Washboard vs SampleKing

Turn your mobile device into a musical washboard! You can play the classic metal washboard as is, or customize it by adding instruments like horns and woodblocks in any combination. You can even add decorations like a flower, a sticker or party lights. Play along with your iPod music, or plug into an amp and join a jug band! Some reviews say the app doesn't sound like a washboard, but it does use audio samples taken from a real washboard. The samples come from a metal board played with 1" zinc washers -- this gives a sound harder than thimbles but softer than spoons -- and include a tap, scrub and wood sound. The add-on instruments also use real audio samples. Instruments include: - Small cowbell - Large cowbell - Small horn - Large horn - Tambourine - Cymbal - Small woodblock - Large woodblock - Service bell - Vibraslap - Toy chicken Decorations (no sound) include: - Toy dinosaur - Flower - Bow tie - Hula girl - Woody Guthrie sticker - Party lights If you have any MIDI equipment, you can also use Washboard as a MIDI controller. Map each instrument in the app to a note number in your sound module, then tap the board or attached instruments to send note-on commands. The MIDI commands are sent on channel 10 for easy access to most percussion modules. Before buying this app, I recommend watching the demo video at washboardapp.com to see how it works. If you need help after your purchase, please contact me before writing a bad review. I have no way to respond or help you if you publish your complaints in a review, but I respond promptly to all emails.

Hear a track, tap in, and uncover the records behind it. SampleKing identifies the music playing around you in seconds, then takes you deeper—revealing samples, source records, related tracks, and the connections that tie music together across genres and eras. From classic soul and jazz to deep cuts and rare grooves, every track becomes a gateway to something deeper. Explore the artists, producers, studios, records, and eras that shaped the music you love. Designed for real listeners, SampleKing transforms music discovery into a layered experience—letting you move seamlessly from a modern record back to its origins through a clean, intuitive interface built for exploration. Key Features: • Instant song recognition • Sample lineage and source discovery • Expandable song “pills” with rich music detail • Direct links to continue listening • Up to 20-song recognition history with sample detail • Deep music exploration across genres and eras This isn’t just about what’s playing. It’s about understanding the foundation. –––––––––––––––––––– SampleKing is an early-stage experience designed for deep music discovery. Here are a few things to know as you explore: First Launch Setup The first time you open the app, initialization may take a few seconds before the experience begins. This is a one-time setup process. How Recognition Works SampleKing briefly uses your device’s microphone to identify music. A typical recognition session lasts around 5–6 seconds, after which the microphone is no longer active. Best Listening Experience SampleKing works best while music is playing from an external source such as speakers, another device, or a shared listening environment. Bluetooth Playback If music is streaming through Bluetooth on your phone, you may notice a brief pause in playback when recognition begins. Playback resumes automatically once the listening session starts. Headphones & Direct Playback Recognition may be less reliable when listening through headphones or directly from the same device. Data Accuracy SampleKing aggregates information from multiple music data sources. While we strive for high accuracy, some metadata, artwork, or sample relationships may occasionally be incomplete or incorrect. Sample Coverage We work to provide broad and meaningful sample coverage, though not every sample may be identified in every case. Analytics The app uses anonymized analytics to help improve performance, recognition quality, and the overall experience. Our Approach There are many ways to explore music data. SampleKing is built to offer a unique, layered discovery experience for listeners who want to go deeper into the music.