
The latest effort from Propellerhead is one of the best possible demonstrations that mobile platforms are becoming inescapable for everything audio and music related, including because of its inherent social interaction capabilities. So, what better way to promote basic technologies and tools than to make software available for free, while at the same time promoting interoperability with more sophisticated apps? That’s seems to be the idea behind Take, the new free Creative Vocal Recorder app.
Take is an iOS app that works like a music sketchpad, and allows anyone to record musical ideas anywhere, starting with basic voice or any acoustic instrument recording on top of basic rhythm accompaniment, from simple click-tracks to loops and beats, subsequently adding harmony tracks and effects. At any point of the process, we can share our work via email, Facebook or Twitter.

The app is optimized for the iPhone with processing algorithms and effects for its built-in microphone on an iOS device, while monitoring the whole process with headphones. Propellerhead calls it an “instantly available vocal recorder that helps you capture your lyric or song ideas before they are gone,” but we should highlight its state-of-the-art recording and audio processing capabilities with three separate tracks for recording, overdubbing and basic editing functions, mixing and effects – things usually not available on basic free recording apps.
At the same time, Take seems to be like the starting point for anyone making music based on vocals and acoustic recordings, while Figure – the other recommended app for iOS from Propellerhead – is basically a multitrack synth, drum-machine and sequencing app with sophisticated filters and effects, effectively complementing each other. With other iOS technologies like AudioBus 2, AudioCopy & AudioPaste 2 and WIST WiFi Sync-Start, we can use Take, Figure and many other iOS apps to make music without ever leaving the iOS environment.
Take for iOS is available as a free download from the iTunes App Store.
There’s even a basic operating manual available online.
www.propellerheads.se/products/take/