How to Link Apps with AudioBus (iOS)

Have you ever wanted to record a non-Apple synth app into Garageband on your iPad? Or perhaps you want to run your synth app through your pedal effects app? This is all possible through the Audiobus app. Watch the tutorial below to learn how to link your apps together.

2019 – The Year of Apps in Browsers

Recently, I deleted Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter from my phone. I almost immediately felt a lift in spirit, and have not regretted it since. I still have the accounts, just deleted the app, that’s all.

First of all, the invasion of privacy is astounding. Pay close attention to your ads. Have you ever searched for that item? We all know our searches are tracked and then ads are targeted later. If you put an item in a shopping cart online, and then abort, you will get retargeting ads a few minutes later on Facebook.

What really concerns me are the ads for items I did *not* search for.  Our phones are listening and our conversations are constantly mined for “keywords.” Companies pay big money to drill down their advertisements to people talking about a problem they can solve. I’ve seen this happen on my own accounts with large ticket items. Try having a conversation around a few of the following topics, and then pay close attention to the ads you see on Instagram and Facebook. Say the following words aloud.

1. I want to switch careers. I wonder if it would be helpful to have an MBA. I wonder where I should get an MBA. I need figure out what I should do for my career… [keep going, make stuff up]

2. Let’s go on vacation. Hawaii? Costa Rica?

3. I need a new mattress…

4. Honey let’s buy a house

5. Need a new kitchen, bathroom, I need new windows

I would even go so far as to say that these high value keywords are still recorded when the phone is off.

(please note – I am not an expert, just describing what I’ve seen)

Try it!

It’s legal because we agree to this in the terms and conditions.

There is something about these social media apps that causes a bit of jealousy, especially seeing other musicians’ gigs. You might say, but you need social media as a musician? To promote gigs?

First of all, I’m not sure how useful social media is for promoting live shows. It can help propel the wave of marketing, but print and curated media is still king. I would question the effectiveness of social posts. I have seen one, maybe two people come out to a show because they saw a social post, per gig, but it’s never a huge impact.

Facebook Ads do work, but that’s not really a strategy I want to use, if I can help it. That’s more for venues and large orgs.

What posting really does is give cred amongst other musicians, and builds rapport. That’s musician-to-musician business, though, not musician to audience marketing. Musicians are watching each other – checking out new venues, looking for sessions, you know the drill. It’s good for the industry to see what you’re up to. You have to constantly feed your social network and fans with new music (videos, recordings, etc.)

So how does one continue to stay in the eyes and minds of the industry, without sacrificing self-confidence and “FOMOOG” (fear of missing out on gigs)?

The answer, my friend, is to push out social posts with apps in browsers. Simply open Safari or Chrome to the social media site of choice, post your selfie/video/text, and get out. Close the tab. You can post video and pictures to Facebook, and pictures only to Instagram. You can only use IG via browser on your phone, not the desktop. You can view and post to Twitter with your browser. The only one that has been sticky is Pinterest, they force you to open your recipe for the best chocolate brownies in the app. So download and then delete when done.

I am having difficulty deleting Facebook Messenger. I’m not seeing any ads, so I don’t think it’s tracking me (yet), but I’m not an expert. FB Messenger is the most reliable way to reach a lot of folks, and also gives me a way to book people I have met but don’t have their phone number.

Cut the endless scrolling, go get coffee with friends, and cut those social media strings!

Ah, where was I on Instagram stories?

Just kidding!!

By the way, everyone under 25 has figured this out. This post is for us old folks, millennials and older.

JazzCast Ep. 25: Donal Fox

Donal FOX(Lou Jones)_slider

Welcome back to the JazzCast! Today we have an interview with jazz pianist Donal Fox! He will be performing this Friday, April 10th, 2015, at AMP by Strathmore, located at 11810 Grand Park Avenue North Bethesda, MD 20852. Show starts at 8 pm.

With an encyclopedic ear and ravishing technique, Donal Fox draws on a vast repertoire in this solo piano concert that includes works by and based on J.S. Bach, Thelonious Monk, George Frideric Handel, John Coltrane, Frédéric Chopin, Radiohead, Robert Schumann, Ornette Coleman, John Dowland, Horace Silver and more.

