Tom Schultz has created a unique and fun music-making app. It’s aimed at kids, but also fun for adults. LoFi Chill Piano has a series of hip hop grooves that kids can play along with. Creator Tom Schultz set out to make an app was simple, had no ads, In-app purchases, or other distractions. Perfect for a kid to enjoy and explore the music-making experience.
CREATOR TOM SCHULTZ ON MAKING THE APP:
“The interface and sound design evolved as I tinkered. The keys played Rhodes for a bit, Minor 7ths for a while and eventually the piano became a marimba. Then records were added, the original idea was cheesy play along bossa novas like old casios. Instead I decided to write beats.
The app is also a beat tape, “In Ancient Times Bears Were Considered the Equals of Men” by Tom Schulz. There are 7 songs, each of them 2:45 long. These beats are released under a Creative Commons License. Record your jams with them. Rap on top of them. Use them in your videos. Please go nuts. There are lofi, boom bap and dubby beats.
MonkeyPine Multimedia is my new music label and app company. Lofi Chill Piano is the first app. A critical part of LCP is a promise there will be no ads, no in app purchases, no sound packs to buy, no prompts to review the app, no analytics, no data mining, no invasion of privacy, etc. The only thing taking you out of the app is the home button.
All it does is play chilled out music in A minor at 91 BPM. It’s supposed to be fun and groovy, that’s all. It’s extremely minimal, with a zero learning curve and it’s hard to make it sound bad. No music theory quiz, no game over, no bluetooth midi.
Audiokit is such a powerful resource for developing iOS audio apps. The cookbook app, playgrounds, slack channel and community are awesome and welcoming. In the coming year we will build more toys and instruments and have a lot of fun.
Designers and musicians who want to collaborate are especially welcome. The next upgrade of the Lofi Chill Piano is more records and more ‘patches’ for the keys and we are eager to work with other musicians.”
Code, UI and Music by Tom Schulz. Lofi Cat cover art by Kate Zotina. Producer Vladislav Moldavanov.
Great job, Tom and team!
Download LoFi Chill Piano:
Available for iPhone & iPad
