Apple Inc.’s Music Memos App Makes It Easier For Musicians To Record On iPhone, iPad

Apple unveiled a new app on Wednesday to add to its growing collection of music tools. Dubbed Music Memos, the app aims to make it easier for musicians to record their inspirations and ideas whether they’re in the studio or on the go via their iPhone or iPad.

Whether you’re using an iPhone’s built-in mic or an external mic, the app makes it easy to record uncompressed audio. Either hit the button in the middle of the screen or set it to automatic mode, which will start the recording process once it detects music playing.

While it’s primarily optimized for an acoustic guitar and piano, Apple claims it works with other musical instruments. After a recording is finished, the Music Memos app can automatically analyze a memo and display which chords were played. Additionally, it can also fill the track with a virtual drummer and bass to accompany the recording.

If you want to take that memo and fully produce it, that can also be done, since the Music Memos app allows users to open the recorded track in GarageBand or Apple’s professional-grade recording software, Logic Pro X.

“Musicians around the world, from the biggest artists to aspiring students, use Apple devices to create amazing music,” Philip Schiller, Apple senior vice president of worldwide marketing, said in a statement. “The innovative new Music Memos app will help them quickly capture their ideas on iPhone and iPad whenever inspiration strikes.”

In related music-themed news from Apple, the tech titan also released a major update to its GarageBand music production software, including a new “Live Loops” feature that gives musicians access to a large grid of buttons to play back looped samples and instruments via an iPhone or iPad, much like the drum machines and controllers used by DJs.

The Music Memos app is available for free from the App Store, and GarageBand is available for $4.99 on iOS.