Gear4 Pocket Loops is a Portable music creation platform for iPhone and iPod touch.
Features:
Create:
- Record loops – Play your part and it will repeat until you stop it.
- Create beats – Lay down your perfect groove with a drum kit that matches your style. House, Drum & Bass, Hip Hop, Rock, Reggae and more are included.
- Play keys – Express yourself using the 13 included synths, organs, pianos and more.
Remix:
- Record yourself – Give yourself a backing track with drums, bass and play a melody over the top, using one of the synths, pianos, organs or other included instruments.
- Add effects – Make your tunes more dynamic with the 3 built-in effects, Echo, Chorus and the XY Filter Pad.
Share:
- Share your best tracks with friends, straight from the app.
Box Contents:
- PocketLoops
- User manual
- dock adapters for iPod / iPhone
Input:
- Dock/aux/video etc – dock
- Voltage/amps – Powered by iPod
Review
Anyone who is into creating music will find that it’s not always possible to be in front of your Mac or PC creating loops using Reason, Logic or Fruit Loops; sometimes it’s also a difficult situation to have a sound in your head and you have to wait till you get back to the studio or using apps that aren’t robust; the good news is, using the Gear 4 PocketLoop, it is your music companion.
Inside the box you have adapters that will allow you to use
- iPhone 3G / 3GS
- iPhone 4 / 4S
- iPod Touch 3G
- iPod Touch 4G
Interface and Using it
First time users may find it complicated to get started but going through the demo songs will give you an idea of how it works. Once you have downloaded the required app from Apple Store, slide your iPhone or iPod Touch in and you are ready to start creating loops.
The UI offers a  4 x 4 grid and 16 spaces to record different sections of a song, and each space allows you to select an instrument from the array of instruments available on the top of each selection; the array of instruments includes various drum kits, pianos, synthesisers and some bass sounds.  You have the option to create a 1 or 4 bar loop with the 4 bar loop allowing more options and creativity, but start with the 1 bar if you are a beginner. The built-in effects tab gives DJs’ the ability to add echo, chorus or distortion via the XY Filter Pad. With the Speeds and Volume adjustments, you can easily and dynamically mix between tracks whilst creating awesome remixes.
Once you’re done creating and remixing tracks, your song will be saved and you can email it to yourself by selecting it when on the “Details†tab.
Conclusion
Pocketloops is a fast and incredibly fun way to create music on your iPhone  and you can’t go wrong with RRP of £49.99. Although the design feels cheap, you are rest assured that it is strong; it would be useful for showcasing your talent on the move and getting down ideas on the move.
[flagallery gid=1 name=”PocketLoops”]
