TECHNOLOGYFORUSEINTHELESSONROOMANDREHEARSALROOM

Dr.BradMeyerDirectorofPercussionStudies

StephenF.AustinStateUniversity

EMAIL:meyerbe@sfasu.eduWEBSITE:www.Brad-Meyer.com

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TUNERS:“TonalEnergyTuner”($4,iOSOnly) -Androidversionwillbeheresometimenextyear;fornowtry“nTrackTuner”or“Tunable”Pros: -tunerwithclear/easytouseinterface -tunerhas14differenttemperaments -goodbuiltinmetronome -micsensitivitycontrol(forsoftandloudinstruments) -“skill”adjustmentoftuner(pitchvariancesensitivitycontrol) -tonegeneratorwith8octavesofrangeand22sounds,alsodoestranspositions -tonegeneratorhas~100standardstringtunings(violin,guitar,etc.) -tonegeneratorhassustainbutton,vibratobutton,andautopitchfinder/producer -“Analysis”screen: -recordandplayback -amplitudeanalysis(volume) -pitchanalysis -metronome -sharablerecordings(decent/goodsoundquality=smallmic) -pitchplottingoveramplitudeanalysis Cons: -doesn’tpickuplowfrequencieswell(becauseofsmallmic) -whenmetronomeison,theapphasahardertimefindingyourpitch(ithearsitsownclick)

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“TuningFork”byDigitalDownbeat(free,MacOnly) -Manydifferent“TuningForks”intheAndroidAppMarketPros: -6octavesofpitches -hertzcontroldownto.5 -fun“strikingmotion”start/endfunction(canstartbytouchingscreenaswell) -volumecontrolCons: -uses“hertz,”insteadofthemoreuseful“cents” -onlyonetone -noanalysisofplayer’ssound(pitchorotherwise)

OtherNotableTuners: -“OmniTuner”($6,iOSonly) -“StrobeTunerPro”($2,iOSonly) -nTrackTuner(AndroidOnly) -Tunable(AndroidOnly)

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METRONOMES:“ClickDesigner”byDigitalDownbeat($3,iOSOnly)-betterforconcert/marchingusePros: -veryversatilewithmanywaystomanipulateandadjustthebeat -vibratefeature -“advance”setting-allowsprogrammedsequenceoftempos -“meterdesigner”and“subdivisionsdesigner”withvolumeadjustment -“set-to-set”control-greatformarchingbands -hasa“countoff”option -youcanstartandstopatanyset -abletolabeleachset(goodforinputtingmeasure#’sandsectiontitles) -easy,on-the-flyediting -accelerandoandritardandocontrols -BPM:20-1000Cons: -no“screenalwayson”option(likeFrozenApe’s“Tempo”) -import/exportfeaturesdon’twork -itwouldhelpiftheMetronome’s“Advance”settingand“Set-to-Set”settinghadawaytohave multiplelistsinsteadofjustonegiantlistwitheverythingonit. -BPMshouldgolower(downto1wouldbebest) -“subdivisiondesigner”onlyabletodo8ths,triplets,and16ths

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“Tempo”byFrozenApe($2,iOSandAndroid)-gearedtowards“livedrumsetgig”Pros: -practicetimer -multiplesetlists -severalmodesforeasieruse:basic,preset,setlist,practice,gig -panning-soyoucanputthemetinonlyoneearorboth -tonegenerator -severalthemes(youcanpurchaseathemeeditor) -vibrationoption -lotsofshortcutstogettodifferentoptions -BPM:10-400Cons: -Timeronlyworkswhenmetronomeisactivitycount/beeping -manymeterstochoosefrom,butnotcustomizablemeters(ex:7/5) -subdivisionsaresomewhatcustomizable-presetsastheonlyoption -vibrationisverylong-notgoodforquickertempi -timerhasnoalarm

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“BeatOn”(freeforlimitedfeatures;$3forfullfeatures,iOSOnly)Pros: -BPM:30-300 -somewhatcustomizable -“accuracytraining”letsyouprograminhowmanytimesyou’regoingtorepeataphrasewith themetronome’ssoundalternatingfromontooff -“speedtraining”allowsyoutoincrementallyincreasemetronomeeverycertainamountof countsdesiredfromandtowhatevertempoyouwouldlikeCons: -notnearlyascustomizableasClickDesignerorFrozenApe -notasintuitivetouseasothertwometronomes -someusefulideas,butnotnearlyasgoodastheothertwometronomes,evenwiththe “premium”content”

OtherNotableMetronomeApps: -MetronomePlus($2,iOSOnly) -TimeGuru($3,iOSandAndroid) -Dr.Betotte($10,iOSOnly) -Metronomics($3,iOSOnly) -Polynome($2,iOSOnly)