Here are some additional questions that we didn’t get a chance to look at:

SG: Do you have any projects you’re working on, or any upcoming concerts or releases?

DF: Touring with my Inventions Trio this year with the great Cuban drummer, percussionist Dafnis Prieto in the drum chair.  Lot’s of solo piano concerts and special duet concerts with cellist Maya Beiser and the Fox Wolf Duo with Warren Wolf on vibraphone.

Donal Fox Inventions Trio

Newman Center for the Performing Arts

Cal Performances, Zellerbach Hall

Chautauqua Institute Amphitheater

Fox Wolf Duo
Robert and Margrit Mondavi Center for the Performing Arts

 

SG: Any good books you recommend?

DF: The New Jim Crow by Michelle Alexander

Thelonious Monk: The Life and Times of an American Original by Robin Kelley

 

SG: What apps do you use?

Fitbit

Yelp

Opentable

Delta Airlines

Photo credit by Lou Jones

Mentioned in this podcast:

(coming soon…)

Apps for Jazzers Presentation at NJW 2014

Screen Shot 2014-07-09 at 2.28.14 AMHi everyone! Here is my presentation on “Apps for Jazzers” at the National Jazz Workshop in Winchester, Virginia. This presentation is interactive, so feel free to double click on the sandy part and add your ideas!!! You can access the presentation in many ways:

1. PDF – click here

2. Image – click here

3. Website – click here – http://padlet.com/jazztothebone/jazzapps

 

[padlet key=’1nufbwd6u1f2′ width=’100%’ height=’480′]

   

Apps for Jazzers

Jazz Apps

iReal Pro app – if you don’t have it, you need it, now. 7.99 https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/ireal-pro-musicbook-playalong/id298206806?mt=8 

Mimicopy – best transcribing app. You can add music via WIFI, slow down, speed up, change keys, and it’s easy to use.

https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/mimicopy-slow-down-pitch-shift/id405894824?mt=8 

iImprov Suite of Apps: http://jazzappsmobile.com -android and iphone 

Fundamentals app – learn scales,
chords, jams, ear training
Jazz Theory Quiz app – quizzes on jazz theory, 2.99
The Minor II V app – explanations, jam along 3.99
Modal app – Scales, audio, jams 3.99 Chord/Scale Compendium app – hear
and see any scale/chord .99
Bebop app – 9 lessons in how to apply
the descending half step, 8 jam alongs
3.99
Search “iImprov” and you will see all of them
Good Ear Intervals – Free https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/goodear-intervals-ear-training/id588122114?mt=8 

Jazz Scale App – learn jazz scales, seenotation .99 https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/jazz-scale/id463194964?mt=8 

Jazz Box App – shows you the root chord position for any jazz chord, .99 https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/jazz-box/id532325909?mt=8  

The History of Jazz App – 45 hours of video, iPad only, timeline, 9.99

https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/history-jazz-interactive-timeline/id411521458?mt=8 

Bebop Walking Bass App – 3.99 https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/bebop-walking-bass/id733300556?mt=8 

Bebop Scales on Guitar HD – 9.99 https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/bebop-scales-on-guitar-hd/id595790378?mt=8 

Band-in-a-Box – FREE https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/band-in-a-box/id397173717?mt=8 

Barry’s Scale Reminder – .99

https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/barrys-scale-reminder/id469793643?mt=8 

Music Listening Apps

http://spotify.com  – listen to any song from computer, pay to listen on mobile

http://listen.to  – just like spotify, but available for mobile, and has lyrics

Naxos music library – many schools
subscribe to this library which allows
you to hear millions of classical songs
online http://www.naxosmusiclibrary.com/home.asp?rurl=%2Fdefault%2Easp 

Recording Apps

Soundcloud – Free

https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/soundcloud-music-audio-discover/id336353151?mt=8   

TinyVox Pro – easy to share, email, tweet, etc – free or paid version

https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/tinyvox-social-telephone-voicemail/id408118405?mt=8  

Garage Band – https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/garageband/id408709785?mt=8 

