RoGame News

ScaleMaster for Mac OS X Released

2011-12-09T08:10:00.000-08:00

A good understanding of scales is of particular importance to improvising musicians and song-writers. ScaleMaster addresses this topic in a systematic fashion helping with scale classification, construction and spelling in all common clefs. Playable guitar, bass, mandolin and piano instruments are provided as visualization and fingering help and a rating mechanism helps remembering favorites among the over 200 listed scales. A chord filter lists over 40 of the most common chord forms and helps matching chords with possible scale candidates. All this and much more is for the first time available for the Mac in ScaleMaster. More information and screen shots are available on the ScaleMaster page.

ScaleMaster is fully compatible with Mac OS 10.7 (Lion) and is now available on the Mac App Store.

ScaleMaster for Mac OS X now in Review

2011-12-06T10:17:00.001-08:00

Work has concluded on the first Mac OS X edition of ScaleMaster. It is currently in review and expected to be available by 12.12.2011. Stay tuned for the exact release date. ScaleMaster is compatible with Mac OS 10.6.6 and up and will be available through the Mac App Store. Additional information and screenshots are available on the ScaleMaster page.

New Sound Libraries Available

2011-10-22T07:49:00.000-07:00

Three new sound libraries are now available as In-App purchases for ChordLab , EarMan, Mozart and ScaleMaster as well as the iPad versions of these titles. The Folk Pack includes the libraries Accordion, Harp and Pan flute, the Winds Pack 2 adds Trumpet, Saxophone and Bassoon and finally the Folk Strings Pack features Dulcimer, Saz and Bouzouki.

iOS 5 Update Status

2011-10-18T16:31:00.000-07:00

All music applications running on iOS have now been updated for iOS 5. This includes Almond, BandMaster, ChordLab , EarMan, Mozart and ScaleMaster as well as the HD iPad versions of these titles. These fairly comprehensive upgrades also include additional fixes and features and are recommended for all users. Several other titles are still in review and will be available shortly.

Senet Deluxe 1.5 for iOS Released

2011-10-04T08:35:00.000-07:00

Senet is an ancient Egyptian race game and the predecessor of our modern Backgammon. Senet Deluxe is available for the iPhone/iPod touch and as a gorgeous iPad optimized version. Version 1.5 features updated graphics, full screen display on iPads, optimized animation, imrpoved game logic and two choices of game board. Senet Deluxe is localized into Chinese, Dutch, English, French, German, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Portuguese, Spanish and Swedish.

Mozart 2.0 for Mac OS Released

2011-09-17T11:05:00.000-07:00

Mozart 2.0 is an educational game for music students that brings fun into reading music. As when reading notes stream from the left to the right and have to be identified on any of the 6 provided instruments. The problem is that there are not only notes to deal with, but also all sorts of other entities that may explode, shift places or change the key signatures around for no reason at all. There are two basic instruments where either letters like C, D, E or tone syllables like Do, Re, Mi are assigned. Four advanced input instruments - bass, guitar, mandolin and piano - are also available.

Version 2.0 adds positioning and accidentals in the advanced instrument and a new training mode that allows a 50% speed reduction and specific position assignment in the advanced instruments. Also new in version 2.0 is a display option for left-handed players that affects the stringed instruments bass, guitar and mandolin. As before movable and fixed Do solfége styles are supported and all stringed instruments can be custom tuned.

To make the game play more immersive Mozart 2.0 includes several new note characters and plays a background track. A level restart token was also added that allows advanced players to keep their game play in the higher levels instead of having to go through all basic levels first. Additionally the entire scoring mechanism and game graphics were revised. Help is now available from the familiar Mac help menu and the top ten list has been revised to include level information.

Mozart 2.0 is fully compatible with Mac OS 10.7 (Lion) and is now available on the Mac App Store.

