[real-eyes] Fw: musical instruments
- From: "Andrea Breier" <abreier@xxxxxxxxx>
- To: <real-eyes@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Tue, 24 Aug 2010 23:56:10 -0500
I thought some of you might like to see this app. I thought it sounded
pretty cool!
Hugs, Andrea M. Breier
Recipe for happiness: Live with enthusiasm, smile for no reason, love
without conditions, act with purpose, listen with your heart, and laugh
often.
----- Original Message ----- > Thumbjam is an app that was suggested a few
weeks ago on the
> macvisionaries list (by Joseph), and I have to say that although it's not
> free, it's the best of the music making apps for the iPhone that I've
> tried to date, and yes, it's accessible, or at least it has been for
> everything I've tried, which is probably only a small subset of the
> incredibly rich set of operations, but includes, changing instruments,
> changing keys, moving octaves, setting the metronome, recording repeating
> loops -- got into this by accident, downloading new instrument sounds,
> changing scales (major, minor, pentatonic, chromatic, mixolydian mode,
> major blues, minor blues, diatonic, dorian mode, and many more), I
> haven't had much time to play with this. The main controls are in each
> of the four corners: Sound (upper left) where you can change instruments,
> change your scale, toggle on/off the key controls, download new samples
> and "Create" instruments; Loop (upper right) where you can record and mix
> loops, and set up the tempo for the metronome; Edit (bottom left) where
> you can set up Effects and Controls (like the amount of reverb, or
> vibrato, tremolo, and volume), and Prefs (bottom right) where you get
> help, options, fiddle with midi controls (if you have extra equipment),
> wi-fi transfers, and all sorts of other things that I haven't tried.
>
> Mostly, they tell you to get started by just playing around with the app,
> and it's very intuitive if you toggle VoiceOver off, and then run your
> finger across the screen. The instrument that comes up when you start,
> is the Electric Guitar, I think, and you can get various effects by
> shaking or tilting the screen while you play the notes. The instrument
> is labeled at the top and the key is labeled at the bottom. Your scale
> runs high notes at the top to low notes at the bottom. I think that by
> default key controls are turned on (one of the Sound menu options), which
> means that along the left side of the screen there will be controls for
> changing the key (first option below the "Sound" button, or raising the
> notes played by octaves (left middle -- VoiceOver announces the
> abbreviation for Octave as "October", but double tapping the "+" button
> above this will raise all notes by and octave, and double tapping the "-"
> button below this will lower all notes by an octave.) You can also
> change how many notes fit into the screen with the "span" control "+" for
> more or "-" for fewer, or else use the "split" control above it and set
> to "normal" -- which seems to be the spacing for the iPhone, or not --
> which seems to put in twice as many keys in the same space -- maybe for
> the iPad, but possibly just depending on the instrument you've chosen --
> since drums and percussion instruments don't have the same division by
> scales. There's also a metronome along the bottom left, but the tempo
> and detailed settings of beats per bar are set up in the Loop control
> menus at the top right -- about two levels down in to the menus.
>
> I think that's enough to get you started. (I prefer classical music, so
> I immediately changed instruments. They also keep adding new instruments
> in the download samples.) You can also read the app description for more
> details. It's really impressive on the iPad, where the output sound is
> better, and you have more area to play around in.
>
> Thumbjam ($6.99) by Sonosaurus:
> http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/thumbjam/id338977566?mt=8
>
> Here's and excerpt from the beginning of the (long) description:
>
> <begin excerpt>
> ThumbJam is a powerful musical performance experience. You get over 30
> high-quality real instruments multi-sampled exclusively for this app.
> Hundreds of included scales allow you to effortlessly play in any style
> from rock to classical, whether you are a musical novice or a seasoned
> professional.
>
> ---====---
> Jordan Rudess, the world-renowned keyboardist for Dream Theater says:
>
> "ThumbJam stands at the very top of the overcrowded music app world. The
> sounds included absolutely rival those found in pro instruments and
> making music on the app is a total joy. The only problem I have with this
> app is that I did not make it myself! Luckily, I'm able to work with the
> developer and offer a few good feature ideas as well as some choice
> sounds from my personal collection!"
>
> Two signature sounds from Jordan are featured in the application!
>
> ---======----
>
> Even if you've only played air guitar, ThumbJam lets you sound like a
> pro. Pick an instrument and jam -- with all the scales to choose from
> you'll never hit a wrong note. The high quality instrument samples will
> make you sound like you just skipped years of music lessons.
>
> For the performing musician, this app is awesome for soloing on an
> instrument you didn't bring along. Play in any key, any style -- go from
> a string ensemble to a wailing guitar. ThumbJam was developed and tested
> by musicians to feel and sound like a real instrument. You'll be
> surprised at how expressive it can be, make sure to check out the videos
> and audio at thumbjam.com.
>
> ThumbJam makes use of tilt and shake to add vibrato, tremolo, note bends,
> and volume swells for more realistic and expressive results. It supports
> up to five simultaneous touches and up to 16 voice polyphony. Delay and
> lush stereo reverb add depth to the sound. Put on your headphones or plug
> in to your home stereo and prepare to be blown away.
> <end excerpt>
>
>
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