|
 |
|
 |
|
|
| |
|
|
ATTACK OF THE APPS! HIPSTER OVERKILL REVIEWS SOME OF THE BEST CELEBRITY iPHONE APPS by D. Painter
The avenues available for artists to interact with their audience has expanded vastly thanks to internet technology. My first dose of foreshadowing for what was to come arrived in 2001 by way of electro cartoon band Gorillaz. Their site was fully developed into an explorable apartment with the hi-lite being a remix studio that allowed you to manipulate stems of their song "19-2000" to create your very own version. In 2007 Radiohead changed the entire music business by self releasing the album In Rainbows via their own website with a name-your-price payment option. They furthered this effort by deciding to sell a song off the album through itunes as individual guitar, bass, drums, and vocal tracks so that producers world wide could remix it. This idea has since been used by numerous bands from Franz Ferdinand to Black Eyed Peas by holding remix contests to promote new releases. For those quickly trying cope with the death of their analog business model, they couldn't fathom what was around the corner.
Back in the beginning of 2009 a revolutionary rumor began that jump started a recent trend for the current accessory of choice, the iphone. Trent Reznor, the mind behind Nine Inch Nails, and his camp released the news that a new application (or app) would be created by Mr. Reznor that would allow you to produce songs in your phone using NIN style drums and sounds. Trent is regarded as the preeminent electronic producer outside of the dance genre so it was a no brainer that Trance and House DJ/Producers would rush to compete within this new platform. What we have now are numerous useful tools and novelty toys to help waist time more creatively or improve your live musical sets. Below we have hi-lighted a few of the top celebrity music apps available.
App: SONIFI Celebrity: BT Developer: Sonik Architects
BT himself developed this app under his new company. Sonifi™is a first-in-class audio/video remix engine for Apples iPhone. The engine allows users to actually remix a song on a portable device. With world-class effects, the ability to access and change beats, bass, harmonic or melodic figures in real time, Sonifi™ represents a new class of software--somewhere between game,and content creation tool. Using the iPhones accelerometers, the user can even recreate BT’s Stutter Edit technique, just by shaking the phone...all in realtime.
the H.O. opinion: Although I'm sure there are a number of BT fans who have salivated at the idea of remixing one of his songs, it is the ability to use the app beyond that function that makes this a great tool. Great for wannabe producers and professionals looking to get more creative on the run.
App: I AM T-PAIN Celebrity: T-PAIN Developer: SonicMule
I AM T-PAIN gives you Auto-Tune in the palm of your hand, using the same Antares audio technology T-Pain himself uses in the studio to record his music. Select your favorite track, sing into the mic on your iphone, and it will record your new song. With a single button, publish your song over email, Facebook, or MySpace. the H.O. opinion: Jay-Z announced the death of Auto Tune but never under estimate the public's desire to run a trend deep into the ground. It's extremely fun since you can sing over instrumentals of T-Pain's best known songs or simply use it to transform your voice for shits-and-giggles. Not good for professional use but it can quickly become your guilty pleasure. Check out the promo vid on T-Pain's website where he gets other celebs to use the app.
App: D0TS ECHOPLEX Celebrity: NINE INCH NAILS Developer: Studio AMANgA
D0TS Echoplex is a basic music sequencer designed to let you perform the Nine Inch Nails song "Echoplex. D0TS gives you the same visuals and sounds used in the NIN "Lights In The Sky" tour so you can easily recreated the drum line, right in your hand. Use this application as a music instrument to play the song live by yourself, or with your band by triggering the playback tracks for the guitar, bass, and the vocals. the H.O. opinion: This is not the app we were promised since it only allows you to manipulate just one song by the group. This denies you creative freedom and traps you within the scope of what is provided. Great for a die hard fan (that's me!) but not for non-fans.
App: PvD DJ App Celebrity: PAUL VAN DYK
Developer: New State / Yuza
The PvD Dj App from Paul van Dyk delivers everything any DJ could want in an App: BPM Counter, Frequency Analyser, Noise Levels, Seismic Reader, and Itinerary Manager. As an addition, non-DJ's can use the app's virtual glow stick at the club as well as the Torch function with strobe effects. the H.O. opinion: An amazing tool for professionals to use in numerous ways, this app is hands down my favorite. The back side of that opinion is that it is virtually useless to the general public. If you only listen to music then you might want to toy with BT or T-Paint app's. 
App: iDRUM: MAJOR LAZER
Celebrity: MAJOR LAZER
Developer: iZotope, Inc.
iDrum: Major Lazer lets you instantly remix elements from the new album, Guns Don't Kill People...Lazers Do, produced by Diplo and Switch. With a huge arsenal of dancehall drums, laser blasts, instrument hits, sound effects and vocal samples. Re-arrange songs from the album or use the raw drums, effects and instrument sounds to make your own musical creations.
the H.O. opinion: Some how I doubt the tag line that it is "the ultimate zombie-fighting accessory", but I do believe it to be an adictive way to make noise. Not as professionally tuned as the BT app but this is probably the best of the bunch in terms of a simple music app that anyone can play with...plus you can help Major Lazer's battle against zombies every where!
|
|
|
| Comments |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|