Mozart 2.0 for iOS Released

2011-09-01T11:32:00.000-07:00

Mozart 2.0 is now available for the iPhone/iPod touch and the iPad. Most notably in version 2.0 is a distiction between basic and advanced instruments. Advanced instruments are those based on real instruments like guitar or piano. For one these instruments now evaluate octaves (i.e. middle c will require a different input than c an octave higher). Additionally instrument positions come into play. So the guitar instrument for example will move up to higher positions as the game level increases.

Another big change is that Mozart 2.0 includes accidentals. These start appearing in the higher game levels and include double-sharps and double-flats as well as all basic accidentals. Accidentals don't appear in the Letters and Solfége instruments since those don't have input options for non-diatonic notes.

Other prominent changes include a new Training Mode for practicing specific positions, a new soundtrack, left-handed display choices for the bass, guitar and mandolin instruments, major graphic updates, a completely revised scoring mechanism and many new game characters. A newly available level restart token allows starting a game at a formerly achieved level. When a level restart token is identified correctly a heart shaped icon appears next to the score display with the level number indicated. Additional level tokens acquired in higher levels replace any previous tokens. This feature allows advanced players to keep the game play in the advanced levels of the game.

There are many more new additions and features in version 2.0 than can be listed here. Visit the respective websites for more in-depth information regarding the iPhone or the iPad versions, a brief manual and a short movie. Mozart 2.0 is a free upgrade for all current users.

Mozart 2.0 Preview (iOS)

2011-08-24T18:47:00.000-07:00

Mozart 2.0 is in review. Below is a brief preview of the new features and there are many this release. The engine was re-written and now supports instrument positioning and accidentals. Notes are introduced at a steady pace and a whole bunch of new characters were added. This will be a free upgrade for all current owners of Mozart for iOS. Stay tuned for the final release date.

ChordLab 2.0 Movie Posted

2011-06-21T11:10:00.000-07:00

ChordLab 2.0 is now available in the App Store. Below is a little introduction highlighting the many features. The movie and many screenshots are also available on the website.

ChordLab 2.0 Released

2011-06-20T14:07:00.000-07:00

ChordLab 2.0 has been released and is available in the App Store. The new version features a full set of 8 voicing presets that includes several less common drop combinations and a re-written chord engine. The main interface layout has been re-designed for larger instrument controls and a more legible notation view. A rating feature has been added in response to several user requests as well as several new chord definitions. Also new in version 2.0 is a setting for left-handed guitar players. ChordLab HD for iPads has also been updated and is available as well. ChordLab 2.0 is a free upgrade for all current users.

ChordLab 2.0 Preview

2011-06-14T07:28:00.000-07:00

ChordLab 2.0 is about to be released and includes a number of new features and improvements. Most importantly ChordLab now includes 8 voicing presets and a much improved layout. Stay tuned for the final release date which we will announce here. Version 2.0 will be a free upgrade for all current users.

ScaleMaster 2.0 Released

2011-06-10T07:39:00.000-07:00

ScaleMaster 2.0 is now available at the App Store. In version 2.0 ScaleMaster's layout has been optimized to provide a much larger viewing area and displays up to two rows of music notation. Scale's can now be viewed in any direction or combination thereof. In single row setting up or down ScaleMaster now indicates semitones for all intervals. Also new is landscape view which allows for a larger instrument area - 7 frets for the guitar, bass and mandolin instruments and over 2 octaves for piano. The center screen toolbar adds two buttons to adjust notation and instrument view detail respectively.

ScaleMaster 2.0 adds a completely new facility called chord matching. With chord matching one selects chord symbols in the matching picker to display a list of all scales that include the complete chord as scale tones. ScaleMaster's notation view then shows chord tones in red and regular scale tones in black. On play the entire scale is played with the chord at the end. Chord matching comes in very handy when trying to determine which scales to use in improvisation and gives a number of alternatives to one's go-to scale choices.

