Music and the Android phone seem to go together as well as peanut butter and jelly — and just about as tasty, too! OK, so you might be a long way from carrying around a PBJ with you everywhere you go, but your Android phone can really help you expand on that music career that you’ve been building for the last…well, forever. You might be surprised at how much development happens in the world of Android, but you’ll be able to benefit from all of the free apps that come and go through the marketplace.
If you’re not sure where to get started, just check out this list of eight Android apps for musicians of all stripes. No matter what type of instrument you play, chances are good that you’ll be able to use at least one of the apps here. And yes, before you ask — singers count here too. Jump in!
1. Rehearsal Assistant
Every musician knows the power of recording their own sound — and listening to it over and over, identifying every little piece that needs to be improved and expanded upon. When you’re trying to figure out exactly what you want to sound like, you would do well to pick up something like Rehearsal Assistant. The name really describes what it does — record, playback, and timestamp exaclty where you are during an audio piece. It’s simple, to the point, and the perfect Android app for musicians.
2. Remember the Milk!
When you’re hitting as many music clubs and open mics as you can, it can be hard to remember where you need to be at what time. Enter Remember the Milk, an app that will let you add tasks effortlessly and remind you what you need to do and when you need to do it. Send in that demo tape on time, every time with this app.
3. Glympse
After a while, you get tired of updating everyone on your status, especially when you’ve had to do it for the 15th time in the same day. Instead of arguing with everyone in your music entourage, why not just use an app like Glympse? It can automatically update people on how long it will take before you reach their destination. This is perfect for the group that tends to tour multiple clubs in multiple cities. Hey, someday you’ll be famous and someone else can handle this for you. Until then, there’s always Glympse.
4. gStrings
Heaven is a well-tuned guitar, it really is. Instead of worrying bout how to tune your guitar or any other stringed instrument, let gStrings handle it for you. There’s no reason to worry about how you will actually get your instrument tuned anymore!
5. TunePal
Hunt down music with ease thanks to TunePal. When you’re out looking for inspiration, why should the search have to be hard? If nothing else, check out what this app can actually do for you.
6. Metronome
This little app does exactly what it says it’ll do for you — give you a beat that you can follow while you’re trying to keep music time. If you’re looking for an app that has no frills or extras, this is definitely the one that you need to check out.
7. Dog Catcher
Every musician needs to keep up their motivation and stay inspired. Some people like to pick up podcasts that help them do just that. When you’re starting to feel low, pick up Dog Catcher. It’s a great app for collecting all those podcasts that you like and keeping you filled with ideas for more songs and more music — truly a beautiful thing!
8. Scrobble Droid
If you already belong to last.fm, this is the perfect app for you — you will be able to keep “scrobbling”, as last.fm people know it best. Yes, it’s true that this isn’t just an app for musicians, but every musician likes to have music with them — why not add in the social aspect too?
As you can see, these eight apps definitely get you started in the right direction. Of course, you might want to add your own app choices to the list as you get up and rolling.
If you feel like there aren’t that many hardcore music applications yet, you’re definitely right — the Android marketplace is still growing, and that’s why the pickings might look a bit slim to you, especially if you’re used to the iPhone. However, the apps here are worth checking out, as most are actually free.
Don’t let anyone tell you that you can’t have a great time and even a great career as a musician — why not download these apps and keep livin’ the dream?