BandLab on iOS is more than a social media platform for chatting and listening. It’s a music-making platform that’s convenient, powerful and flexible enough to be used either as a full-fledged DAW or as a companion to the desktop app that you can take with you wherever you go. From finding creative inspiration to shooting your own music video, here are the lesser-known features of our iOS app that you can start using today.
Siri Shortcuts
There’s no knowing when a musical idea will bubble up in your head. When it does, you’ll want to capture it as quickly as possible before it escapes and is lost forever. This is one of the great things about BandLab: no matter where you are, you can log in, fire up the Mix Editor and quickly record the idea.
But what if you’re driving, or in some other situation where it wouldn’t be safe to operate a handheld device? If you’re using iOS, we’ve got you covered with a set of definable Siri shortcuts that allow you to control BandLab with your voice.
Where to find and how to use this iOS feature
- Open BandLab on your iOS device
- Tap the “Create” button (red circle containing a “+” symbol)
- Scroll to the bottom of the Create page, where you will find a section titled Tools
- In the Tools section, locate and tap the “Siri Shortcuts” button – the currently available shortcuts will be shown
- Tap a shortcut to open its edit panel
- In the edit panel field titled “When I say:”, type the command that you wish to associate with the selected BandLab function. Tap “Add To Siri” when done
- Edit all of the shortcuts that you may wish to use, then add them to Siri
- Siri will now recognize and respond to the voice commands you have defined
Live streams
BandLab Live streams are a great way to keep up with your favorite artists and bands, and to check out performances from artists all over the world. You don’t have to be hunkered down with a desktop or laptop computer to access these live streams, either – they’re right there in your BandLab iOS app.
Where to find and how to use this iOS feature
- Open BandLab on your iOS device
- On the button bar at the bottom of the screen, tap the “Explore” button (the second button from the left, which resembles a compass). This opens the Explore page
- Scroll to the bottom of the page where you’ll find the Featured Shows section. This is a list of the currently available live streams
- If you can’t see a stream that you’re expecting to see, use the search bar at the top of the page to search for the artist/band whose stream you are looking for. Tap the artist/band’s entry in the search results to visit their feed, where you’ll also find any live stream that they’re currently broadcasting
Read More: How To Live Stream Music From Home
Inspiration Lists
Inspiration can be a fickle thing, and sometimes we all need a bit of a nudge to shake off a dose of writer’s block. BandLab can help give you that nudge. When you’re in the mood to create but need fresh ideas, check out the ready-made tracks (created by the BandLab team and some of our users) and add your own spin to it.
Where to find and how to use this iOS feature
- Tap the “Create” button (red circle containing a “+” symbol), then scroll down the page to the Need inspiration? section
- Tap one of the categories and a list of related songs, grooves, beats and parts will show up
- Tap an entry in the list to listen to it
- Incorporate something you like into your own music by tapping the “Fork” button and then selecting “Mix Editor”
- The forked song will open in the Mix Editor, and you can trim, modify and overdub it to your heart’s content
Read More: Finding Music Inspiration And Ideas
Video Mix Feature
BandLab’s Video Mix feature is a simple and effective way of adding visuals to a song on BandLab. You can even use your music as backing tracks for videos that you share with your followers. For instance, you could use a snippet of a fresh tune as a teaser for when you announce, on video, its forthcoming release.
Here’s how to use Video Mix.
Where to find and how to use this iOS feature
- If you’re using your own music, go to your Library page and tap on the song you wish to use. When the player page is shown, tap the “Open” button and select “Video Mix”
- If you’re using somebody else’s song, search for the song and visit its page. Tap the “Fork This Revision” button at the bottom of the page. Tap “Video Mix” from the Open In panel that opens
- Allow BandLab to access your camera. To do so, tap “Go To Settings” to open the appropriate Settings page on your iPhone or iPad. From there, you can enable camera access. Switch back to BandLab when you’re done
- Your iOS device’s front-facing camera will now be enabled (there’s a flip button on-screen if you wish to use the back camera instead)
- Tap the “Record” button to start filming. You’ll get a three-second countdown, and then the music will start and the video will record
- Hit the “Stop” button when done. The video will now start playing on a loop for you to review
- If you’re happy with the video, tap the tick at the bottom of the screen – the video will be posted to your feed and shared with your followers
- If you don’t like what you’ve filmed, tap the back button at the top of the screen, then hit “Yes” when asked if you wish to discard the recording and try again
Read More: Seven Features On BandLab (Web) You May Not Know About
