BIAB knockoff - phone app

Eric Philippsen · Post by **Eric Philippsen** » 25 Sep 2010 5:51 am

I got the app called "Bandmaster" on my IPhone and I love it. It cost $13.99 and, to me, worth every penny. It's just a very, very simple knockoff of BIAB with bass, drums, and piano. There are a multitude of "add-ons" that one can get for $1.99, I got the three jazz ones (I do a lot of C6th) and that added the changes to about 1000 standard tunes. Total cost: about $20 for a great practice aid and 1000 tunes.

The app also has the ability to program the changes to any tunes you want or create and save and name those. The first screen is one where you have your most used songs or charts listed for easy accessibility.

I just plug my IPhone into my headphone amp, set the song and tempo, and go. I wouldn't use it as a back up for performing, but for practicing it's the ticket for me. Stylistically, it's bare bones, too. So, if you're looking for an identifiable country flavor backup band this isn't it.

Again, it's definitely bare-bones and some would just as well deal with BIAB and the great features that program has. Me, I think BIAB is great, too, but I like super-simple electronics and programs.

Rick Campbell · Post by **Rick Campbell** » 25 Sep 2010 10:19 am

Man, I wish I had an Iphone. I hope they develop a Blackberry version.

John Lacey · Post by **John Lacey** » 27 Sep 2010 2:35 am

It would be really nice if BIAB would develop an Iphone app. Would be much handier than having to convert it for the Iphone.

Rick Campbell · Post by **Rick Campbell** » 27 Sep 2010 3:38 pm

Just for playing purposes, you can always render your BIAB songs to wav files, or make MP3's and play them on most any MP3 player or smart phone. For the "big" sound, a simple cable from your phone to a sound system and you could have your tracks ready to go most anywhere.

Jerry Gleason · Post by **Jerry Gleason** » 10 Oct 2010 12:57 pm

Users of 'iRealBook" for iPhone / iPad / iPod Touch should note that the newest version also has the ability to play songs, like BIAB does. The current version just has a swinging jazz style included for free, but a package of other styles are available for about seven bucks. More styles coming in the future, they say. It sounds better than BIAB playing through most sound cards that I've heard.

For those unfamiliar with iRealBook, it's an iPhone "fake book" app that displays transposable chord charts. It's weighted heavily toward jazz, with about 900 songs included, but you can create your own charts, or download other genres from online forums. It's almost worth the cost of an iPod touch or an iPad just for this app, if you use it as much as I do.

Dave Van Allen · Post by **Dave Van Allen** » 22 Oct 2010 5:12 am

Jerry- thanks for the heads up about irealbook! I already had pdf's of realbooks in my iPad, but this takes it to the next level!