Mobile devices have become so popular as music creation tools that they are even used professionally by some DJs now. This doesn’t mean that you can’t too though and there are indeed several feature-rich apps available that enable you to mix your own music with virtual turntables and effects.
One of the best of these is edjing. Tried and tested and known in the industry, edjing is also available on every major mobile platform. You can get it on iPhones and iPads, Android tablets and phones and Windows 8 and Windows Phone 8 for free, although an enhanced “Pro” version is also available.
Edjing lets you professionally mix tracks like a DJ on your phone
Edjing
The interface is sleek and easy to use. The main panel consists of the two “turntables” that you can scratch just like real ones and the app boasts an extensive array of professional sound effects. It also has direct access to iTunes, Deezer and Soundcloud alongside your own music collection.
If you play stringed instruments and regularly find yourself scrambling to tune them by ear or against a piano, you may enjoy some help from one of the many mobile tuners available. It should be noted that smartphone tuners always work best in quiet places and that their accuracy is affected by the quality of the microphone on your phone but. The sensitivity of the apps has improved in recent years however.
The available offerings depend on the platform used. I have personally used modTuner on Windows Phone for a long time and find it to be robust and accurate. The interface is large and easy to see from a distance and the app supports several keys, temperaments and instruments. The Pro version adds some more professional features but the free one is all you need to casually tune your guitar.
Tune your guitar at a glance with CoachTuner for iOS
CoachTuner
On iOS, this guitar tuner called CoachTuner gains very positive ratings with its emphasis on clean simplicity. The screenshots show an attractive and minimalist interface that allows you to see at a glance how far off the note you are. The note names at the bottom of the display can be pressed to hear the correctly tuned note.
If music composition is more your thing, you may be interested in Music Maker Jam by MAGIX. Available on Android, iOS and Windows 8 (but not Windows Phone), the app is a scaled-down version of MAGIX’s full Music Maker desktop program.
Create songs on your phone with MAGIX Music Maker Jam
MAGIX
It allows you to build up complex songs from simple pre-recorded repeating loops. Played by professionals on real instruments, you have to pay for many sound packs but some are offered for free.
Building a song is as simple as selecting an instrument to add, choosing which loop it will play and selecting when it should start playing. You can then apply effects and export your finished creation – all from your phone.
In this article, I’ve only just peeked into the world of music making on mobiles. I’ve focused on the best apps that any music player, mixer or maker would find interesting and useful but there is much more out there.
PreSonus Notion lets you create musical scores from your iPad
PreSonus
You can find professional music notation software like Notion, MIDI editing apps and even apps that will automatically generate a melody for you based on your humming. If you’ve ever considered making a quick song or trying your hand at being a DJ, just head over to your phone’s app store and start scratching today.
