Each month, more and more online traffic stems from mobile viewing. It’s just so convenient. And smartphones are also a convenient way to help songwriters capture their moments of inspiration, hone and revise their songs, and even learn more about the craft of songwriting.
I own an iPhone 5, so the apps listed below are iPhone apps (and my links will take you to the iTunes store URL for each app). You can find versions of these apps for Android and others systems as well, though.
Most of these apps come in both paid and free versions. I’ve linked to the free version; if you like it, look into the paid option to see if you’d find it even more useful.
The ultimate computerized note-taking system. I love the way evernote.com syncs with my iPhone app. Whether I’m working on my laptop or phone, my latest song musings and audio demos are right there. Evernote also lets you add photos and webpages, and search notes by keyword. My Evernote app is often the first place I jot down song lyrics. I do still use a Moleskine journal, but let’s face it — the Muse likes to drop in when we least expect it. I carry my iPhone around much more often than my journal, since the phone fits inside any pocket.
Have you ever liked one of your new tunes so much that you thought, “Surely my subconscious mind has stolen this melody from another song”? If so, then SoundHound is for you. Turn on the app, sing your song into the phone mic, and SoundHound will search its massive database to identify it. If this app turns up a song that is very close your tune, you may have just saved yourself from a lawsuit or, at least, embarrassment.
The educators at Berklee College of Music have put together a wonderful app, with many video tutorials, articles, a list of their faculty and more. And “songwriting” is just one of their categories, along with music production, guitar, music theory, voice, piano, music business and more.
I use the free version of RhymeNow. The paid version is ad free, and comes with more sorting features, though the free version is all you need to put a basic, fast rhyming dictionary at your fingertips.
Obviously this helps me since I’m a worship songwriter, but any good teacher of literature, poetry or creative writing would tell you that the Bible is a masterpiece that has undergirded the writing of history’s great works. YouVersion’s app contains many translations, and even lets you make notes, which you can keep private or share through social media.
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There’s always tons of apps out there to choose from, but one that I have really enjoyed using to help me focus when writing is iA Writer.
What is great about this app is that it is super minimalistic, it works on your phone and mac, and it will sync between all of your devices just like Evernote.
http://www.iawriter.com/
Hadn’t heard of that one — thanks for the tip!
Surprised you suggested Evernote didn’t think of that, the other apps are useful but i use an app called Song Box Lyric Writer, its quite easy to use for when I want to quickly want to start writing. Got fed up of writing in iNotes and then switching to music player all the time. It has both a media player and a Song writing pad. You would find it useful too. http://www.songboxapp.com/
Songboard is an iPhone app that allows users to keep track of their songs tempo, timing, key and can add unlimited text and audio notes. http://www.songboard-app.com