Make Music on the Go: 7 Great iPhone Apps for Musicians

Posted January 9, 2015 By admin

With the popularity of smartphones seemingly on an endless rise, developers continue to work tirelessly to create apps that can perform almost any task. Musicians always tend to be at the forefront of technology, so it’s no surprise how many iOS apps there are to make music right from your iPhone. No matter what instrument you play or what kind of music is “your jam,” here are seven iPhone apps that can help you practice and advance your art by using the device that’s always in your pocket.

GarageBand
Screen Shot 2015-01-09 at 11.37.46 AMFor years, GarageBand for Mac has been one of the most respected programs among both amateur and professional musicians trying to record their own material. Now, the iOS version of the app brings almost all the same functionality right to your phone. Turn you iPhone into a full-featured recording studio as you use it to lay down up to 32 different tracks. You can record music using the built-in microphone or add virtual instruments to fill out your sound. You can even sync your projects via iCloud so that you can start a project on the go and then pick it up again from your computer.

Virtuoso
Screen Shot 2015-01-09 at 11.39.59 AMSometimes you don’t need a full orchestra but would love access to a piano keyboard while you’re out and about. Virtuoso allows you to plunk out a tune or find out the key of a song you hear on the radio quickly and easily. The keyboard gives you access to one octave at a time, but it can easily be adjusted to give you the full range of the piano.

Cleartune – Chromatic Tuner
Screen Shot 2015-01-09 at 11.41.30 AMAn indispensible tool for many musicians, Cleartune will help you accurately tune any instrument by using your iPhone’s built-in microphone as the input. The app includes both a chromatic tuner and a pitch pipe, and you can adjust the frequency of A4 if you’re not tuning to exactly 440 Hz. The app promises accuracy to 1/100th of a semitone and will prepare you for any practice or gig.

Songwriter’s Pad
Screen Shot 2015-01-09 at 11.43.26 AMEveryone knows that writer’s block is a lyricist’s worst nightmare, but the Songwriter’s Pad app can help you get over the hump and complete your next hit song. Store your lyrics on the go and use the app to help you come up with hard-to-write lines. You can use the rhyming dictionary or thesaurus to choose a creative word, and you can even get suggestions based on the mood of the song or the emotion you’re trying to convey.

Pro Metronome
Screen Shot 2015-01-09 at 11.45.01 AMNever lose time again when you use the Pro Metronome app to count out your beats for you. Featuring more capabilities than any standard metronome, you can adjust the settings to count out different time signatures and even subdivide beats as needed. If you are playing as a group and have trouble hearing the metronome, turn on the Visual Mode and pair your iPhone with your Apple TV via AirPlay. Everyone in your team will be able to see the beats, which will help you stay together.

ProChords
Screen Shot 2015-01-09 at 11.46.41 AMSongwriting is a learning experience, and you might want a little help when you are first starting out. ProChords assists you as you compose by offering up suggestions for your next chord using standard music theory rules. With each chord you choose, the app will select the next progression and then rate your chord options with anywhere from one to five stars. While more experienced musicians might find that they don’t need ProChords, the app can be invaluable for new songwriters trying to get their feet wet.

iReal Pro
Screen Shot 2015-01-09 at 11.48.24 AMIf you want an accompaniment for your next practice session, just load the chord chart into iReal Pro and you can sing or play with an entire virtual band. Mixing the best elements of a fake book and a recorded accompaniment track, this app allows you to play any song you want. Check to see if your tune is one of the thousands that are can be imported from the forums, or create new songs by adding the chords manually. The app will even transpose a chart so that it matches your instrument as well as giving you several different options for the style in which you want the accompaniment played. You’ll be able to feel exactly like you’re playing with a big band even when you’re actually solo.

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4 iPhone Apps That Could Help You Find the Love of Your Life

Posted January 9, 2015 By admin

Finding the perfect match has been tough throughout history. The process of dating involves putting yourself out there, occasionally dealing with rejection, and trusting that it will all be worth it in the end when you find the man or woman of your dreams. Of course, in addition to hoping fate comes through for you, it’s in your best interest to do everything you can to set yourself up for dating success. Online dating—which was once stigmatized as being this generation’s “lonely hearts club”—has now become so mainstream that about 50 percent of the population admits to trying it out. As people begin ditching their computers in exchange for advanced smartphones, it only makes sense that dating sites have gradually started to give way to dating apps. There are hundreds of iOS apps that you could use when trying to meet the love of your life, and some are much more legitimate than others. Here are four iPhone apps that you can use to help find a date.

Tinder
Screen Shot 2015-01-09 at 10.46.02 AMEasily one of the most popular dating apps around the world, Tinder takes the stress out of finding a match. The app finds singles in your area and shows you a few pictures. You can select either “like” or “pass” based on what you see, and the app will store that information. If one of the people you have “liked” also “likes” your profile, Tinder will connect the two of you and allow you to text back and forth from within the app. Since you are able to “like” people’s profile anonymously and are only informed if the other person feels the same way, you never have to feel like you are putting yourself out there only to be rejected. Once you have connected, you can both decide when you are ready to take the relationship beyond texting and meet in person. The majority of Tinder users are between 18 and 24, so the app has found a way to connect with a demographic that has been wary of online dating in the past

MeetMoi
Screen Shot 2015-01-09 at 10.48.31 AMInsisting that it’s a “social” app and not your typical dating app, MeetMoi helps set you up with fun and friendly people in your vicinity. The free app does require a paid subscription (which can be purchased from within the app), but it can be used to find either friends or potential dates. Push notifications and GPS will alert you when someone you might be interested in is nearby, which allows you to quickly and easily meet up if you decide it’s a good match.

