iReal Pro is the other side of that coin for me. I use a couple of apps to try and broaden my jazz horizons. Maybe even composing in it at some point. Despite the fact that I play bassoon, I listen to a lot of jazz and have always wanted to get better at playing it. It’s from the same people who made Drum School and has the same quality and attention to detail that really helps a practicing musician become better. Remember, if the beat's not steady, the tune's not ready.IReal Pro is a great app. The main thing is to practice often with any kind of automated beat whether it's a metronome, to a drum track, the full rhythm section offered by iRealPro. Of course, it's not necessary to delve into all these features to enjoy the benefits of practicing with backing tracks. ![]() If you like, you can learn more about this app here: iRealPro. This is particularly helpful for improvisers who, for example, might practice a blues progression in several keys.Ĭhange tempo and keys – For the ultimate humbling experience, set both of these parameters so the tempo picks up and the key changes with each repeat. With each pass, the track will pick up speed challenging the player to keep time with it.Ĭhange keys automatically – For advanced players, set the key to change by a specified interval on each repeat. Next, locate the practice button (a graduation mortar board icon) to set the number of BPM (beats per minute) by which iRealPro will increase the tempo on successive repeats. Most of the time, it's enough to just play along with a backing track but here are three features to really up your practice game.Ĭhange tempo – Music teachers often say the likes of, "to play fast, start slow." Begin by setting the overall tempo far below performance tempo. If the beat’s not steady, the tune’s not ready. iRealPro offers a record function that mixes one's live playing with the automated tracks for this purpose. Record – Of course, it's insightful to here oneself play as a listener would. This may be helpful for identifying the notes in particular chords but, in my opinion, its use is limited because the voicings (inversions and distribution of chord tones) shown do not necessarily match the chords being played. For example, if the backing track is set to play chords on the piano, you could change it to electric piano, vibraphone, organ, etc.Īdjust the mix - Lower the harmony instrument's volume or turn it all the way down effectively muting it to create space for your own accompaniment.Ĭhords – iRealPro makes it possible to view the chords it plays on keyboard diagrams and guitar tabs. Here are two ways around that with the built-in mixer:Ĭhange the instrument. Mixer – Since the piano is a rhythm section instrument, it can get a little busy competing with the automated chording instrument on the track. Text – Limited words can be typed in edit mode to suggest expression (softer/louder), clarify the form (verse/chorus) or designate the number of inner repeats (play 3x). ![]() To share with someone who does not own this inexpensive and useful app (hint, hint), backing tracks can be converted to AAC, MIDI or WAV audio formats playable on most platforms (PCs, Mac, devices.) You can also share an entire playlist this way. Simply hit the Share button and choose a delivery means such as email, messages, etc. Share – To send iRealPro files to students or fellow musicians while maintaining full flexibility (tempo, key changes, etc.) it's ideal if both parties own the app. On a computer, highlight the measures and then push play. This is useful for drilling challenging spots sometime referred to as "chunking." To do this on a phone or tablet, hold down and swipe your finger over a set of measures until a loop/playback arrow appears. Loops – Designate particular measures to repeat over and over. ![]() On a computer, highlight the starting measure and then push play. To do this on a phone or tablet, hold your finger down on the starting measure until a play arrow appears. Start anywhere - Instead of playing a tune from the top, save time by starting where you like. Repeats - Set the number of repeats to match either the overall structure of a tune (number of choruses) as a kind of "try it one more time" practice prompt. Here are three additional ways customize playback. Playback – Hitting the play button to practice a tune once through from the top is the most obvious way to interact with iRealPro. My biggest tip is to be sure that you are searching under the category of songs, and not playlist. Search - As your library grows, the search bar at the top of the song list is the quickest way to locate a file.
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