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MUSICEDUCATION/THEORY: (Dr.NathanFleshner’sarticle“There’sanAppforThat”)“MusicTheoryPro”($5,iOSOnly)Pros: -verythoroughapp -testsbothwrittenandauraltheory -coversmanytopicsofidentification: -aural:tempo,interval,chords,scales -written:notenames,keysignatures,intervals,chords,scales -easilymodifysettingstoworkspecificintervals,chords,etc.tosuitethelevelofstudentCons: -thereisnopausebetweenansweringandhearingthenextexample -ifincorrect,there’snowaytoreplaythelastexample,soyoucan’treviewwhatyouheardand whyyoumighthaveansweredincorrectly

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“BlobChorus”(free,iOS;$3onAndroid)Pros: -funeartrainerforyoungerstudents -7difficultylevels(2-8blobs) -competitive:yougetablobscore(howmanyblobswere“saved”)andblobrating(scoreoutof 100)Cons: -notenoughvariationtotheapp=canbecomeboringquickly

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“ReadRhythm”RhythmSightReadingTrainer($3,iOSOnly)Pros: -greatvarietyofrhythms -differentdifficultylevels -analysisofaccuracy(bothvisualandpercentages) -swungfeelcanalsobepracticedCons: -menusarealittledifficulttonavigate(notveryintuitive)

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“InTune”($1,iOSOnly)Pros: -afunwaytogetanyoneinvolvedinbetterhearing -eitheronepitch(high,medium,orlow)toworkonhearingasinglepitch,ormultiplepitchesto helptestthelistener’searCons: -soundisveryartificial -doesn’tgetlowenoughinpitch(probablybecauseofsmallspeakeroncellphones/tablets) -wouldbeniceifitwasmore“gameoriented”/competitivetogetlistenermoreinvolved,even doingsomethinglikea“groupchallenge”wouldbefun -hardtodoforlongperiodsoftimebecauseit’skindofannoying

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“Tenuto”($4,iOSonly) -similarAndroidApp-“MusicTheoryandPractice”byMusicopoulosPros: -Differentwaystopractice:musicstaff,pianolayout,fretboardlayout -12-tonematrixgenerator -chordfunctioncalculator -someverybasicthings:noteidentificationandkeysignatureidentificationthatwouldbe especiallygoodforyounger/lessexperiencedstudents -“ProgressReports”canbesenttoaninstructortoseetimespentonaspecificsections,howthe difficultywasset,andthestudent’sscoreonthatsection. -overallaveryeffectiveandusefulwaytopracticefundamental/intermediatemusictheoryskillsCons: -AnalysisCalculatordoesn’ttakeintoaccountsecondaryfunctionsofchords. -TheCalculators(Accidentals,Interval,Chord,Analysis,andMatrix)couldbeusedtocheaton homeworkinsteadofthestudentdoingtheirhomeworkthemselves.

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“HearItNoteIt”($2,iOSOnly) -similarAndroidApp-“MyNoteGames”Pros: -utilizesanoteinputsystemthatissimilartoFinale/Sibelius -competitionbased-increaseyour“musicalIQ”bydoinglighter(forlesspercentages)and harder(formorepercentages)dictationsCons: -hardtoinputpitchandrhythms(especiallyonsmallerdevicesliketheiPhone) -animationisgearedtowardsyoungerstudents -someofthenotebeamingisratherunrealistic(lotsofsingle-ordouble-barredrhythmswithno meterimplication)

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“SRMachine”($3,iOSOnly)“SightReadingMachine”Pros: -tempocontrol -notedifficultycontrol -builtinmetronomeforpractice -playalongfeature(differentinstruments) Cons: -rhythmictimingoftheplaybackisalwaysbehindthebeat(justahair) -notriplesubdivisions -only4barsatatime

OtherNotableMusicEducation/TheoryApps:-RightNoteEarTrainer($7)-“NailthatNote”(free,iOSOnly)

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MISCELLANEOUSMUSICAPPS:“iRealPro($8,iOSandAndroid)-(chordchangesonly)Pros: -veryvesicle -play-alongwithanyrealbooktune -piano,drums,bass,oranycombinationofthethree(differentvolumes) -anytempo -loopanysmallsection -transposesanytunetoanykey -youcancreateyourownjazztune -bestfeature:audioandchordchartsareexportable(WAV,MP4,andMIDI)Cons: -nomelodies,youhavetoownyourownRealBooks

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“Coach’sEye”($1oniOS,$5onAndroid)Pros: -slowsdownvideosoyoucanseeveryspecificallywhatpeoplearedoingcorrectly/incorrectly -splitscreenfeatureforcomparingvideo -drawshapes,lines,text -frame-by-framescrolling -recordableanalysiswithvoice-over,drawing,andscrollablevideo -sharablevideos(email,Facebook,textmessage,Youtube,Twitter)