play along & sheet music apps
When you update to iOS 11, you may notice that some of your favorite apps no longer work. This is because app developers may not have updated their app from 32 bit to 64 bit, which is the new iOS 11 requirement.
- ABRSM Piano Practice Partner. For iPhone and iPad. This is useful for anyone learning pieces listed in the links below. Practice left hand alone, right hand alone, or hands together from very slowly to full tempo. Set loops to repeat sections. Become a more fluent pianist. The app comes with 3 examples from Grades 1-3 of the new 2015-2016 syllabus. ABRSM (Associated Board of the Royals School of Music) is one of four exam boards which awards diploma qualifications in music in the UK. Musicians all over the world tap into the outstanding resources and music of ABRSM. Grade 1 pieces. Grade 2 pieces. Grade 3 pieces. VIDEO.
- The Amazing Slower Downer. Slow down audio files without changing pitch. The lite version is free.
- Anytune Pro+ - Slow Downer Music Practice Perfect. The ultimate practice app for musicians, singers and dancers. Use the app to slow down the tempo, adjust the pitch, and repeat sections.
- Bach Two-Part Invention No. 8 - Piano Practice. This app plays along with you, allows for tempo variances, and you can repeat individual measures or sections for practice purposes.
- The Entertainer - Piano Practice. Play along app. Change tempo as needed & repeat individual measures or sections for practice purposes.
- forScore. Exclusively for iPad, this is THE app for reading music, and it's the one I use, too. Add scores to your forScore library from your Dropbox account, the Internet, or from email attachments. You can browse and download (and purchase, if you wish) scores from within the app. You can organize your music library easily by composer, title, and genre or make setlists for yourself and different situations. You can "write" on your music, make notation markings, use a "highlighter", etc. Pages turn with a swipe or touch of your finger. If you purchase an AirTurn pedal, you can turn pages with a tap of your left foot. I use this app every single day.
- GarageBand. Turn your iPad into a band, recording studio, and play along with what the tracks you have recorded.
- Home Concert Xtreme. This award-winning score-following software is available for PC and Mac. Home Concert Xtreme is also available as an iPad app (you will need a MIDI keyboard, MIDI USB cable, MIDI files and a camera connection kit). The program follows you as you play. Pages turn automatically. It's so fun to play along to a backing track. Learning with a computer program makes practice a blast and your learning will sky rocket!
- iReal Pro MusicBook & PlayAlong. It's a book - download and upload 1000's of chord charts for practicing. It's a band - practice a real-sounding virtual band. Great for reading chord symbols.
- Musicnotes - Sheet Music Viewer. Purchase and download sheet music.
- NoteStar for iPad. Download and sight read free previews of pop, rock and classical pieces with realistic backing tracks and vocals. Change the key and tempo if you wish. The pages turn automatically. Learn to play chords if the note reading seems a little out of reach right now. May I recommend 'Canon in D' by Johann Pachelbel as your first free piece (this requires registration so you can test everything out - you have nothing to lose)? The NoteStar version has a beautiful string backing track. Most students want to learn this piece and, if you've learned it before, you can play along with NoteStar by turning the piano part off.
- Pocket Drums. 14 drum loops to play along to. Think exercises, scales, 12 bar blues, any piece you're playing, etc. Incredible app.
- Sheet Music Direct. World's largest in-app sheet music store. Key changes available.
- SuperScore Music. The best play-along app for iOS. With the Liquid Music Display, you can resize the page with the simple pinch and spread gesture. The MIDI tracks and page turning features continue with no problem. The app comes with plenty of free pieces for you to try out. New pieces are available for purchase and additional pieces will be added in the near future. Keep checking the shopping cart within the app.
- Tonara. This app displays digital sheet music, listens to you play it, follows along, turns your pages, and records your performance. The downside is that you must purchase all the sheet music through the Tonara in-app store. The app is absolutely worth it, though, and there are many free pieces to make the download worthwhile. One other tip: every week, you get 10 free downloads. I write Tonara on my calendar every Friday, so I remember to download my free music.
- Virtual Sheet Music. Download sheet music and print from PDF files via AirPrint.