Tag: Ninja7 »

I may be a pasty Caucasian from a rural farming community, but I know a thing or two about the hip hop culture.  Since the inception of the genre, a core component of hip hop has been the use of beatboxing in lieu of having turntables or a pre-recorded beat to spit over.  While dropping a beat with your mouth isn't something that has gotten a ton of widespread exposure, it is certainly an interesting microcosm of the genre.  As referenced earlier in my Caucasian disclaimer, I have a chronic case: the inability to keep a beat.  That said, I have always wondered if I had the potential to at least imitate artists much more vocally skilled than myself.  As the cliche catchphase goes, "There's an App for that."

Developed by newcomer Ninja7, their first commercial venture on the iPhone, Beat-Bots can take even the most unskilled musician and turn them into an underground maestro.  Utilizing only the sound of your voice, you can use the iPhone to generate beats that would put legends to shame.  The free version even includes:

• 3 unique Beatbox sounds – Each trigger by a specific sound (see tutorial)


• 4 unique background music loops – Beatbox over the music to create your own song!


• 2 unique drum kits – One is futuristic and one is old school


• Pitch-changing option! Simple touch and drag your finger around the screen


• Plug into a stereo to hear yourself on the loud speakers!


• External microphone compatibility


• Stunning graffiti style art and animations

As you all well know, a list of nice features means absolutely nothing if a piece of software is unwieldy to use.  With that in mind, the developer has put together a handy video to not only demonstrate how it works, but point out some of the other key components.  Take a "beat" (see what I did there?) and check out the video below:

There have been very few apps that I have checked out and legitimately thought to myself, "Darn, self, that is really cool."  Though I am sure that I am such a lost cause that not even a well designed tool like this could help me, I look forward to seeing what others can create.  Then just imagine what real musicians could do with this.  Watch out internet, I have a feeling that more YouTube legends are about to be born.

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