Top apps for drummers
The internet is full of websites with lists like "best drumming app" or "top 5 drum apps" - but these often turn out not particularly useful to drummers. They might be drum-related apps that can be fun for non-drummers to have a go at creating rhythms quickly and easily, but not exactly helpful for drummers themselves. So we thought it would be a good idea to put together a list of some of the apps that are useful tools for a drummer to have on their smartphone or tablet.
Read about the different types of apps for drummers, or skip straight to the list of our favourite apps below if you would like to see which apps we use for teaching, learning and practising drums.
Apps to remove drums from songs
Create drumless backing tracks and play the drums to your favourite songs. Imagine being able to silence the drums from any song so that you can play along or create you own drum cover version. Well, you can! In recent years the AI possibilities of audio apps has come on in leaps and bounds.
Simply upload a song or link to it in the app, and create a drumless version by letting the app automatically remove the original drums.
Sequencer apps (for creating or saving drum parts)
Ever been on a train or in a waiting room for an appointment when a brilliant idea for a drum pattern springs to mind? You’re nowhere near your drum kit and you need a way to quickly store it for later. A drum kit or sequencer app may be the answer.
Apps to isolate the drums from songs
Just as you can remove the drums from songs to create backing tracks, you might want to do the opposite and remove all the other instruments and leave only the drums. This might be because you’re trying to hear and work out a specific drum part and all the other instruments are crowding out what you’re listening to. Removing the other instruments from a song creates a drums-only version.
Decibel level measuring apps
While not strictly only for drummers, it is important to look after our ears as musicians. Drumming and going to gigs in general can be harmful levels of exposure to loud noise. Whilst wearing hearing protection is the obvious answer, there are other occasions where measurement of the volume levels is appropriate.
Being aware of exposure to high decibel level situations is a sensible habit to be into (whether music-related or not) – and the future you will thank you for it. Or the future you will be in living in regret with screaming tinnitus for not taking care of avoiding exposure to high noise levels.
Metronome apps
One of the most frequently used apps for any drummer. So it’s important to find a metronome app that is both simple to use and has the range of features that you would require, such as tempo trainer or setting the amount of swing or accenting different subdivisions.
Recording apps
The drums are obviously a loud instrument (if you’re playing an acoustic kit) and the high signal levels can overwhelm a lot of phone microphones leaving a distorted mess. Having a recorder app which lets you monitor the input signal is one way to help mitigate the impact and gives some options to help clean up the quality of the sound, specifically for high SPL (sound pressure level) recordings such as recording an acoustic drum kit. To get really into this, you are better off thinking about using an external microphone and an interface for anything that needs to be recorded with any level of fidelity. But if you are just looking to keep an audio memo for yourself, a recording app with some adjustable settings is the way to go.
Drum notation apps
For the more traditional drummer who prefers notation as the method of writing down drum parts and ideas, there are now many options out there for notating drum scores or just a few individual bars without needing to carry paper and pens to every practice session or rehearsal.
Music player apps
This one may seem obvious and there are so many apps to play music, but for a drummer you may need something a little more specialist, such as the ability to split channels so you can have a metronome in one ear and a backing track in the other ear. Choosing a music playback app with advanced playlist features and tagging options can help stay organised ahead of a big gig or an important recording session.
Some music player apps also allow you to slow down or speed up the music without changing pitch, or can automatically work out the BPM of a song.
Apps to try:
Here are some of our favourite apps for drumming, which were mentioned in the breakdown of different types of apps shown above. We've tried to include apps that are available on both Android and IOS where possible.
Have you got a favourite app you use for drumming? Or perhaps a new app has come out since we wrote this article? Please let us know in the comments below!
Moises
Isolate or remove drums, vocals and other instruments in any song, change pitch and speed in real-time, and enable metronome counts.
Creative control for your music powered by artificial intelligence.
Get from: App Store (IOS) | Play Store (Android)
Music Speed Changer
Independently change the speed and pitch of audio with exceptional sound quality. Change speed in real time without affecting the pitch (time stretch), or change the pitch without changing the speed (pitch shift).
