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« UK / International iPad launch delayed another 6 weeks | Main | The iPad, a revolution in the creative arts »

Play Realistic Piano on your iPad with Pianist Pro

MooCowMusic have built quite a reputation for awesome and useable music apps on the iPhone.  We have been using their music apps from the early pre-app store, jailbreak only, days (remember Band?).

Well, they have been working very hard on a new version of their popular iPhone app Pianist, especially written and enhanced for the iPad, they call it Pianist Pro.

In addition to the cracking features found in the iPhone version such as:

  • Multi-touch (polyphonic) keyboard
  • Configurable metronome
  • Multi-track recording
  • Dual keyboard display
  • Scrollable keyboard (multi-octave)
  • Configurable labelling of keys
  • Virtual soft and sustain pedals

Pianist Pro includes features that take advantage of the enhanced graphics and processing power in the iPad, as well as the biggest advantage over the iPhone, the screen size.

Using Pianist on the iPhone was, let's be honest, a bit of a challenge sometimes. Accuracy was always an issue, especially when the pace picked up.  Chords are possible on the iPhone but we can imagine that using the iPad is a world away from trying to squeeze our fat digits on to the iPhone's screen.

This has given MooCowMusic a lot more space to play with, literally! According to their site

"A key design goal in Pianist Pro was to remain as close to the real world as possible. We have found that this helps to mask the fact that one is interacting with a computer screen rather than an instrument, promoting creativity."

The app looks great, and there are some nice interface touches too, especially in the configuration screens, and the whole app really does have an authentic, real world feel.

Here are some of the additional features found in Pianist Pro for the iPad:

  • Appregiator - allows configurable runs of notes triggered by keys or chords

Pianist Pro includes a new mode called the 'Pattern Arp', allowing you to define patterns of notes that turn a simple held chord into a complex musical phrase.

  • Additional instruments such as Acoustic Guitar, different Organ types (Church, Distorted, Mellow), Synths and Pads
  • Drum machine, with a lovely looking interface
  • Scale piano - allows playing scales easily just by sliding your finger across the screen
  • Pitch bend and modulation wheel which can be used with the additional instruments

For anyone who does not have a physical, external, keyboard and who wants to record into GarageBand for example, this app seems ideal, and certainly a whole lot better than the 'Musical Typing' option.

According to the MooCowMusic website Pianist Pro is the top grossing Music App at the moment and 30th top selling app overall.  At £5.99 Pianist Pro seems well worth the investment, it offers a lot of functionality for the musician needing to record a song idea, play around with some melodies, or even for those learning and experimenting with music.

We are thinking about this type of app being used in the Education field or for Students themselves to create music and elaborate on ideas.  With the potential shown in the video demo below, Pianist Pro is definitely going to find a place on our iPads.  Check it out at the App Store here.

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