Melody Jams

I’m not exactly what you would describe as a musically gifted individual–I’m always a bit off when I tap my foot to beats, or hum along to popular songs. Needless to say, I’ve never been able to play instruments or put together my own music. You can only imagine my delight when our developer and friend here at Tinybop, Josh, showed me Melody Jams–an adorably illustrated game that allows kids to to create their own songs by mixing and matching instrument-playing monsters onto a stage. Suddenly, I’m a music expert, calling on my favorite monster-musicians and even joining in from time to time.

When you first open the app, twelve different characters appear at the bottom of your screen holding anything from guitars to drums and flutes. You quickly figure out that when you drag and drop the musical monsters onto the middle of the screen, they begin playing their instrument. There are five different spots you can place them onto, three on the floor and two elevated platforms–and depending on which section you place them in, the characters play different tunes.

At the top right of the screen, you’ll also find a keyboard icon. When clicked, a keyboard pops up in place of the monsters at the bottom of your screen, inviting you to join the band. When you swipe to either side, you’ll find a drum set and then a xylophone. Josh says that his two-year-old loves the app and the characters, and that he also enjoys the music along with his toddler, often finding himself humming the tunes in the middle of the day. Who can blame him? The rockstar monsters know what they’re doing when it comes to music. And as a bonus, they each have mini profiles on the app’s website, here, where you can find their names, along with their likes and dislikes. I personally identify with Mary, the “star on the guitar,” who likes frozen yogurt and birthday parties, but doesn’t enjoy oversleeping.