Pro Music Apps

Launched back in 2010, iVoxel, was the first appearance of a vocoder app for iOS. Since then it’s gone universal and enjoyed plenty of new features. This latest update sees improved sound, syncing, and pitch features plus more. Grab it while it’s 50% off too! Read on for a full run down on the v2.0 update -

iVoxel is not only an amazingly sounding vocoder for iPhone/iPod and iPad/Mac – the unique concept of iVoxel turns this vocoder into a singing machine going far beyond the capabilities of traditional and software vocoders on any platform.

iVoxel lets you:

• Speak or sing into your head set mic transforming your voice in a wide variety of ways.
• Record words, syllables or other sounds into the voxel dictionary for later reuse.
• Play different voxels live on the keyboard with ingenious pitch bending.
• Arrange and play melodies with the built in sequencer and add the lyrics from a user expandable dictionary of voxels.

iVoxel is a combination of a voice optimized synthesizer and a vocoder with an unprecedented intelligibility. The vocoder part is based on the Matrix vocoder from VirSyn used by many famous artists – one of them the well known german group Kraftwerk. The channel filters used by iVoxel are based on the Sennheiser Vocoder VSM201 resulting in a rich and fat analogue sound characteristic.

iVoxel 2.0 major features:

• Realtime pitch following
• Automatic tuning correction to selectable scale
• Improved sound quality with new oscillators
• Voxel editing
• Hi-end Reverb
• Virtual MIDI
• Background audio
• Soundcloud integration
• WIST synchronisation

Video trailer of the v2.0 details -

Grab iVoxel now –

A free version, with limited features, is finally available for SongMaker which first launched back in 2010. The full version is under $2.00 at the moment anyway, so if you have a need for some simple vocal manipulation plus some backing loops, this could be a handy app. Give this freebie a spin to see what you think anyway.

Sing and create YOUR OWN song in an easier way than ever.
Also, you can sound like a pro whatever you sing.

● SING AND CREATE YOUR OWN SONG.
Simply sing into the microphone whatever you’d like to sing.
Play and hear your voice becoming in harmony with backing track.

● VARIETY OF OPTIONS FOR VOICE MANIPULATION
While playing back your recording you can do followings on the fly:
- Turn on/off chorus effect that overlays realistic harmony to your original recording.
- Choose tuning level for the pitch-correction (level 0 equal to turning-off).
- Choose to boost overall pitch manually by 5 steps. (up to 1 octave)

● REMIX BACKING TRACKS
Yet another elaborated feature to make your song unique.
You can easily remix your background track with a variety of pre-recorded loops.
In each Pack, you have lots of loops of 8 different instruments you can put together into the track.

● CREATE RINGTONES
Once you’ve saved your song, you can create ringtone with the built-in easy-to-use ringtone maker.
Ringtones will be sent via email, and you can load the ringtones into your iPhone with iTunes.

● SHARE
Share your songs on Facebook.
Also, you may attach your song to email in mp3 or m4a format.

- For iPod Touch (earlier than 4th gen) users, external mic is required.
- Use headphones while recording for the best result.
- Record in a quiet place for the best recording.

Grab SongMaker LE now –

Eliminate Writer’s Block Forever!
Can’t find the right word or phrase? Running low on inspiration? Then Songwriter’s Pad™ for iPad™ is the app for you. It contains powerful idea generating tools designed to inspire creative expression and eliminate writer’s block.

Generate Ideas Based on Emotion
Generate ideas with our unique emotion based word and phrase generator. Feeling happy, angry, sexy or over the top in love? Generate words and phrases that reflect your mood and post them on sticky notes for use in your lyrics.

Find Words that Rhyme
Quickly generate words by vowel sound and save them for later use. (Internet connection required)

Define or Find Similar Words
Need a Dictionary and a Thesaurus? It’s included too. (Internet connection required)

Record Your Ideas
Got an idea for a melody? Press the ‘Record’ button on the built in Audio Player and let it rip. Capture vocal ideas anytime inspiration strikes and save it with your lyrics.

Import Beats or Backing Tracks
Import beats and record your vocal ideas with a beat or instrumental track accompaniment.

Everything That A Songwriter Needs
Songwriter’s Pad™ for iPad™ is an invaluable creative tool for the songwriter. Everything a songwriter needs is now available in one easy to use app.

Other Features
- Create and edit songs by section (i.e. verse, chorus, bridge)
- Re-order sections of a song (i.e. swap positions of verse 1 and verse 2)
- Create custom sections within a song (e.g., Pre-Chorus)
- Print song lyrics

Grab Songwriter’s Pad now –

There is obviously no shortage of notepad style apps available for jotting down lyrical ideas, I mean hell, you could even use a pen and napkin if you want to do it old school. A couple of dedicated apps have just launched, however, that include some handy features for those who find themselves writing lyrics on a regular basis.

Tom says he came up with the idea for Lyric Master 4000 whilst working on an album this year, and since he has got so much out of the freely available VST plug-ins he’s used with Cubase, he wanted to give something back, by offering this app for free too. Nice one Tom, allow me to thank you on behalf of everyone else!

The Lyric Master 4000 is a songwriter’s notepad. I made it as I always found myself sat in front of the computer, looping a section of some new song, trying to figure out some lyrics. With it, you can now do this from the comfort of a tube train, or whilst sat under a tree in some pleasant green area. The possible locations are endless!

