Musical Apps on Android
the (dismal) state of android as a music creation platform
from a musician’s point of view
Matthias Krebs
09. april 2013
App Music:

Matthias Krebs
Agenda
1. Making Music on iOS vs. Making Music on Android
2. Overview: Android Music Making Apps
3. Hardware and Software APIs
4. Built In Sensors
5. The (Dismal) State of Android as a Music Platform
6. Android Musicians
7. Additional
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get this slides: www.slideshare.net/matzerak/androidmusicmakingapps-2013

Matthias Krebs
About
Matthias Krebs is a musician, music educator,
physicist and opera singer. For many years now, he
has participated in several theater productions as a
sound artist and composer. Since 2006 he has been
focused on electroacoustic music, synthesizers and
net music. In 2010 he founded the DigiEnsemble
Berlin at the UdK Berlin Career College. It is currently
the first professional music ensemble that regularly
performs mobile music on stage. Further, Krebs
delves into the field of app music (music making with
apps) in his blog as well as in several music article
publications and in his current dissertation.
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by Cora-Mae Gregorschewski

Matthias Krebs / 4
Professional musicians with diverse musical
backgrounds got together trying out how to turn daily
mobile devices into instruments. They perform their
music live on stage.
Currently, they predominantly use apple devices.
Nevertheless, they are experimenting with different
mobile platforms. With this they aim at finding ways of
using all of these daily devices as music creation tools.
www.youtube.com/digiensemble
Gewandhaus, Leipzig 2012
www.digiensemble.com
BMW Welt, Munich 2013

Matthias Krebs
Vision
My aim is to find ways of enabling practically everybody to use daily devices as
musical instruments.
My Mobile Devices
mobile devices running iOS:
some iPods, iPads and iPad mini
mobile devices running Android:
Nexus 7: 4.2.2
Samsung Galaxy S2: 4.1.2
mobile devices running Windows 8:
Acer ICONA | W700
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Matthias Krebs
Invitation: Join a five-day workshop on mobile music making!
The summer school will be a composition and sound workshop, in which participants will try out
perspectives and the potentials of “app music”. A range of different sounds and musical compositions
will be developed in groups and discussed. Results of the interactive creative activities will be presented
in a public performance.
The workshop addresses interested parties as well as musicians, sound artists and music technologists,
who like the idea of making music with digital sensor controlled devices (smartphones and tablets) and
who are seeking for an interactive exchange with others on new musical forms. At the same time, the
workshop addresses composers and creative individuals (from the field of marketing/media production),
who are keen on creating film material and background music for media productions. More Info
/ 6
App music: Mobile Music Making
Matthias Krebs
date: July 29th-August 2nd 2013
place: UdK Berlin, Bundesallee 1-12
fee: 400 € (from June 10th 2013: 420 €)
No. of participants: 12 to 15
language: English
application deadline: July 1st 2013

Matthias Krebs
MAKING MUSIC ON IOS VS.
MAKING MUSIC ON ANDROID
Comparing
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get this slides: www.slideshare.net/matzerak/androidmusicmakingapps-2013

Matthias Krebs
Making Music on iOS vs. Making Music on Android
iOS Android
+ more music making apps (~2000) - less music making apps (~150)
+ more musical APIs (core midi, core audio,
audiobus, virtual midi, audio copy etc.)
- support for MIDI and USB-audio is not
implemented in android
+ more external add-ons (yamaha, tascam,
akai, k&m, ikmultimedia and many more)
- it’s starting (k&m, ikmultimedia)
+ latency (around 6.6ms (128 samples) to
26.8ms (1024 samples))
- latency (around 30ms to 200ms) is not
utilisable for “real-time” music making
+ more developers for musical apps and
some bigger companies like korg, moog,
yamaha etc.
- it’s starting
+ more apps utilize many different kinds of
built in sensors
- not many developers have yet
experimented with built in sensors
- more expensive devices and add-ons + wider distribution of android devices
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Matthias Krebs
ANDROID MUSIC MAKING APPS
Overview
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get this slides: www.slideshare.net/matzerak/androidmusicmakingapps-2013