The scale picker in ScaleMaster has been re-designed as well and now adds color coding as well as type display directly in the picker. Additionally there is now a rating feature with 6 steps from no rating to 5 stars. That makes it a little easier to remember one's favorite scales and adds a visual reminder. Scale ratings are displayed in the main view just above the instrument view.

Amongst other improvements are revised instrument graphics, support for left-handedness in all stringed instruments and additional included sound libraries. ScaleMaster HD for iPads has been updated to version 2.0 as well and reflects all above mentioned features. ScaleMaster 2.0 is available in the App Store and is a free upgrade to all current users.

New ScaleMaster 2.0 Movie

2011-06-02T12:23:00.000-07:00

ScaleMaster 2.0 for iPhones/iPod touch is about to be released. While waiting for the reviewers, here is a brief look into the new features. This version also supports landscape mode which is not shown in the movie. ScaleMaster 2.0 is a free upgrade.

Stay tuned for the final release date - it will be announced here.

Sneak Preview - ScaleMaster 2.0

2011-05-28T10:35:00.000-07:00

ScaleMaster 2.0 is nearing completion with a newly rewritten back engine, layout improvements and much more. Scales can now be displayed in 4 different ways - single staff up, single staff down, dual staff up and down (as seen in the iPhone screenshot above), dual staff down and up. These layouts are also reflected in playback which now highlights notes as they are being played. There's more to come, so stay tuned. ScaleMaster 2.0 will be a FREE upgrade for current owners.

EarMan 1.5 iPad Version Released

2011-05-04T08:31:00.000-07:00

EarMan 1.5 for the iPad and has been released and is available in the App Store. New in this version is a setting for the number of intervals tested in Quick Sessions that can range between 10 - 100. Support for iOS 4.3 was added as well as support for Dropbox synchronization to allow synchronization of curriculum status and Quick Sessions between any iOS devices and/or EarMan for Mac OS X.

EarMan 1.5 for iPhone Released

2011-05-03T06:20:00.000-07:00

EarMan 1.5 for the iPhone and iPod touch has been released and is available in the App Store. New in this version is a setting for the number of intervals tested in Quick Sessions that can range between 10 - 100. Support for iOS 4.3 was added as well as better support for running the iPhone version on iPads. EarMan 1.5 also supports Dropbox synchronization to allow synchronization of curriculum and Quick Session progress between iOS devices and the EarMan Mac OS X version.

EarMan 1.5 for Mac OS X Released

2011-04-21T17:59:00.000-07:00

A good ear is the key to all musicianship. One of the most basic skills for any musician is the ability to correctly identify intervals, something that is typically practiced in class or with a private tutor. EarMan is a program that makes practicing ear training managable. It is an affordable, no-nonsense application that can help you improve your skills with a structured curriculum and fully customizable practice sessions. Completing a training session in EarMan takes about 1-2 minutes, only a fraction of a typical tutored lesson. All sessions are graded immediately and results are made available in the results section. Much more information and many screenshots are available here.

EarMan for Mac OS X is localized into Chinese, Dutch, English, French, German, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Portuguese, Spanish and Swedish and available at the App Store.

Sneak Preview: EarMan for Mac OS X

2011-04-19T08:03:00.000-07:00

EarMan for Mac OS X is still waiting to get reviewed for the App Store and while that takes its course we wanted to share one or two little tidbits about this new application. One thing we're excited about is the support for Dropbox - a really neat feature. This allows you to share your ear training progress between computers, i.e. you MacBook and a desktop machine at work.
The feature we're most excited about though is called subliminal hints. These are interval specific shapes that bloom across the UI in barely visible fashion while the ear training session progresses. This furthers the learning process by linking intervals to geometric shapes.

Stay tuned for the final release date - it will be announced here. For now there are a lots of screen shots available at our EarMan page.

