Top 8 Best Free Must-Have Apps For Your IPhone Or Android As A Working Musician

Updated on July 9, 2015 Steve Witschel moreContact Author The advent of the smartphone has made things significantly easier for anyone who plays music for a living - or even as a hobby. In the past you needed to carry many different items with you to auditions, rehearsals or gigs. Nowadays, you can simply download apps (short for applications) to your cell phone for free that will serve the same purposes - and voila! This list takes into account what happens most often in the real world, and the go-to apps that you'll need to be prepared for any and all circumstances as a working musician. Not good when you barely get paid much to begin with. The following apps are available for both Android and iPhone unless otherwise noted. If you don't already have these on your phone, download them immediately. In order to get to the gig - in most cases, you'll have to drive.

Sometimes far. If you're a responsible musician, you'll leave home so that you'll get to the venue on time. But as we all know, unexpected things happen on the road. Waze is a community-based traffic and navigation app that offers constantly updated maps, real-time traffic and road info, and a large user base to network with in your area - regardless of where you are. I've used this app more times than I can remember in the last year. With a point system that plays like a game, Waze makes it fun to be stuck it traffic! Ok, maybe not - but it is an incredibly useful and handy app to have at the ready when you need some help with your travels. This easy-to-use gem can be incorporated into many different circumstances in your musical life. It's basically just a simple digital recorder, but lends itself well to the needs of a musician - with its basic functionality and custom settings. Here are just a few examples of ways to utilize this killer app.

You can even capture your band playing live. This app includes the ability to calibrate your mic to the maximum volume of what you intend to record. So you'll get playback that doesn't sound distorted or over-driven, regardless of where you set down your phone. With additional settings such as skip silence option, silent mode (so phone calls and texts don't interfere with your recording), and 65 hours of available recording space, it's a no-brainer to have this app on your phone. If you want to take your playing seriously - even if only some of the time - you should have and use a metronome. Especially if you're a drummer. Mobile Metronome is simple to operate and features everything you would want in a timekeeper. You can set the tempo by beats per minute (BPM) or tap it out yourself. You can also save and load presets, set complex meters, adjust anywhere from 2 to 20 beats per measure, and do everything and anything else you need to keep time.

Use it in the car on the way to the gig to lock in vocals with the groove. Fire it up in your bedroom while you're practicing scales. Make your band rehearse quietly to a steady tempo. Get this app and make your playing tight. All good roadies carry a flashlight on their hip. Some smart musicians keep one in their gig bag. But batteries are expensive, and usually die when you most need some illumination. This essential app has one job - and lives up to its name. There are plenty of times when you'll need it. Stages are sometimes dark and you'll want to see things. People lose their keys and need a searchlight. This is one of the simplest apps to use ever made. And there is no excuse to not have it on your phone. Featured on gstrings is an ultra-sensitive tuner that uses your phone's built-in microphone to pick up any sound frequencies in the room. Tune up in a snap by optimizing for your chosen stringed instrument with its advanced settings.