Matthias Krebs
Android Music Apps
music apps for consumption, sharing and having fun for a little while
• Music Player Apps / Radios
• Musical Fun Apps / Generative Music Apps / Music Games
music making/creation with musical apps (app music)
• Soundtoys / Virtual Instruments
• Experimental Apps / App Instruments
• Musical Tools / Utilities
• Beatmakers / Drum Machines / Virtual Studios
• Audio Capture / Looper / Sequencer / Multitrack / Effects
• MIDI / OSC / Controllers
• Djing / Remix
• Synthesizers
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Matthias Krebs
Music Player
• PlayerPro Music Player by BlastOn LLC | 3,95€
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.tbig.playerpro
• SoundCloud by SoundCloud | free
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.soundcloud.android
• SoundHound ∞ by SoundHound Inc | 4,99€
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.melodis.midomiMusicIdentifier
• TuneIn Radio Pro by TuneIn | 3,84€
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=radiotime.player
• Shazam Encore – Musik by Shazam Entertainment Limited | 4,79€
• Spotify by Spotify Ltd. | free
• Google Play Music by Google Inc. | free
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Matthias Krebs
Fun / Generative Music / Music Games
Musical Fun Apps
• Magic Piano by Smule | free
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.smule.magicpiano
• AutoRap by Smule | free
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.smule.autorap
Generative Music
• Orbits - Generative Music by Bogdan Vera | free
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=processing.android.orbits
• Pulsate by Des Pudels Kern GmbH | 0,99€
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=de.despudelskern.application.pulsate
Music Games
• Cytus by Rayark Inc. | free
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.rayark.Cytus.full
• Tap Tap Revenge 4 by Tapulous | free
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.tapulous.taptaprevenge4
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Matthias Krebs
Soundtoys / Virtual Instruments
• Musical Pro by Christopher Souvey | 3,05€
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=souvey.musical.pro
• iBone - Die Taschen-Posaune by Spoonjack, LLC | 1,99€
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.spoonjack.ibone
• Xylophon by AppBadger | 0,57€
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.appbadger.xylo
• Schlagzeug (Real Drum) by Rodrigo Kolb | free
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=br.com.rodrigokolb.realdrum
• Solo by Coding Caveman | 2,99€
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.codingcaveman.Solo
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Matthias Krebs
Experimental Apps / Instruments
• Kosm by igorski.nl | free
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=nl.igorski.kosm
• Plasma Sound HD by RM Mobile | free
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.rj.processing.plasmasoundhd
• NodeBeat by AffinityBlue | 1,56€
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.AffinityBlue.NodeBeat
• OTOONE (synthesizer) by otoone_dev | free
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.otoone_dev.normal
• MorphWiz-Play by Wizdom Music | 1,49€
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.wizdommusic.morphwiz
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Matthias Krebs
Musical Tools / Utilities
• Chord! (Gitarrenakkorde) by RabugenTom | 2,99€
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.rabugentom.chord
• Cleartune - Chromatic Tuner by Bitcount ltd. | 2,99€
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.bitcount.cleartune
• Fakebook - the Real Book by Skrivarna Software | 1,30€
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.skrivarna.fakebook.android
• Metronome: Tempo by Frozen Ape | 0,99€
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.frozenape.tempo
• Tunable - Instrument Tuner by AffinityBlue | 1,51€
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.affinityblue.tunable
• Chordbot Pro by Contrasonic AB | 4,38€
• iReal b Music Book-Play Along by Technimo LLC | 7,99€
• Guitar Pro by Arobas Music | 5,97€
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Matthias Krebs
Beatmakers / Drum Machines / nTracker / Virtual Studios
• G-Stomper - Drum Machine by planet-h.com | 4,99€
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.planeth.gstomper
• Electrum Drum Machine by niko twenty | 1,53€
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=electrum2.drums
• Audiotool Sketch by Des Pudels Kern GmbH | 2,99€
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=de.despudelskern.application.audiotoolsketch
• AUDIOID by AQ | 1,99€
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=org.quet.android.audioid