AbaCruX Mac Edition Released

2011-03-16T13:58:00.000-07:00

AbaCruX is a luxurious implementation of the well-known game peg solitaire. The game features great graphics, full animation, sound effects and a great interface. Additionally AbaCruX keeps score in the form of five completion levels for each of the available puzzles that range from "attempt" to "fully solved". The latter is awarded only if a single remaining ball is left in the board's center. These solution levels are displayed in the puzzle selection list and can be reset. AbaCruX is available at the App Store.

Mozart for Macs Released

2011-03-11T15:53:00.001-08:00

Mozart is a program designed to aid in the process of learning how to read music. It does that in form of a game. For the first time this program is now available for Macs.
Once a game is started notes begin to stream from the right side of the screen towards the left. These notes have to be named in the order of their appearance with the current input instrument (i.e. piano). Once a note gets too close to the clef on the left side of the screen it disappears in a cloud of vapor and the player loses one life. For each note named in time the player gets one point or more depending on level. The further the game progresses the more notes will appear in this steady stream and their range will widen to potentially include many ledger lines above and below the staff. Once a player has depleted all his lives the game is over and he might receive a high score. There are 6 virtual instruments available including Piano, Guitar, Mandolin, Solfege syllables and more.
Mozart ME (Macintosh Edition) is available now from the Mac App Store.

Abalinio Mac Edition Released

2011-03-07T15:53:00.000-08:00

Abalinio is based on one of the old African Mancala games which have been around for hundreds of years. The name Abalinio is derived of the Spanish Abalón (Pearl). Like in chess and similar board games you and the Computer take turns. You must push 6 of your opponent's game pieces from the board to win. Game pieces are moved by selecting one of one's own game pieces and then tapping an empty field or other owned game piece next to it in order to indicate a direction. The new Macintosh edition features new graphics and layout for best game play and is available now in the Mac App Store.

Senet Deluxe 1.5 for Macs Released

2011-01-27T08:43:00.000-08:00

Senet is an ancient Egyptian race game and the predecessor of our modern Backgammon. Many pictures of the game and artifacts have been discovered and are displayed in Museums around the world. The commonness of these finds indicates that the game was very popular in its time.
This new Macintosh version brings this game home to your favorite computer featuring great graphics, a fully animated interface and game options for beginners as well as seasoned players. More information and screenshots are available on the product page. This great game is available now at the App Store.

Abalinio 1.0 Released for iPhone/iPod touch

2010-10-10T17:07:00.000-07:00

Abalinio is based on one of the old African Mancala games which have been around for hundreds of years. The name Abalinio is derived of the Spanish Abalón (Pearl). Like in chess and similar board games you and the iPhone or iPad take turns. You must push 6 of your opponent's game pieces from the board to win. Game pieces are moved by selecting one of one's own game pieces and then tapping an empty field or other owned game piece next to it in order to indicate a direction. An iPad version is in the works and will be released shortly.

BandMaster 1.5 Released

2010-09-06T16:23:00.000-07:00

BandMaster 1.5 iPhone edition as well as iPad edition add support for song libraries. These additional modules allow access to over 1100 Jazz standards (Songs_2 and Songs_3 will become available shortly for the iPad version). The chords menu has been extended to include many less common chord choices and has been rearranged using somewhat more logical groupings. Playback of songs has been optimized in this version and several cosmetic glitches have been addressed as well. This upgrade is free and recommended to all users.

24-Hour Labor Day Sale

2010-09-05T21:11:00.000-07:00

BandMaster, Mozart and ScaleMaster are reduced up to 50% for Labor Day, 2010. This sale ends on September 7th, 2010. To get the discount just go to the respective product pages on our website and click the "buy app" button in the upper right corner. Happy Labor Day ; )

ChordLab 1.5 Released

2010-07-07T17:32:00.000-07:00

ChordLab 1.5 iPhone edition and iPad edition have been released and are available now. While most improvements are "under the hood" and consolidate both platforms there is one major new feature that should come in quite handy. The new release features a sixth clef choice - TAB notation. TAB notation consists of a regular g clef adding a TAB diagram below the staff. This new feature can be very helpful for arrangers and piano players that want to make sure specific voicings are playable on guitar, but can also aid guitar players in getting a better handle on reading music notation. To get this free upgrade check your iTunes account for updates.

iPad Apps Update

2010-05-05T08:46:00.000-07:00

We are happy to announce that the majority of our iPhone apps are now also available for the iPad. You can find these titles on our new iPad page . Things are still in flux, so please excuse our appearance during this transition. All iPhone apps still remain at their usual place. Enjoy!

