iPhone As A Musical Instrument
I was curious about the possibilities of the iPhone being used as a musical instrument. It wasn't the only impetus for purchasing it, but I entertained the notion of exploring its potential as a tool for capturing ideas and as an instrument in itself. On both fronts the device has so far been a disappointment. That said, it is entirely possible that I will find some interesting use for it in the future.
The primary problem with the iPhone is that the touch-screen is a poor controller for musical applications.
I downloaded the DigiDrummer app thinking I could use it for capturing groove ideas. After having tried it, one wonders why someone would even spend the time trying to master it when the time could have been spent playing an actual instrument or drum pads. The glass surface does not have enough flexibility to transmit velocity data. (Even playing drum parts on a weighted-action keyboard is a challenge.) Nonetheless there will be a new culture of musicians that will see a future in this as an instrument, but to not any large contribution to the pantheon of music history. I could be eating my words in 10 years, at which point I would have fared nicely without the use of iPhone drumming.
On music notation apps--a similar thud with Pocket Score. Why was I thinking that this would somehow be better than paper and pencil? I was a music copyist 20 years ago and did this with a quill, so one can imagine how loud the thud actually was.
I still have hopes that the device (with improvements) will be useful and interesting. Until that happens, I prefer my paper, quill and rusty dead strings.
Cosmovox looks interesting...
The primary problem with the iPhone is that the touch-screen is a poor controller for musical applications.
I downloaded the DigiDrummer app thinking I could use it for capturing groove ideas. After having tried it, one wonders why someone would even spend the time trying to master it when the time could have been spent playing an actual instrument or drum pads. The glass surface does not have enough flexibility to transmit velocity data. (Even playing drum parts on a weighted-action keyboard is a challenge.) Nonetheless there will be a new culture of musicians that will see a future in this as an instrument, but to not any large contribution to the pantheon of music history. I could be eating my words in 10 years, at which point I would have fared nicely without the use of iPhone drumming.
On music notation apps--a similar thud with Pocket Score. Why was I thinking that this would somehow be better than paper and pencil? I was a music copyist 20 years ago and did this with a quill, so one can imagine how loud the thud actually was.
I still have hopes that the device (with improvements) will be useful and interesting. Until that happens, I prefer my paper, quill and rusty dead strings.
Cosmovox looks interesting...
