touch and iPad devices, Apple isn’t wasting any time releasing a range of new apps for iOS with a specific focus on songwriters and beatmakers. With these apps, Apple is determined to “...Transform iOS devices into handheld studios...”, according to the title of Apple’s press release, posted yesterday January 20th.
GarageBand
The iOS version of Apple’s flagship music making application has been updated with a number of enhancements including Live Loops, a feature that allows to play instruments and samples from a grid, and mix them together during a live playback, with the ability to save custom loops recorded from an iPhone, iPod Touch or iPad. Apple’s own library of instruments include a selection of loop templates for electronic dance music, rock, hip-hop, and dubstep.
The Drummer feature originally only available on GarageBand and LogicPro X for Mac, is finally available in iOS. The feature is music pros, as well as enthusiasts who want to create sounds similar to those of a human drummer.
Music Memos
One of the brand new apps for iOS released today, is Music Memos, which enables iPhone users to do just what the app’s name says “...quickly capture, organize and develop their musical ideas right on their iPhone...”. The apps works in a similar way as Voice Memos, which, as pointed out by singer and songwriter and music producer Ryan Adams, “...is like if those two apps came together to form some kind of superpower for songs...”. Ryan was also quoted saying that Music Memos transforms “...a single guitar idea into a whole composition with a virtual drummer loose enough that it felt like you were having your mind read by some A.I. musician and a choice of stand-up or electric bass accompaniments...”.
Supported devices
As mentioned earlier, the new apps are available across all newer iOS devices, like the iPad Pro, iPad Air, iPhone 6 and 6S, the latter of which offers 3D Touch support as well. Legacy compatibility goes as far back at the iPhone 4S and the iPad 2.