Barline: Slow Down Music

Barline is a practice looper for learning songs by ear. Import a track you own and it maps the bars and beats on your phone, so a loop starts where the music actually turns over.

MAPPED ON THE PHONE, ONCE

The first time you import a song, Apple's on-device music analysis finds its beats, bar lines, sections and key. The audio never leaves the phone, there is no account, and the map is saved, so the song opens instantly after that.

LOOPS THAT LAND ON THE BAR

Tap a section to loop it, or drag across the waveform and the selection snaps to bar lines as you go. The loop goes round with no gap at the seam and counts the repeats. Rather go by ear? Tap Mark start and Mark end as the phrase goes by. If a phrase starts a beat early, nudge either edge a beat at a time.

SLOW IT DOWN, THEN CLIMB BACK UP

Speed from 40% to 120% without changing the key, and pitch up to twelve semitones either way without changing the speed. Turn on the practice ramp and the loop gets a little faster every few repeats until it reaches full tempo.

KEEP THE LOOPS THAT MATTER

A saved loop keeps its bars, speed, pitch and ramp. Markers drop at the playhead so you can jump straight back to the bit you keep losing, and every song has room for notes. There is a count-in, and Lock Screen controls for when the phone is on the stand and the instrument is in your hands.

IF THE DOWNBEAT IS OUT, MOVE IT

Live recordings and rubato catch out every beat tracker sometimes. Choose Correct the downbeat, tap on two or three beats you are sure are the one, and the whole grid moves, with every section and saved loop following it.

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