More and more musicians are turning to alternative outlets to get their work noticed, and they've expanded the media they're using in the process. The iPhone is a prime example - and it's inspired some great apps, from established artists and indie unknowns alike, that use technology to trump tradition.
Hi, How Are You : Ever heard of Daniel Johnston? Neither had we. But we know him now, having gotten hooked on this fun platformer/puzzle game hybrid that not only features the cult songwriter's music but also a series of cartoon characters he's developed over the years. Johnston didn't make the app - he let developers Dr. Fun Fun and Smashing Studios do that (they're big fans, no doubt) - but by lending his aesthetic to the game, he pleases diehards and newbies alike, who can sing along to his songs as they play. After a few repetitions of "Favorite Darling Girl" as we meandered our way through the first few levels, we found ourselves plunking down another 99 cents for the song on iTunes.
Bloom : The first in an ongoing series of apps from ambient music icon Brian Eno and partners is part mission statement, part stress-buster. Tap the screen to form raindrops of color and create tonal patterns that repeat and slowly fade, or choose a mood and let the app perform for you. It's a song, an album, a musical instrument and an interactive art exhibit, all in one.
I Am T-Pain : Auto-Tune has either ruined pop music or revolutionized it, depending on your perspective. Either way, the software that makes singing voices pitch-perfect - and a tinge robotic - is a heck of a lot of fun, especially when you can use it to sing along with exclusive backing tracks from the MC of Auto-Tune himself, hip-hopper T-Pain. And you can share your recordings via e-mail and Facebook.
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Want to make your own sweet music? There are apps for that. Here are our picks for Best and Worst app-struments.
GRAB IT: LaDiDa : If you're serious about music, there are inside-baseball iPhone apps for recording and editing songs that go way over our heads. But for writing dumb ditties to annoy your little sister, LaDiDa is perfect. Just pick a style and tempo, sing into the mic and the app automatically loops in the backing track after you've finished recording. Think Microsoft Songsmith in your pocket.
SKIP IT: More Cowbell : For every groundbreaking app, there's a novelty app that's fun for about 15 seconds ... then makes you wonder if you could've put your dollar to better use. More Cowbell keeps the "SNL" joke alive, letting you tap a cowbell along with your iTunes library. It's amusing, but when will you ever use it?
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