After almost a year of owning an iPad I finally had the epiphany that they might make a songwriting app. I have used notebooks primarily to scratch out song ideas and even the “notes” app that comes with the iPad. Which is just a word doc essentially. Then I realized, ” what am I doing, there has got to be an app for songwriting”. So after a quick search, I found that there are a couple to choose from. I felt what I needed was something simple, but went beyond just a word doc. what I found was one called simply enough “Songwriter”. It gives you the ability to type out your songs into sections -verse, chorus etc.., though you can call them anything you want. It doesn’t lock you into a structure. It also has a chord button to enter chords in with lyrics, and saves chords used in each song in a “toolbar ribbon” for easier repetition. Songs can be exported into various file structures including PDF into an email to send to your band mates or to yourself of printing. My favorite feature is that it backs up to Dropbox, so nothing is lost. The most useful feature is the ability to record in the file your working in. This can be done multiple times, for each verse and chorus, as you hash out chord and note ideas. This one only has 3 stars in the app store, but when compared to others it seems simpler and easier to use, which is what I always look for. Right now I am using the “free version” which has ads on the top of your screen and an annoying pop up when opened, but for $5 you can get the full features and get rid of ads. I plan to purchase and use often.
Test run of the latest TimeBomb Cigar Box Guitar
This photo was taken by Tracy Kennedy during our last gig at Tone House Music. I like to take the liberty of photoshopping pics other people take. In this one I am playing my Airline H44 DLX that I’ve dubbed the “Little Red Machine” made by Eastwood Guitars. It’s a replica of a 1954 Harmony only with 2 mini humbuckers. It is a fantastic guitar for a cigar box guitarist. The small body is about the size of most of my cbg’s and the fat neck is perfect for slide.
So my band 7 Hills Stomp played a gig at Tone House Music in Northside, Cincinnati Ohio. We had a great show. Tone House is a local music shop with a great collection of used instruments and gear. While there I scored a vintage tweed case that is going to make a great merchandise case for gigs.