HowAboutWe
Screen Shot 2015-01-09 at 10.49.36 AMFor those who think dating profiles don’t always produce good matches, HowAboutWe turns the traditional dating app on its ear. Rather than choosing a person, you can come up with an idea for a date. Post your creative date idea along with your picture, or browse through ideas that have been posted by others. If you find something that you would love to do (and have mutual interest in the other person), you can be set up on a great first date. Even if the match doesn’t work out, hopefully you will have fun.

Grouper
Screen Shot 2015-01-09 at 10.50.40 AMTaking the awkwardness out of first dates, Grouper sets you up on a group date instead of sending you out solo. You can create a profile by importing your information from Facebook, and then the app will set you up with a potential match. Next, each of you choose two friends to come on the date with you and the app sets the six of you up for a night out. Designed to make you feel more comfortable and to allow you to be yourself right out of the gate, Grouper describes itself as a social club. The app thoroughly improves your chances of meeting someone you’re interested in the next time you go to a bar.

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8 Must-Have iPhone Apps for Moms

Posted January 9, 2015 By admin

They say that when you have kids, everything changes. Every parent knows that you will have to adjust your schedule and your priorities once you have children to take care of, but that doesn’t keep it from being more than a little overwhelming. In today’s technology-driven world, however, you may not have considered turning to your iPhone for a little extra parenting help. Just as your smartphone is a great tool for communication, social networking, photography, and more, it can also be a source of advice and assistance for parents. Here are eight iPhone apps that are great for moms. Whether you use them to get a hot meal on the table or uncover the source of a “tummy ache,” these apps can be invaluable tools to help you with kids of all ages.

iTriageScreen Shot 2015-01-09 at 9.58.12 AMYou’re probably no stranger to the panicked feeling you get when one of your little ones shows signs of illness. For newer parents especially, it can be hard to always know the difference between a common ailment and a life-threatening emergency. iTriage helps you figure out how dire a medical situation really is by letting you search for your symptoms and then returning the most likely causes. If you do need to find a doctor, it will also help you search for the one that is closest to you.

AroundMe
Screen Shot 2015-01-09 at 9.59.27 AMWhether you’re driving in an unfamiliar locale or your hometown, you never know when you might need to make a quick pit stop. The AroundMe app searches your immediate vicinity and finds the nearest restaurants and shops so that you can decide on the fly where to pick up a snack or take a restroom break.

Collect
Screen Shot 2015-01-09 at 10.01.47 AMOnce you have kids, it’s amazing how quickly a month (or even a year) can get away from you. Collect insists that you slow down enough to take a picture of your family every day. The app will then display your pictures in fun photo collages that can highlight exactly how much your family has changed over the course of the year.

Baby Nursing / Breastfeeding
Screen Shot 2015-01-09 at 10.03.33 AMThere are a lot of things to keep track of when you first have a baby, and it’s almost impossible to remember everything—especially when you’re functioning on very little sleep. The Baby Nursing/Breastfeeding app allows you to log all of the most important events in your baby’s life. Monitor sleep habits, diaper changes, feedings, baths, and more, right on your iPhone.

Evernote
Screen Shot 2015-01-09 at 10.05.42 AMDoes it feel like you and your husband can never find the time to keep up with one another now that you have the kids to worry about? Evernote allows you to create shared notes that seamlessly sync between each of your phones and other devices. Whether you’re making grocery lists, schedules, or reminders, the ability to share them easily will keep the two of you on the same page.

AllRecipes Dinner Spinner
Screen Shot 2015-01-09 at 10.07.07 AMWhen dinnertime rolls around and you have no idea what to make, the AllRecipes Dinner Spinner app can be a lifesaver. Simply input the ingredients you have at your disposal as well as your time constraints, and the app will come up with several delicious options that you can prepare for your family.

Mint
Screen Shot 2015-01-09 at 10.08.50 AMWhen you have kids, it can feel like you are constantly spending money just to keep up with them. To make matters more difficult, you probably have several credit cards and a bank account that you need to keep track of while you spend in order to stay on a budget. Mint is a great money management app for busy parents because it consolidates all of your financials into one easily accessible place. Never worry about missed payments or overdrawn accounts again because Mint can alert you whenever you are about to make a crucial money mistake.

My Fitness Pal
Screen Shot 2015-01-09 at 10.09.56 AMYour own needs don’t go away just because you have children, and it’s actually more important than ever that you take good care of yourself. My Fitness Pal can help you keep track of everything you eat as well as your daily exercise to ensure that you are staying healthy and active in spite of your busy lifestyle as a mom.

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