With the constant progression in technological advances, being a self-reliant working musician has never been easier. There's no need to invest thousands of dollars in recording equipment when in the era of DIY, it's worth checking to see what's out there to assist you in building your music career. Here are some delights from the App Store.

Band of the Day by 955 Dreams Inc. This a great app for discovering new music and even showcasing your own music across a huge audience. Every day a new artist is introduced and you can listen to not only them, but the back catalogue of all previously featured artists. You can create a mix tape from your favourite songs and share your new discoveries across social networks. Compatible for iPhone and iPad.

SG Radio by Just2Me Currently the only app to provide seamless streaming for all of the 19 radio stations in Singapore. And it's free! Compatible for iPhone and iPad.

Ultimate Guitar Tabs by Ultimate Guitar The working guitarist doesn't have to carry around a thick catalogue of music when it all fits nicely into one device. The App boasts 400'000 songs in its directory and is constantly expanding. A nice addition to any session musician's kit. Compatible for iPhone.

Ear Worthy by Daniel Ho Every sight reader's dream. The App trains you to have perfect pitch and develop the ability to recognise notes, scales, chords and intervals. Singers could also use the App as a pitch reference tool. Compatible for iPhone and iPad.

Garageband by Apple Inc The ability to record practice sessions, gigs and ideas is essential to any musician and Garageband takes it a step further. You can plug straight into the App and record sound at a professional level and then edit it all together. If the rest of your band have compatible technology you can all participate in a live recording/jamming session which is great for producing ‘live' albums. Compatible for iPhone and iPad

Shazam Encore by Shazam Entertainment Limited The app can identify songs in as little as one second so you can quickly capture snippets of songs that you like and purchase the song to keep. You also have the ability to check artist touring dates, Shazam charts and streaming lyrics to read whilst your newly tagged song is playing. Compatible for iPhone.

Ringtone Maker by Zentertain Ltd. What better way to promote your own music than by having it as a ringtone? The app will allow you to make a ringtone out of any song in your library, so if your phone happens to strategically ring in a crowded place, you could end up with a new fan! Compatible for iPhone.

The top music charts of Singapore are dominated by American and British artists and soundtracks from all the latest Hollywood blockbusters. At any given time a mere 5% of the top 40 slots in the charts go to Asian artists, and very occasionally to native Singaporeans.

One could question that this is due to the content available on digital purchasing means such as iTunes, but the charts factor in the purchase of CDs from stores as well as the digital music. It's not only a young audience purchasing music but the reflection of the Top 40 suggests youngsters who are heavily influenced by international releases.

Artists, such as Stephanie Sun and Tanya Chua, have become famous by heading out to international territory to claim their musical breaks and then returning to Singapore as household names to enjoy chart success. This sparks an important question, what can local talent do to recognise national success without having to leave Singapore?

With the age of technology it has never been easier to produce and sell a record. Record labels need not be at a disadvantage with this as strong collaboration could be induced. But the important thing is that people are being exposed to new talent and music without serious financial backing, as was required with previous generations.

The introduction of shows such as Singapore Idol, allows many artists the ability to showcase their skills to the entire nation, but it still doesn't guarantee a career at the end of it, or even the release of a record. People of all ages watch Singapore Idol and the record labels should be quick to jump onto talent that will appeal to an older demographic, because the young demographic is certainly covered, as reflected by music sales. This of course applies to mainstream, contemporary and pop music and doesn't factor in the very large alternative scene in Singapore.

Now, more than ever, is the opportune time to find an equal balance in the charts with national and international talent. There is a chance to put Singapore on the map as a strong contender in the Asian music market and the opportunity should be seized with two hands by record labels and independent artists together.

Participate in the Live Music Scene

Yes, you guessed it - Karaoke! It goes hand in hand with Asian culture and is a popular pass time that everyone of all ages can enjoy. The standard of Karaoke is much higher here than most places in Europe or the States and when in Singapore, do as the Singaporeans do; exercise those lungs and vocal cords!

Karaoke in Singapore caters for all budgets and some venues provide private lounges for office parties, or just the shy group of friends who don't want to sing in public. Either way it's definitely something to experience.

As it is such a popular pass time it deserves a shout out as its own alternative music scene because, let's face it, you will be subjected to some extraordinary sounds!

Here are a few places to swing by to get a feel for the Karaoke scene:

Chillz Bar This bar doesn't provide private lounges so be prepared to be televised, only in the venue! they frequently hold singing competitions so if you think you have a winning voice feel free to enter and claim some prizes. The bar is open for crooning from Monday - Saturday with Sundays being reserved for private parties and events.

Mono Possibly the most beautiful Karaoke bar around with it's monochromatic theme and dangling chandeliers. Mono offers private lounges, each themed differently and a general bar for all to enjoy. They have other perks like a pool table and a darts board so you can take a break from serenading a loved one to enjoy a quick game. Open daily from 6pm - 6am with happy hour from 6pm - 9pm.

Ten Dollar Club A great way to enjoy Karaoke without breaking the bank. Bring a group of friends along with you to enjoy singing in the main hall or rent a private lounge. A lovely, home-like atmosphere, although they do adopt a dress code for those who wish to enter the main hall. All three locations; Balestier, Chinatown and Down Town are all open from 2pm - 2am daily.

Actors This is a Karaoke bar like no other and feels more like a live gig than a sing-along. They feature a live band as backing music so you can not only rock the stage with others which feels less daunting, but also perform up to three songs in a row! If you're not much of a singer but a great musician, the band will let you borrow their instruments to play instead. Open Mon-Sat 6pm until late. Open for private bookings only on Sunday unless it's a public holiday, which opens up for the general public again.

A true story of four singers and their journey up from poverty into the spotlight. The group, The Four Seasons, embark on a journey of success, heartache, talent, friendship and of course music!

The musical opened on Broadway in 2005 and has since been performed in over 15 locations worldwide, the most recent of which is right here in Singapore. The Sands Theatre at the Marina Bay Sands is delighted to play host to this wonderful musical and will be opening its door to spectators until the 17th of February.

Performances can be enjoyed at 8pm daily (excluding Mondays) with a matinee at 2pm on Saturdays and Sundays.

The theatre offers four types of tickets A, B, C & D Reserve tickets. Each ticket is priced on visibility and proximity to the stage. A is the highest band and allows for the most optimum viewing experience. To take your viewing experience to a whole new level the Theatre offers some wonderful packages and upgrades. Packages vary in prices factoring in seat reservations in either the A and B Reserve and an option of adding merchandise and official souvenir programs, to make this a night to remember. An extra 10% discount will be applied for group bookings of more than 20 - a great opportunity for educational institutes to treat their students.

If you want to make a whole evening of it, there are some great deals on dinner, show and hotel stays at the Marina Bay Sands itself or hotels that are a short distance away. It's a one of a kind musical and a one of a kind experience that will go hand in hand together, whatever your budget.

Please note: Jersey Boys is not recommended for children under the age of twelve because of the free use of colourful ‘Jersey' language!