Metronome/Tuner/Marching Band

Tempo app by Frozen Ape – create playlists, emphasize beats, light flashes https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/tempo-metronome-setlists/id304731501?mt=8  

Tonal Energy Tuner app – best for pedal
tones https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/tonalenergy-chromatic-tuner/id497716362?mt=8 

A.P.S. Music Master – Tuner, metronome, pdf viewer, markup, audio https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/a.p.s.-musicmaster/id487715143?mt=8 

A.P.S. Tuning Trainer – plays pitches, determine sharp/flat https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/a.p.s.-tuning-trainer/id552848024?mt=8  

Cleartune app – https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/cleartune-chromatic-tuner/id286799607?mt=8 

Audio Engineering Tools

If you’re still using Audacity orGarageband, switch to StudioOne immediately. http://www.presonus.com/products/studio-one/ 

APPS:

Audio Tool – dB meter, tempo, mic, oscilloscope, tone generator, bit calculator, audio glossary https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/audio-tool/id379146462?mt=8   

Audio Tool for Android – spectrum analyzer, heat maps

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.julian.apps.AudioTool&hl=en 

Decibel 10th – decibel meter and oscillator (free)

https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/decibel-10th/id448155923?mt=8 

Music PDF Apps

http://imslp.org  – this site allows you to see any score before 1923

Unrealbook app – add pdfs to your iPad, create playlists, sync playlists across devices, turn pages with the air turn pedals, write on pdfs 2.99

https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/unrealbook/id370135173?mt=8 

iClassical Scores – search the IMSLP (Internet Music Library) for any score written before 1923 in the publicdomain. Also take pictures and add your own pdfs. 1.99

https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/iclassicalscores/id495843728?mt=8 

Teaching Resources

http://padlet.com  – this bulletin board is interactive!

http://recordit.co  – quickly and easily create gifs from your computer

http://flubaroo.com  – automatically “grades” quizzes done through Google forms

http://prezi.com  – create presentations online, beautiful, great for non-linear topics

http://morguefile.com  – free stock photos

http://pdfonline.com  – convert PDF documents to word documents

http://quizlet.com  – create vocabulary sets, play games, print flash cards, print vocab sheet, AUTO GENERATE TESTS!!!!

http://animoto.com  – create animations!

YouTube playlists – I use YouTube playlists to keep all my video resourcesin one place for a topic

http://teacherspayteachers.com  – post your own materials or buy materials from others. Awesome resource for worksheets, bulletin boards, word walls, units, etc.

Video

http://velloapp.com  – like vine, but you can collaborate with multiple people to create a short video

http://wipster.io  – take a video with your phone. Upload it to wipster. send it to someone. they (and you) can put little sticky notes on it.

http://www.coachseye.com/  – coache’s eye app, review video and make annotations

Pocket tuber app – listen to youtube videos in the background

Music Teaching Apps (secondary)

Rhythm Sight Reading Trainer app – play along and it tells you if you played it correctly. Throw it up on a smart boardand let the band use it to warm up for articulations. 2.99 https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/rhythm-sight-reading-trainer/id396302174?mt=8    

Scales Lexicon – learn 100+ scales 4.99

https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/scales-lexicon/id418528535?mt=8 

Tenuto app – this is the app that accompanies the website 3.99

http://musictheory.net 

https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/tenuto/id459313476?mt=8    

Do Re Mi Voice Training App – sing into this app and it will tell you about pitch 9.99

https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/do-re-mi-voice-training/id456486477?mt=8   

Notation Apps

http://noteflight.com  – free online notation program. export as MIDI. share and embed.

http://musescore.com  – create sheetmusic with the musescore software then share it on their website

http://www.lilypond.org  – music notation software, free

Notate Me – app that allows you to write a music with your finger or stylus then converts it to notation. export as MIDI. Notate Me Now is free and only allows 1 staff. 39.99

https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/notateme/id699470139?mt=8 

Score Cloud Express – sing it, play it into
your iDevice, and it will write out your
idea in music notation https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/scorecloud-express/id566535238?mt=8 

