Thomas J. West Music

The following article is a guest post from Elaine Hirsch, who has contributed to TJWmusic.com on several previous occasions.

New software and the rise of the Internet have made it easier than ever for artists to earn money with their music while gaining an audience and improving their sound. There are many online tools now available to musicians to help with a variety of needs, including instrument tuning and composition. MBA Online has stated that the mobile revolution – with sleek and stylish devices becoming more useful in terms of processing power and functionality is the next step in revolutionizing consumer products. Furthermore, the applications created for these devices create huge market value for app buyers. Here's a look at some of the best online tools available.

Cleartune Chromatic Tuner App

Cleartune is one of the most popular instrument tuner apps available today. This app is available for the iPhone and Android phones and can accurately tune your instrument with your smart phone's built-in microphone. With Cleartune, you'll find it easy to tune electric and acoustic guitars, bowed strings, bass, woodwinds, brass, piano, tablas, tympani and most other instruments. This app even includes adjustable calibration and support for custom temperaments, in addition to other great features. It costs $3.99 but is a must for any musician.

Finale - Online Music Notation and Composition Software

Finale is one of the biggest names in the music software industry.They offer a range of products, including Finale Song Writer. This program gives an easy way for artists to create and then print sheet music, import/export MIDI files, enter music with a keyboard, mouse or MIDI device and create music with up to 8 staves. This software costs $50. The main Finale program, however, gives you the ultimate control of every part of the printed page. It costs $600/$350 and provides the most power for any artist that wants the most features while creating music online.

APS MusicMaster Pro

MusicMaster Pro is often called an all-in-one tool and a must have for any musician. Although not free, this $15 iPad application provides musicians witha PDF viewer that allows them to highlight and mark music, or any other document. It also comes with a metronome, a tuner, an audio recorder and playback, a stopwatch, customizable playlists, a unique score and audio filing system and more. This app is wonderfully priced and is a convenient and easy to use tool for music teachers, students, conductors and performers of all kinds.

Noteflight

Noteflight is another online notation program that has received rave reviews. Recently, BerkleeMusic.com, the online extension of the award-winning Berklee College of Music, partnered with Noteflight to incorporate this online software into many of the college's courses. The app allows you to view, create, print and playback music notation and is one of the most innovative products on the market.

These online tools are designed for musicians and offer a range of benefits. Using these tools, musicians can find new ways to compose, edit their music and share it with a much wider audience. Other tools like tuners, metronomes and playlists are also helpful and save both time and money.