Berlin-based developers Magix have been producing software since 1993, including the perennially popular Music Maker production tool for Windows.
Now, Magix has introduced a music-making app for Android smartphones and tablets, a follow-up from the version that’s already available for Windows 8.
Music Maker Jam takes a more playful approach than the professional suite available for PCs, and it’s clearly aimed at novices looking to mess around with different sounds and mixes, rather than those wishing to create a smash hit. But it is fun nevertheless, and could get very addictive.
How it works
The app automatically detects the device your using and displays the interface accordingly, though you will require Android 4.0 and up.
Out of the box, so to speak, you’ll get access to around a thousand loops from four different genres: Hip Hop, Dance, Electric Jazz, and Rock Ballads. If Dubstep, Techno, Rock Pop or other genres take your fancy, you can buy more for around $1.99 each.
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While you can download demo songs to play around with and remix, for many people the big selling point here will be building up loops and songs from scratch.
Hit the little ‘Plus’ icon for each track, and you’ll be presented with the available genres and associated instruments.
The more tracks you add, the more ‘complete’ your song will sound, and you don’t have to worry about beat-mixing given that Music Maker Jam automatically syncs everything up to make it sound ‘good’.
With song parts, you can start building proper songs beyond that of simple loops too.
And effects let you play around with specific parts of a song to add your own flavor to a segment…
…while increasing/decreasing the levels in individual tracks let you emphasize vocals, drums or other instruments.
You can tailor the length of each loop too, for example making the first ‘song part’ loop longer, before breaking into a shorter bridge or coda.
A particular highlight of the Android incarnation over the existing Windows 8 version is the ability to ‘shake’ your device to make random loops appear in the mix board in place of muted loops. This is particularly good if you can’t quite muster the creativity to finish a mix.
Other features include ‘touch and swipe’ controls of the soundboard, as well as recording, exporting, and sharing of tracks.
While there is no shortage of mobile music-making apps, Android has typically lagged behind iOS on this front, though there is the likes of Audiotool Sketch and Caustic 2 which are good in their own right. Music Maker Jam, however, brings a very worthwhile addition to the table for those looking to earn their production wings.
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