CLIP: 10 Free Music Based Games for the iPhone & iPod Touch

Music-based games like Guitar Hero and Rock Band have become wildly popular, so it only makes sense that similar games are being created for the iPhone and iPod Touch. Both devices have a plethora of gaming apps, but only a handful of those are free and based around music. Here are 10 - perfect for long hours stuck in airports, commuter trains, and so on.

What are some of your favorite music-based games for the iPhone and iPod Touch, and which do you wish existed?

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Aero Drum Free

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While it may not be as exciting as beating the skins of an actual drum kit, Aero Drum Free will still help you work out some of your frustrations by beating out a sick rhythm. Just follow the dots to play snare, cymbal and bass drum and try to beat the scores.

As with all of the “X Game Free” versions, this is a trial version, and there are more features in the paid app.  (App Store Rating: 2 stars)

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Aero Guitar Free

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At some point or another, everyone has “played” air guitar, but with the help of Aero Guitar Free, now you can actually feel like you are accomplishing something!  This free version of the app will allow you to sample the game before you buy the full one, and will teach you the basic of up strokes, down strokes and basic tapping.

Another rhythm action game, but at least it makes you feel like you are doing more than just tapping.  (App Store Rating: 2 stars)

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Aero Synth Free

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Ever wish you had the mad skills of a club DJ?  Well, more than likely you never will, but Aero Synth Free will at least help you live out that fantasy a bit more. Tap along as the electronic music plays and keep the beat going, but if you miss one of the bubbles in the four streams, the music goes back to its original intro until you are on track again.

The side scrolling nature of this game is a bit prohibitive as your hand can hide the lower streams.  (App Store Rating: 2.5 stars)

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Chrimbell

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There is nothing quite like the sound of bells playing along with a Christmas carol, and with Chrimbell you can reproduce that sound to go along with some old time hits.  Choose from Christmas carols like “Away In A Manger” or “Jingle Bells” and then choose your bell and get to playing.

It appears it does need the built-in speaker of the iPhone or iPod Touch version 2 to work as I couldn’t get any sound on my iPod Touch 1.  (App Store Rating: 2.5 stars)

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Mardo’s Music Trivia - Lite Version

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Who doesn’t love to test their knowledge of trivial facts?  With Mardo’s Ultimate Music Trivia you can see how well you do across a whole range of musical genres from punk to country.

The lite version is very lite, but it will give you a feeling for how the full version plays and if it will even interest you.  (App Store Rating: 2 stars)

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rePete Lite

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Harking back to the days of the Simon electronic game, rePete Lite allows you to choose a playing grid of 4, 6 or 9 light boxes and then uses lights and sound to show you the pattern you need to remember.

As with most memory games out there, watch out for the addictive factor.  (App Store Rating: 2.5 stars)

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synthPond Lite

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A fairly complex app, synthPond Lite allows you to place different types of nodes around the screen to create synthetic music.  You can change their pitch, speed and a whole lot more.

While most lite versions of games really scale back on their features, this one seems to be complete in all the right places.  (App Store Rating: 2.5 stars)

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Tap Tap Revenge

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Have a desire to tap your iPhone or iPod Touch screen to a rhythm?  Then Tap Tap Revenge is your answer.  With a name obviously inspired by Japan’s mega-popular Dance Dance Revolution, the actual game play takes its cues from the addictive Guitar Hero.

While the music is generic in this version, that is what allows them to keep it being released for free.  I personally find the game a bit frustrating, but then I have huge fingers and am not exactly known for my ability to keep a beat.  (App Store Rating: 3 stars)

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ThumbStruck Free

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Compared to other rhythm-based games, ThumbStruck Live has you hitting the musical elemental balls on three bars instead of the usual one.  Your thumbs will be dancing all over the board to keep up with this one.

This game definitely steps up the rhythm-based genre by requiring you to be a lot more agile and coordinated to hit all three sections of the board.  (App Store Rating: 2.5 stars)

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Xmas In Space: Play-a-Long Christmas Carols

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Who knew they had Christmas on other planets?  Well, according to Xmas In Space:Play-a-Long Christmas Carols, they do, and they have sent you a music app that allows you to play along with bells or harps to some of your favorite Christmas carols.

Though the game has no way to measure how well you did, the song mixes are cute, and the fire crackling sound is oddly comforting.  (App Store Rating: 2.5 stars)

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Interested in more resources? Check these out:

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- “100+ iPhone Games That Use the Accelerometer”

- “12 Great Free Games for the iPhone and iPod Touch”

- “40+ Free iPhone Music Apps”

- “Top 10 Free iPhone Apps to Lose Weight”

Image courtesy of iStockPhoto, rustycloud

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