DrumJam

I don't usually look for apps with loops, but years after this came out I read some discussion about it, which lead me to grab it. It is so much fun, I can barely believe it. Great sounds, great grooves, and really great design! I find myself just playing with it for an hour every time I open it up. I also find it very useful for recording in all sorts of ways. It works surprisingly well for recording with the loops turned off. I've got hundreds of music-making apps, including many great ones. After a little over a year, this remains one of my very favorites!

...this one is a keeper! I’ve used it for nearly seven years on several recordings and across several devices. Fully loaded with all IAP’s, it still works perfectly on an old 2013 iPad2. The instrument choices cover every imaginable genre. Combine them to invent new genres never conceived of before. Loops are fantastic. The editing options and randomization features are pleasingly musical. Just the right amount of “looseness” makes it sound so real. Pete Lockett is phenomenal; genius. The instrument playing surface at the bottom part of the screen is so unique and very well thought out. Quantize and effects selections are extensive. It is actually difficult to make a bad sound or groove. Incredibly expressive. A couple of little nitpicks: The loops cannot swing, but it is likely not possible with the way they are recorded. Changing that would likely kill the excellent nuances that Pete laid down. However, the playing surface at the bottom does have decent swing options. Tempo range is slightly limited: 60 to 200 bpm. Would be nice to have a little more at both ends, though the loops do get a bit unnatural sounding at both extremes already. I personally like slower tempos with more busy instrument settings. All said, this is my favorite drum app, by far. It is super easy to use, has a vast library of sounds with extensive controls and extremely expressive interfaces; it deserves MORE than five stars.

Abelton Link is really starting to show its genius. Using this app linked with Gadget and Patterning with the Randomization engaged is amazing, the results are incredibly inspiring. I almost sounds like I know what I am doing. It's designed for performance. The sounds are top notch. I really think the randomization feature gives it its power. Most of the stuff I do sounds linear because the drum track is repetitive. With the randomization I can jam with the changes it sounds good enough to be in a movie soundtrack. Maybe they could have a save randomization button on the performance screen when one comes up that you really like.