iReal Pro 4+

The versatility of iReal Pro

There’s no question that there are similar products on the market but the versatility of iReal Pro allows the practitioner of music or the producer the ability to not only create but continue to grow as a technician. I personally have found the app useful in production not being a keyboardist by training. Additionally, it is a great and useful tool to practice new material or theory by soloing over changes or melody as well as having a set list available to distribute to musicians in a band. and of all of the things listed what has not been mentioned is having this in your back pocket when impromptu performing when you don’t know a song you have a roadmap at your fingertips which is incredibly useful and I’ve used dozens of times whether it’s on a professional gig or just sitting in when I did not know the tune. The only drawback to this wonderful app is that it only allows rhythms on the one on the downbeat and nothing on the upbeat. There would be so much more possibility if you could have portal rhythmic phrasing on eighth notes or 16th notes instead of just on quarter notes. This is something that I as well as others perhaps have suggested however for whatever reason it is still not available. Other than that one area it’s an amazing product for the price and I find it highly useful.

Performance tracks too!

I’ve used this app since the early versions and it always surprises me. First off it let’s me create simple, readable chord charts and share them effortlessly. The backing instruments give you flexibility to easily practice and rehearse. While most of my use of this app is as a practice or teaching tool - I also use it to create basic backing tracks for live performance. I play lap steel - so all I really need is a bass line, and a simple rhythm instrument to back me up as I play the melodies. Once I get a chart working live - if I want better quality for a show etc. I’ll do a more pro track in my DAW with real instruments. But for many songs, doing simple gigs - this app works fine. The endings are not great, and the bass lines get a bit boring - but overall it works ok. If you construct a good chart with proper repeats, and pick a good style for the song etc. - the tracks work really well. I like the Rhodes piano, vibes and bass along with the Jazz styles. Love being able to export .pdf to share charts with the band.

One of the greatest practice coaches

I have been using this app for several years now. It’s useful for my drum practice, bass practice, vocal practice, songwriting. How one chooses to use this as a practice tool: the sky’s the limit! The online community is amazing. I can have friends come over and I mute their particular instrument along with mine.I am learning bass as my second instrument and this program is invaluable. I can slow down anything to a manageable Tempo so I can explore the chords deeper.

I can pick up even esoteric jazz and pop songs with the incredible online community. I do not need to be connected to the Internet to play downloadable songs with this software. I use it to also practice vocal exercises. It also exports charts to PDF which is fantastic if I want to play or share a chart with the actual song audio.

One of the best purchases I’ve ever made from my iPhone and iPad. They say Time magazine voted this One of the 50 best inventions of 2010. I say it’s still one of the 50 best inventions for musicians and it’s 2018. Thank you developers!

Developer Response ,

Thank you very much Alfred for the kind words ;)