Features:

- Anchor sections to parts of your track and quickly loop or play them.
- Create multple versions of each section and swipe with your finger to switch between them.
- Record a backing track using the built-in recorder.
- Add mixes from your DAW using iTunes file transfer.
- Click-and-hold on mp3/aac/m4a/wav files in other apps (such as in your inbox) and choose ‘Open With Lyric Master 4k’ to import your tracks.
- Times are stored in bars, so that if you change tempo with a new version of your backing, they will stay in place.
- Cheat Sheat display gives you a large font display of the current version of your lyrics and turns off screen-lock – perfect for recording.
- Email yourself completed songs, with or without alternate versions.
- Works in the iPhone too! Though it is a little more fiddly due to the small screen.

Please note, in order to avoid dissapointment, this app does not do any of the following things:

- Allow you to record on top of your backing track.
- Include a dictionary/theasaurus/rhyme generator.
- Support tracks in the music library on your iPad/iPhone

If you are someone who writes words first, then the music comes later, this may not be the app for you!

Tom’s website - http://www.tomcowland.com/lyricmaster/

iRig PRE is the ultimate solution for connecting any type of microphone – from regular stage microphones to expensive studio models – to any iPhone, iPod touch or iPad providing access to the widest range of recording applications.

iRig PRE is the first high-quality microphone preamp designed specifically for iOS devices that allows musicians to use their favorite high-quality stage or studio mics with their iOS device.

The microphone plugs directly into the standard XLR connector of iRig PRE with no need for extra cables or adapters.

Its adjustable thumbwheel gain control allows the user to easily make precise level settings. The onboard 9V battery provides the necessary voltage for phantom-powered studio condenser microphones for at least for 15 hours of continuous use.

The 3.5mm (1/8”) standard stereo headphone output allows monitoring while recording.

The lightweight housing sports a convenient cable for iOS device connection and also includes a Velcro strip slot for easy mounting on a mic stand or other stage locations.

Like all other IK Multimedia microphones, it includes 2 free apps: iRig Recorder (an easy-to-use recording/editing app) and VocaLive (an effects processing app for singers).

And like the entire range of iRig accessories, it’s highly portable thanks to its pocket-sized form factor for recording anywhere.

Features:

• 40 cm (15.75”) TRRS cable to connect to any iOS device headset jack
• XLR input connector for microphones
• Gain control
• +48 V phantom power
• Headphone output
• On/Off switch
• Power/Phantom Power provided by 9V battery
• Battery life is approximately 40 hours with dynamic microphones and 15 hours with phantom powered condenser studio microphones
• Includes 2 free apps: iRig Recorder, an easy-to-use voice recording/editing app, and VocaLive, a multi-effects processing app for singers.
• Compatible with iPhone/iPod touch/iPad.

Available soon from electronic and music retailers.

Introducing iRig MIC Cast, the ultra-compact portable voice recording microphone designed specifically for recording podcasts, interviews, lectures, voice memos, speeches and more.

iRig MIC Cast provides a pocket-sized voice recording solution with crystal-clear audio quality.  It features a tight unidirectional pickup pattern that minimizes background noise making it ideal for single-source audio recording. Includes an adjustable desktop stand for convenient iPhone/iPod touch positioning during recording.

See product images.
See compatible devices.

This makes iRig MIC Cast also great for business applications like recording meeting and enhancing the audio and voice quality of conference calls.

iRig MIC Cast Features

• Incredibly flat frequency response with zero tonal coloration
• Features a stereo mini-jack headphone output which enables real-time monitoring of what is being recorded using headphones or speakers.
• Offers a mini-switch that provides two different sensitivity settings to record close-up or distant sources.
• Includes an adjustable desktop stand for convenient iPhone/iPod touch positioning during recording.
• Has a bumper-friendly mini-jack connector that fits the majority of iPhone/iPod touch cases.
• Has an ultra-compact profile that can be carried anywhere with ease.
• Like other IK Multimedia microphones, it includes 2 free apps: iRig Recorder, an easy-to-use voice recording/editing app, and VocaLive, a multi-effects processing app for singers.
• Works with all regular phone calls and any Voice-Over-IP app.
• Is compatible with iPhone/iPod touch/iPad.

Pricing and availability

iRig MIC Cast costs only $39.99/€29.99 (excl. tax) and will be available in First Quarter of 2012 from electronic and music retailers around the world.

Voice Synth is a specialized synthesizer for creative voice sculpting

Voice Synth is much more than your average voice changer app. Create and design your own incredible voices that live, breathe and evolve in real-time as you play. Sound like famous pop artists, “deep” movie voices (“Soon… in this theatre”), a close harmony choir, a robot, a church organ, a baby, lion, guitar, old telephone or anything else you can create. Sing in the mic and become a true artist by tweaking the controls of the vocoder, sampler, pitch and formant shifter, automatic tuning and harmony arranger, distortion, delay, stereo chorus and reverb.

We spent more than a year designing easy controls optimized for voice sculpting. So you don’t have to deal with the technical complexity of conventional vocoders or synthesizers:

✔ Intuitive voice design: you can tweak every aspect of your voice separately. No experience required, your ears will guide you
✔ Intuitive interface: no scrolling through menus, all voice controls and display information are always available
✔ One app, two interfaces: a dedicated interface designed for iPad and a compact interface for iPhone and iPod without any loss of features so you can create anywhere you go.

Grab Voice Synth now –