Recently, my editor lamented the challenge of collecting music when we find and listen to it from so many different sources. Without a one-size-fits-all solution, we end up forgetting some of the music we’ve stumbled upon across services. Other times, we come across something we don’t have time to listen to, but want to check out…
By now, you’ve probably heard of Piki.fm (free for the web and iOS), the latest venture from the creators of the breakthrough music app Turntable.fm, which powers internet radio streams based on your friends’ music. Since Piki’s much anticipated public release in April, some have questioned the necessity of this service. With heavy hitters Twitter and Google recently…
We’re on a quest for the best ways to collect music, which recently saw us examine Later.fm, an InstaPaper-style web app that makes music collection in these difficult times a little bit easier. Minilogs (free; web) was designed to solve the same problem of collecting music on the web, with a little more versatility. By clicking…
Last week, Sean Adams from Drowned in Sound and DiS readers shared with my editor a bunch of methods they use to deal with the problem of digital-age music collection. The list includes some great ideas, but the hunt for the most efficient way to collect music is still on. Later.fm (free; web) stands as a pretty good contender,…
We all have different strengths, and for too many of us, they do not include computer programming. By converting drawings into programs that play music, Tunetrace (iOS; free) makes computer programming a touch (get it?) more accessible to the right-brained among us. From QApps, an app venture from researchers at Queen Mary, University of London, Tunetrace for iOS…
As crazy as it sounds, we might have to start paying more attention to Shaquille O’Neal for music app scoops. The basketball star awarded Optini‘s new app Speakerfy one of two prizes at his “Pitch Shaq” competition at SXSW last month; after investigating, we agree with his positive assessment. Speakerfy (iOS/Android; free or $1; Windows Phone soon)…
We didn’t think Tokyo could seem any more dynamic or exciting, but that’s what Japanese creator Tsubasa Oyagi sought to do with his recently-released interactive web app, Tokyo City Symphony. Combining 3D projection mapping with music generation, this visually stunning symphonic experience captures the innovative spirit of the city. Granted, it would be cooler if playing…
Celebrities caring about sound quality is the new nobody caring about sound quality. But really, for most of us, the convenience of compressed (or streaming) files and the portability of a smartphone trump all other considerations. App creators have stepped in to rectify the problem. We’re pleased with Audio Xciter and SonicMax Pro for messing around with music’s…
Countless studies suggest that listening to music has a range of physical and mental health benefits. As such, there’s no shortage of app developers striving to deliver the healing power of music in app form, from those that purport to reduce pain, alleviate stress, help you relax, or get in shape. Now, a group of music therapists, designers, and…
Out of all the great things music apps do for us, music identification is one of the most helpful, not to mention amazing. No matter where you are, if you hear a song you like but don’t know, a click and some taps will usually solve your problem. Fortunately — or unfortunately, depending on whether you’re a…
Ever since I started going to live shows (when you had to look at record-store fliers and local weeklies to find them), I’ve collected every single last one of my ticket stubs. Unfortunately, several moves and disappearing storage boxes have eaten up good deal of them. Without those ticket stubs to stir my memory, I…
BandPage began as an insanely popular tool that bands could use to connect with fans (and vice versa) on Facebook, but now, it’s also a standalone Thing Of Its Own. The latest version lets fans do something new: buy BandPage Experiences, which are one-of-a-kind experiences with their favorite musicians [ed. note: the kind you might see on…
Last year, we began to see curated music subscription services popping up here and there, which let music fans subscribe to a specific set of music, often with advanced features you won’t find on the more general services. Blue Note by Groovebug (free, iOS) led the way by allowing users to access music from the…
Back in my day, making mixtapes required patience and creativity. Spending hours recording songs from CDs or tapes onto a blank cassette meant taking time to sequence songs, making sure each song flowed into the next. Then music transformed from atoms into bits, and mixtapes into playlists, which only take seconds or minutes to make,…
When we heard app veteran Clever & Son was unveiling a new creation this week, we knew we had to check it out, because WiFi2HiFi and Panamp are both worthwhile. We’re happy to report that the Swiss company’s latest effort, Couch Music Player (iPad; $2), did not disappoint. Basically, it’s Apple’s Music app on steroids. If you like…
