Pros | Cons |
Great interface | To get all the features, you have a pay (not much though) |
Lots of good features | I also use Metro |
Many different click sounds | |
“Rhythm” trainer will mute different measures to improve your own internal clock | |
Can store a setlist with tempos, etc | |
Tons of different sub-divisions, rhythms and time signatures |
I generally use ProMetronome for my almost daily Chill Flamenco Guitar Warmup (Right/Strum Hand). I do this almost everyday – it’s really helped my keep my hands in good condition – plus stay fairly fluent in the fundamentals of right-hand flamenco guitar technique.
I’ll also use ProMetronome when practicing drums and piano – and when making most of my backing tracks – Make your Own Backing Track (5 Minute Practice Ideas).
In the past, I have use the setlist feature when I had to start certain songs at very specific tempos (something I wasn’t able to do on my own in a higher-stakes, more-stressful environment).
The rhythm trainer feature is a great tool for improving groove and timing (imho).
And, I use the rhythm trainer feature fairly often, as well. You basically turn on the rhythm trainer and the click with become muted for certain bars. When the click comes back in, you can see how well you are keeping a steady beat.
Pros | Cons |
Sounds great! | For an app, it’s a little more expensive ~$20 (last I checked) |
Many options | |
Great way to get acquainted with Indian Classical Music | |
Great way to practice intonation and slow bowing (imho, at least for beginners) | |
Great way to practice different time signatures | |
It also is very relaxing to listen to |
One of the greatest (relatively unknown) music apps that I’ve come across.
I mention also because I don’t think many people know about – but pretty much every musician I’ve shown it to thinks it’s awesome.
I basically use iTabla whenever I practice violin and viola.
One of the other great ways to use iTablaPro (if you’re not practicing Indian Classical music) – to practice different time signatures in a very fun way!
Pros | Cons | |
Great interface | Not great with background noise – use a pedal tuner or other on-board tuner | |
Many different Calibrations (Baroque, Classical, 432, 440, etc) | ||
Different Sensitivity Levels | ||
Different tuning temperaments | ||
Great backup tuner for live shows (since I usually have my phone) |
My go-to tuning app when practicing.
It works great for tuning in quiet environments.
For live situations, I use the tuner on my guitar, or a guitar tuner pedal. I tend to not use phone tuner apps because they usually get confused by background noise.
But it’s always good to have back up great – and InsTuner is a great backup tuner app.
It also allows you to set/calibrate the tuning note – I generally use 440, 432 and Baroque (A=418). I am going to try the Classical (A=422) tuning (I think Classical is what they tuned to in the 1800s?), too.
And it has different Temperaments – something I don’t use but am interested in trying sometime soon!
Pros | Cons |
Easy to use | A little harder to move the Voice Memos off the phone – normally people use iTunes, make a backup, then have to erase from the phone |
Free and included with iPhones | Can eat up a lot storage on phone |
You can use a metronome app and record a memo at the same time | Better apps for recording, like GarageBand |
A great, practice tool/app that, besides ProMetronome, The Clave, and iTabla have most contributed to me learning & improving my musicality (imho) | Built-in microphone isnt going to sound great |
The first time I saw someone practice with a voice memos was before it was a well-know phone app.
My friend used to carry around a like voice memo recorder and would record herself singing different songs (and lyrics she made up). At the time I thought it was kind of silly, but after letting the idea ferment in my brain for awhile I realized it was a creative genius idea.
Now I use the voice memo feature daily, if not multiple times a day.
It’s a great, quick way to record yourself. You can use it a memory, to remember something from a lesson, to hear the play back. And my favorite – to create a backing track. I even made a lessons with a video about this – Make your Own Backing Track (5 Minute Practice Ideas).
Yes, there are better apps (like GarageBand). And sometimes I’ll use a real DAW (like Logic) with a good microphone (currently the Q2n by Zoom – it’s a stand alone recorded, stereo mics and also USB).
But using the built-in Voice Memos apps is a simple, easy, (once you have the phone) economical choice!
Pros | Cons |
Easy to use | Only has clave, so (especially for 6/8 patterns) you don’t have something to lock in with every 1/8 note (this is both good and bad) |
Looks great | It’s set (in terms of swing), so you can practice NOLA-type drum groove with it |
Serves specific purpose very well | |
Great little app that really has helped (and continues) to help my improve my clave-driven groove! |
While I use this app less frequently, it’s my go to app for practicing anything (on my iPhone) with clave. Logic & GarageBand both have drummers/percussionists that have clave patterns.
But this app is simple, cheap, dependable, easy and fun to use!
I recommend it to anyone interested in clave-driven music!
Best wishes to everyone!
Hope these ideas help! I don’t know offhand the best apps for Android, but I am sure there are plenty. I use an iPhone, so this what I know!
Whatever OS you use, definitely (at least) get a tuner and metronome!
Also, when practicing, I usually turn of my ringer and set on airplane mode (this depends on the person, though)
And, I close all unessential apps so the apps I am using will have better processing power.