Instrument Apps

OMGuitar – great app to learn tunes,
strum chords, create music https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/omguitar-digital-guitar/id413803615?mt=8 

ProKeys – great app for keyboards, two manuals https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/pro-keys/id364419812?mt=8 

Synthesizer Apps

Impaktor – awesome drum synth. Hit
the desk and create wav files based on
the sounds https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/impaktor-drum-synthesizer/id557824278?mt=8  

Session Band app – create chords for backgrounds, like band in a box http://www.sessionbandapp.com/ 

Harmonic Explorer – this is a free VST instrument provided by http://www.synthschool.com/free-plug-ins/index.html   which allows you to build square, sawtooth, and triangle waves by adding and subtracting the various harmonics Mechanical Licensing

https://songclearance.com  – LimeLight – clearance; better than Harry Fox (will clear almost anything!)

Digital Hacks

Reflector app – put your iPhone on your computer so it can be projected onto the big screen. Download Reflector onto your PC or Mac and it will pick up your iPhone or iPad through AirPlay automatically. http://www.airsquirrels.com/reflector/ 

https://www.kitestring.io/  – Keep yourself safe as you walk the city at night. You can sign up for this service, and it will send a text to a loved one if you don’t check in when you get home. It’s free and no smart phone required. All text based.

http://onetab.com  – get rid of tab clutter

http://getSignals.com  – track when someone opens your email

http://ifttt.com  – if this, then that. automate anything digitally with “recipes”

http://followup.cc  – automatically sends email reminders

Photon – Flash Browser for your iPad https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/photon-flash-player-for-ipad/id430200224? 

Remote app – free remote from your
phone to Apple TV https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/remote/id284417350?mt=8 

http://shotpin.com  – create a pin from a screenshot

http://www.stitcher.com  – Stitcher app is the best podcasting app! Coming out in new cars along with Pandora. Make playlists, favorite, low bandwidth

Jazz Radio

Listen to jazz from anywhere! http://jazzradio.com
Jazz Radio app – free
WBGO app – free

JazzBird from Jazz Boston app – free

Picture Editing

http://picmonkey.com  – create collages, add text to images, great for Facebook templates

http://pixlr.com  – like photoshop, but free and online

Grid Lens app – allows you to make collages of photos and post to social media https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/grid-lens/id490495120?mt=8 Elementary Music Teaching Apps

Note Squish, app to teach notation for kids .99 https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/note-squish/id381536270?mt=8   

Flash Note Derby – musical note flash cardshttps://itunes.apple.com/us/app/flashnote-derby-musical-note/id453126527?mt=8  

Tap and Sing app for toddlers – learn musical concepts for pre-k children https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/tap-sing-by-storybots-free/id602903380?mt=8 

Cloud Storage

http://dropbox.com  – 3 GB 

http://drive.google.com  – 15 GB 

http://onedrive.com  – 15 GB 

http://box.com  – 50 GB

Motivation apps

http://lift.co  – create goals, social free

https://itunes.apple.com/app/lift/id530911645?mt=8&ign-mpt=uo%3D4 

Safety

Find My iPhone app – enable this to find an iphone from anywhere

https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/find-my-iphone/id376101648?mt=8 

Prey app – install this on any of your devices, and it will take photos with your built in camera if the computer is stolen (android and iOS)

https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/prey-anti-theft-free-security/id456755037?mt=8  

Just For Fun

http://howmanypeopleareinspacerightnow.com  – self explanatory

Songsterr Tabs and Chords app – learn
any song (500k to choose from) with
tabs and chords https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/songsterr-tabs-chords/id399211291?mt=8 

Shazam – identify any song on the radio https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/shazam/id284993459?mt=8 Background Noise while you Work

http://defonic.com  – pick nature sounds 

http://calm.com  – meditation sounds

http://coffitivity.com  – great starbucks sounds

http://noisli.com  – create combinations of nature sounds

Internet Marketing

http://bufferapp.com  – schedule tweets/facebook posts

http://similarweb.com  – see # visits and traffic for any site on the web

http://vcita.com  – use this to capture leads and interact with people on your site

Google Analytics

CrazyEgg Heat Mapping

Swiftype – know what people are looking for on your website