Music Speed Changer is a drummer's music player and learning tool.
Get from: App Store (IOS) | Play Store (Android)
Pro Metronome
The free version is packed with features like the newly designed time signature interface – customised it any way you want. 13 time-keeping styles let you choose beat sounds that work for you – even a counting voice.
Pro Metronome is a powerful tool that helps you master both daily practice and stage performance
Get from: App Store (IOS) | Play Store (Android)
Drum Rudiment Trainer
An intelligent rudiment training tool, including accented exercises and stick timing analysis.
Contains rudiments in a library with visual representation, on/off metronome and training time statistics for each rudiment in a set.
App designed for both beginners and experienced drummers.
Get from: App Store (IOS) | Play Store (Android)
Drumap
Drumap is a simple and intuitive drums & percussion score editor. It allows you to write drum scores, share parts, and explore the world of rhythms
Create loops and rhythms to play along to and set your tempo to use Drumap as your rhythm trainer.
Get from: App Store (IOS) | Play Store (Android)
Soundbrenner
Soundbrenner's intuitive interface is packed with all the features you need to practice your tempo. Powerful customisation, rock-solid precision and world class setlist management.
The Metronome by Soundbrenner works great for daily practice, live performances or in the recording studio.
Get from: App Store (IOS) | Play Store (Android)
Decibel Meter Pro
Decibel Meter Pro is full of features sound level meter with exclusive accuracy of measurements and integrated Spectrum Analyzer. Calibrated with a professional dB meter.
A sound level meter (known as a noise detector) is useful for those who wants to avoid exposing their ears to harmful noise levels.
Get from: App Store (IOS) | Play Store (Android)
Bandlab
BandLab is a great free music recording platform with more than 50 million users worldwide. It lets you make and share music, no matter your skill level or background.
For drummers, Bandlab is a useful app to record drum ideas and layer parts.
Get from: App Store (IOS) | Play Store (Android)
Drum Pad Machine
Whilst intended as a DJ beats music mixer, the Drum Pad Machine can be used to produce loops and grooves as a drum practice tool.
There are plenty of other drum loop apps out there, but this one has a variety of loops for free.
Get from: App Store (IOS) | Play Store (Android)
Drum Tune Pro
Drumtune Pro analyses your drum sound at each hit and tells you how your drum head is tuned.
This drum tuning app helps you to get rid of the guesswork of clearing lug pitches drums by ear. It empowers you to tune your drums to a consistent sound, time after time.
Get from: App Store (IOS) | Play Store (Android)
Touch OSC
For drummers who need to trigger MIDI processes such as operating backing tracks during live performance, Touch OSC is an app that lets you create a custom MIDI control surface and send the data wirelessly.
Control MIDI parameters inside any digital audio workstation (DAW).
Get from: App Store (IOS) | Play Store (Android)
If you are new to Elephant Drums and want to take drum lessons in London or online, simply get started with a Taster Lesson, and after the Taster you might like to sign up for the Drum Pass for a course of ongoing drum lessons.
Wow thanks for this comprehensive list! Cheers
Hi,
There are two apps that you should add to this list.
– Mutedrums (to isolate drums and control playback for the perfect mix)
– Playdrumsonline (Practice songs with the online rhythm game or drum sheets. And create your own drum sheets easily)
Beat Note is an app for Drum Notation on the go. The App is made by a drummer for drummers and has an active community and gets regular updates.
I recently created drumrudiments.app and I’d love it if you added it to the list! It sounds realistic, you can save your tempo on each exercise and there are lots of interesting exercises to explore.
You forgot the fastest drum notation app right now, Drum Patterns Creator.
Great read!
If i may recommend a free app i created called drumv.app
It plays along with you in a practice mode. You set a practice length, a starting bpm and how often to increase bpm. You then start your practice without having to worry about changing the metronome.
Check out Drum Journal if you’re on iOS. It’s an app that guides you through your practice sessions. It has a rudiment timing trainer that gives you feedback on practice pad sessions, YouTube player with looping, bookmarks and tempo changer and so much more. No pre-defined sessions, but a practice companions that keeps track of your practice and where you can add your own exercises.