• RD3 – Groovebox by mikrosonic | 1,99€
• Nanoloop by oliver wittchow | 1,99€
• Reactable mobile by Reactable Systems S.L. | 8,26€
• SunVox by Alexander Zolotov | 3,79€
• Supreme MPA by BOOM BAPPZ | 4,49€
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Matthias Krebs
Audio Capture / Looper / Sequencer / Multitrack / Effects
• Audio Evolution Mobile by eXtream Software Development | 5,75€
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.extreamsd.aemobile
• USB Audio Recorder PRO by eXtream Software Development | 3,49€
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.extreamsd.usbaudiorecorderpro
• J4T Multitrack Recorder by Jaytronix | 2,99€
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.jaytronix.multitracker
• LoopStack by Single Cell Software | 1,49€
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.singlecellsoftware.loopstack
• Looper by RubberBigPepper | free
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=rubberbigpepper.Looper
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Matthias Krebs
MIDI / OSC /Controllers
• TouchDAW by humatic | 4,75€
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=de.humatic.tdaw
• Wireless Mixer by Borce Trajkovski | free
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.bti.wirelessMixer
• TouchOSC by hexler | free
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=net.hexler.touchosc
• Kontinuum Controller Pro by Archbits Software | 7,55€
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.archbits.kc.pro
• USB MIDI Monitor by eXtream Software Development | free
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.extreamsd.usbmidimonitor
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Matthias Krebs
Djing / Remix
• Reloop Loop-Sequencer by niko twenty | 1,53€
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=Loop.ReLoop
• SPC - Music Sketchpad 2 by mikrosonic | 4,49€
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.mikrosonic.SPC
• GrooveGrid by apps4use | free
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.apps4use.groovegrid
• MicroJam Musik-Sequenzer by Simon Dixon | 1,12€
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.basementajax.microjam.house
• All-in-One Drum Pads by Dark Blood Studios | free
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=de.darkbloodstudios.allinonedrumpads
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Matthias Krebs
Synthesizers
• CAUSTIC Unlock Key by Single Cell Software | 6,49€
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.singlecellsoftware.caustickey
• MikroWave by igorski.nl | 0,69€
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=nl.igorski.mikrowave
• Jasuto modular synthesizer by Chris Wolfe | 3,63€
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.jasuto.droid
• Mini Synthesizer by Nick Copeland | 1,78€
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=audio.bristol.minimoog
• Shapesynth by humbletune | free
• SpectrumGen by Alexander Zolotov | 0,76€
• Heat Synthesizer Pro BETA by Nils Schneider | 2,99€
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Matthias Krebs
Musical Collaboration: PocketBand Pro | 7,71€
Publish, play and collaborate in the PocketBand community.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AlrqST-AMV0
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Matthias Krebs
On Any Device: SunVox | 3,79€
SunVox is a small, fast and powerful modular synthesizer with pattern-based
sequencer (tracker). It is a tool for those people who like to compose music
wherever they are, whenever they wish. On any device. SunVox is available for
Android, Windows, Mac OS, Linux, Palm OS and iOS.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mEdXXKk1hRI
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Matthias Krebs
Workstation: FL Studio Mobile by Image-Line | 14,95€
FL Studio Mobile is a new powerful music creation tool for Android.
You can even load the FL Studio Mobile projects into the 'FL Studio Desktop PC'
version.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KTFVS7ZQfLE
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Matthias Krebs
Summary
• Music apps for android are available for a wide spectrum of musical usage.
• The following apps are particularly suitable for musicians: Musical Tools and
Utilities, Beatmaker, Djing/Remix-Apps and Controller.
• Neither instrumental nor synthesizer apps are yet advanced enough for making
music in real time because of the high latency.
• All in all, android music apps are not as functional, comprehensive and efficient
as music apps for iOS.
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Matthias Krebs
HARDWARE AND SOFTWARE APIS
Opportunities
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get this slides: www.slideshare.net/matzerak/androidmusicmakingapps-2013

