Whistler will unleash your inner musician

It's not often an idea as important as this comes along in computer music. Whistler, the brainchild of software developer Richard Whitelock, promises to turn the pen-tapper or shower-maestro in all of us into polished drum beats and melodies, which can then be used in any modern music production software. If you've got the music in you, but never had the discipline to learn an instrument, this could be exactly what you're looking for - and just about any Mac with a microphone will be enough to get started. VF Important folks!

What's so impressive is that anyone will be able to find a use here - it will teach a complete beginner how to play along to their favorite song in iTunes, fix up the timing of an amateur producer who has got the hang of GarageBand but can't play keys to save his life, keep a budding Britney Spears in key, and let a seasoned professional tinker with the inner workings of the Audio to MIDI engine that powers it.

Before you get too excited, Whistler is currently a work in progress - and one of nine semi-finalists in the My Dream App competition, an online, software developers equivalent of American Idol - so if you like the idea, vote for Whistler and help make it happen!

Tim Hanlon