BandMaster 1.2 Released

2010-01-06T11:39:00.000-08:00

Version 1.2 marks an important stepping stone for BandMaster as it adds the possibility to install optional sound libraries. To facilitate this development the sound engine in BandMaster has been updated and several interface elements were added. An instrument picker is now available via toolbar button in the playback view. It assigns instruments to the 3 playback channels bass, drums and piano. Instrument settings are saved on a per-song basis. This opens up new and exciting possibilities for existing and new BandMaster users. Initially 5 sound libraries have been released - one bass and 4 piano (harmony) libraries are now available as In-App purchases ($.99). More libraries are soon to follow.

A quick video demonstration of the new sound libraries in BandMaster 1.2 .

BandMaster is available from the App Store.

BandMaster Blues 1.0 Released

2009-12-17T21:00:00.000-08:00

BandMaster Blues is a sneak preview of the application BandMaster and FREE. It contains 3 different Blues forms that can be transposed and played back at different tempi. BandMaster Blues also allows to adjust the volume of the 3 different instruments (bass, drums and piano). Running this app on your iPhone or iPod touch allows you to get a good idea of BandMaster's sound quality and overall performance. Like BandMaster, BandMaster Blues is localized into Chinese, French, German, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Portuguese, Spanish, Swedish and available from the App Store.

Happy Holidays

2009-12-16T09:24:00.000-08:00

Happy Holidays and all the best for the New Year. As a small gift for everyone TomatoRoll is free for the holidays. TomatoRoll is a a labyrinth roller game with some billiard influences and a great way to pass a couple of minutes here and there. Enjoy and have a great New Year.

BandMaster 1.1 Released

2009-12-11T05:38:00.000-08:00

BandMaster 1.1 features a new song form editor that supports clipboard functionality like copy/paste. The new editor has been rewritten from ground up and also adds beat insertion and animates edits. In addition version 1.1 adds landscape mode, improved playback, a choice of European or American chord notation and localizations for Korean, Chinese and Portuguese. BandMaster 1.1 is available from the App Store.

Sound Libraries Released for the iPhone/iPod touch

2009-11-16T10:33:00.001-08:00

In response to many requests seven Sound Libraries have been released for the applications ChordLab, EarMan , Mozart and ScaleMaster . These libraries are available as In App purchases and add 3 sound modules per library to the respective application. The Keyboard Pack for example includes the modules: Rhodes, Wurlitzer and Clavinet. All installed instruments are available via toolbar icon in the new instrument picker:

In order to take advantage of these new libraries, devices must run OS 3.0 or higher and the latest version of the respective applications. Note: Sound Libraries are not available via iTunes. Ordering takes place on the device itself by tapping the "+..." button in the instrument picker.

BandMaster 1.0 Released

2009-09-28T12:02:00.000-07:00

BandMaster is a first for handheld devices and a very unique application for the iPhone and iPod touch. In essence it provides a fully configurable virtual band consisting of bass, drums and piano. This makes it an extremely valuable tool for music students, professionals and hobbyists alike, in short anybody that needs a rhythm section, harmonic backing or just wants to practice playing over changes. It instills a great sense of form and can serve as a sounding board for composers and songwriters alike. Best of all - using BandMaster couldn’t be any easier.