Matthias Krebs
Multitasking with Android Music Apps
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ViZnrj5O4SA
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Matthias Krebs
External Add-ons - ikmultimedia
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hQXUMc0BuL4
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Matthias Krebs
USB Audio Recording for Android
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xrRex_mlHw8
http://www.androidaudiorecording.com/record-from-a-usb-microphone-or-audio-
interface-with-your-android-phone-or-tablet/
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Matthias Krebs
Effects on an Android Device: J4T on Nexus 7
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CfqUR9wU0KQ
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Matthias Krebs
Using a MIDI Controller with Caustic 2.1 on Android
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wx-DiAEHM0w
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Matthias Krebs
Controlling VirtualDJ Pro Using TouchOSC for Android
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hVt96KhY8z8
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=net.hexler.touchosc
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Matthias Krebs
Midi Control over Bluetooth
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IfKyGcM1szE
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=al.android.emc2
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Matthias Krebs
SENSORS
To Control It
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get this slides: www.slideshare.net/matzerak/androidmusicmakingapps-2013

Matthias Krebs
Sensors in Android Devices
Interesting for music making:
• Gyro Sensors
• Accelerometer
• Geomagnetic Sensors
• Touchscreen
• Microphone
• Camera
• Gesture Sensor
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Matthias Krebs
Built In Sensors
Accelerometer – Gyroscope – Magnetometer
• https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=org.zwiener.wimu
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-k--3GxrQXU
• https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.innoventions.sensorkinetics
• https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=imoblife.androidsensorbox
• https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.term.SensorDV
Sensor music player android app
• https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.zgui.musicshaker
• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jwMKDs_4gcc
• https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.MarksThinkTank.WaveControlPro
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Matthias Krebs
OTOONE is a Musical Instrument Using the Gyroscope
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1L6ZMIz5y0o
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Matthias Krebs
LATENCY ISSUE
Real Time Music Making
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get this slides: www.slideshare.net/matzerak/androidmusicmakingapps-2013

Matthias Krebs
Demo: Android Jelly Bean Latency vs iOS iPad Core Audio
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_eE7NtK4jX8
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Matthias Krebs
Discussions: Latency
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Matthias Krebs
Sonoma Wire Works Develops Low Latency Solution for Android
Is this the dawn of Android music production?
http://www.sonomawireworks.com/pr/android-low-latency-audio-solution.php
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2OXeHwErQsE
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Matthias Krebs
Discussions: Some Links Regarding to the Latency Issue
… read the comments too!
http://www.synthtopia.com/content/2013/04/03/fl-studio-mobile-for-android-sneak-peak
http://www.synthtopia.com/content/2011/07/13/are-your-ready-to-take-android-seriously-as-a-music-platform
http://geardiary.com/2012/02/21/the-dismal-state-of-android-as-a-music-production-solution/
http://www.palmsounds.net/2011/09/android-32-synth-real-time-hdmi-out.html
http://www.sonomawireworks.com/news/2013-01.php
http://www.palmsounds.net/2013/03/an-interview-with-doug-wright-sonomas.html
http://www.theverge.com/2012/6/27/3122302/audio-latency-finally-addressed-in-jelly-bean
http://createdigitalmusic.com/2012/07/android-audio-improvements-will-appear-first-on-galaxy-nexus
http://www.palmsounds.net/2013/01/pd-for-android-now-has-low-latency.html
http://sseyod.blogspot.com/2011/12/android-how-to-reduce-audio-latency.html
http://stackoverflow.com/questions/14842803/low-latency-audio-playback-on-android
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Matthias Krebs
WHY ARE THERE SO FEW ANDROID
MUSIC APPS?
The Main Question
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get this slides: www.slideshare.net/matzerak/androidmusicmakingapps-2013

Matthias Krebs
Are Your Ready to Take Android Seriously as a Music Platform? NO!
fragmentation
“It's not just the latency that kills audio apps on Android. It's fragmentation and
having to test on 40+ different devices.”
market
“And of course the chicken and egg problem of there not being a market, since
Android still sucks revenue-wise compared to iOS.”
More:
http://evolver.fm/2012/05/23/developer-explains-why-android-sucks-for-some-audio-apps
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Matthias Krebs
Hope
“That's definitely chicken and egg because decent music apps that work on
Android could really start something big up... a snowball effect.. Did you hear
that FL Studio Mobile is releasing on Android soon?”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KTFVS7ZQfLE
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Matthias Krebs
ANDROID MUSICIANS
App Music: Mobile Music Making
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get this slides: www.slideshare.net/matzerak/androidmusicmakingapps-2013

Matthias Krebs
Who Said iPhone OS, Android and Windows Mobile Don't Play Well Together?
http://blog.stef.be/phoneguitar
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Matthias Krebs
Jordan Rudess and his Musical App MorphWiz-Play for Android
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KN1CYMENOr4
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Matthias Krebs
Musicians: Cool Music Apps for Android
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XbQoq-HxIgA
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Matthias Krebs
Me (Matthias Krebs)
For me the iPad is a pioneer in touch-screen
technology and is still superior to android mobile
devices when it comes to audio and music creation.
Not only are there more external add-ons supporting
the iPad, it also has many more apps available,
ranging from music players to the most professional,
coming with a wide variety of applications: soundtoys,
/ 49
app instruments, effects, sequencers, control surfaces, musical tools, etc. Concerning
mobile music making, there will probably be no way around iOS in the near further –
especially for making music together in groups or on stage.
Nevertheless I am keeping an eye on music apps for Android. I frequently use Android for
other purposes like communication or mobile media consumption. Because there are so
many people with Android devices I will continue testing them and I’m planning to use
Android music apps in music making workshops and with the DigiEnsemble Berlin.

Matthias Krebs
ADDITIONAL
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get this slides: www.slideshare.net/matzerak/androidmusicmakingapps-2013

Matthias Krebs
14 things you should do to help the world of mobile music
http://www.palmsounds.net/2013/02/14-things-you-should-do-to-help-world.html
1. Keep making music on mobile
2. Share what you make on SoundCloud or wherever makes sense for you
3. Tell everyone about mobile music making
4. Tell people about the apps you love and why
5. Think about gifting a mobile music app to someone who might enjoy playing
6. Rate the apps you love in the app store and leave reviews
7. If there's something you don't like about an app then give constructive criticism and don't just
leave a bad review. Remember that developers can't respond to reviews on the app store
8. If you like one of the excellent mobile music based blogs then buy your apps through that blog as
that's how they make money.
9. If you're so inclined, start your own blog about mobile music making and let people know
10. If you can, then make videos of what you're doing and let everyone know that you've done them
11. Tweet!
12. Make your music in unusual places, just because you can
13. Join the communities at developer's forums and get involved in the discussion
14. Enjoy it!
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Matthias Krebs
Sources
• http://www.musicalandroid.com
• http://www.androidmusician.com
• http://createdigitalmusic.com/tag/android
• http://www.synthtopia.com/content/tag/android
• http://www.palmsounds.net/search/label/Android
• http://android.appstorm.net/category/roundups/music-roundups
Groups
android music making on Google+
• https://plus.google.com/u/0/communities/112224065710281650914
android music making on Facebook (just started)
• https://www.facebook.com/groups/androidmusicmaking
Many THX to:
• Louisa Livingstone, Sebastian Dittmann, Ashley Elsdon, Jeremy Mcgill, Andre Brown, Kicko Kim
• Nastasia Mohren and Jake Haskell (for helping me out with the translation)
/ 52
get this slides: www.slideshare.net/matzerak/androidmusicmakingapps-2013

Matthias Krebs
Invitation: Join a five-day workshop on mobile music making!
The summer school will be a composition and sound workshop, in which participants will try out
perspectives and the potentials of “app music”. A range of different sounds and musical compositions
will be developed in groups and discussed. Results of the interactive creative activities will be presented
in a public performance.
The workshop addresses interested parties as well as musicians, sound artists and music technologists,
who like the idea of making music with digital sensor controlled devices (smartphones and tablets) and
who are seeking for an interactive exchange with others on new musical forms. At the same time, the
workshop addresses composers and creative individuals (from the field of marketing/media production),
who are keen on creating film material and background music for media productions. More Info
/ 53
App music: Mobile Music Making
Matthias Krebs
date: July 29th-August 2nd 2013
place: UdK Berlin, Bundesallee 1-12
fee: 400 € (from June 10th 2013: 420 €)
No. of participants: 12 to 15
language: English
application deadline: July 1st 2013

Matthias Krebs
THX for Listening.
www.matthiaskrebs.info (en)
www.matthiaskrebs.de (de)
www.appmusik.de
Musikmachen mit Apps
www.digimusiklernen.de
Musiklernen mit digitalen Medien
Matthias Krebs
research associate
matthias.krebs@udk-berlin.de
Contacts:
matthias.krebs@udk-berlin.de
+49 177 7373939
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