New songs are typically created in two steps. To reduce the amount of data that needs to be entered BandMaster comes with many templates that include several Blues forms, standard Jazz forms, exercises and more. After having selected a template like “Simple Blues” for example one can then modify this song form further in BandMaster’s composition view. The composition view has tools to add and remove measures, transpose the entire form and change the meter. Chords can be edited on a beat or measure basis with the chord picker – no typing required. A Blues template could now become “Blues in Ab” after applying the transposition tool and renaming the template. It will then appear as such in the song list. But additional changes can be made at any time.

BandMaster uses a huge number of individual high-quality samples to construct a song’s playback and applies separate algorithms for each instrument based on harmony, speed and style choices. It automatically highlights B parts or bridges during 1st and last chorusses and allows for any combination of its three instruments in case no piano is needed for example. Under the hood several millisecond timers run in parallel to provide steady and exact timing that rivals that of any metronome. What really counts in the end however is the sound and that is where BandMaster truly shines. Whether you are listening with earphones or have your iPhone/iPod touch connected to a speaker system, you can expect clean and crisp, stereo imaged playback that sounds very realistic and convincing.

We believe that BandMaster is going to be a very valuable tool for many musicians in all matters that concern improvisation, composition and practice. There is nothing that beats the experience of practicing with a rhythm section or band, but BandMaster comes very close. Furthermore it provides the means to much better prepare for a live situation than is possible with just a metronome. Having this kind of application on a portable device presents new and exciting possibilities for any musician.

Features List:
• bass, drums and piano instruments
• high quality samples
• intuitive interface
• super fast song creation
• over 20 song templates
• supports all common chords
• different style selections
• up to 96 measures per form
• transposition tool
• adjustable time signature
• adjustable speed and number of chorusses
• Localized into English, French, Italian, Japanese, German and Spanish

TomatoRoll 1.0 Released

2009-07-11T13:59:00.000-07:00

TomatoRoll is an old-fashioned flat-surface roller game with a very unique twist. The goal is to sink all your tomatoes, red and green, but the red tomato has to be the last or you lose the round. Add to that 26 levels, 3 initial lives, a time limit of 20 seconds, a couple of walls, cages, cog-wheels, punchers and a whole set of gems to be retrieved while underway. The game is controlled using the iPhone's accelerometer, so the way you hold your phone determines where your game objects roll. Couldn't be any easier - unless of course you want to get to level 2.

Give it a try. TomatoRoll is very immersive with sound effects and a nice backbeat. But caution is in order. Due to the extreme addictiveness of TomatoRoll we had such a hard time wrapping up in-house testing of the game, that it is now being released 3 months behind schedule with one tester still unaccounted for. Don't say we didn't warn you.

TomatoRoll is available from the App Store for your iPhone or iPod touch.

ChordLab 1.0 iPhone Edition Released

2009-05-08T15:48:00.000-07:00

Harmony is a difficult and complex part of music theory with chord spelling and construction at its very basis. What is a chord? Is it C - E - G# or C - E - Ab? You like the sound of those four notes on your guitar, but is it a chord? And if so, what is it called? These are typical issues facing the creative musician when trying to bring a new song to paper. Music theory is often complex and correctly spelling a chord that may have sharps and flats, double flats or double sharps is not always easy. This is where the traditional chord books and apps become useless and ChordLab steps in.

ChordLab differs in its top to bottom approach that begins with a basic chord form which can then be put through permutations like inversions and different voicings. It features all the standard voicings commonly used in Jazz, Rock, Pop, and elsewhere. In that sense it serves as a color palette or sounding board that automatically generates valid fingerings for the piano and guitar in addition to the correct music notiation. The result is a much deeper and better understanding of the underlying principles of harmony.

The chord finder feature in ChordLab allows you to input 3 or 4 notes to determine their harmomic quality. ChordLab will always find the enharmonically simplest solution and does not require you do know whether a note is called G# or an Ab. C-Gb-Bb-D for example will resolve to a D aug7 chord with a correct spelling of C-F#-A#-D. This is especially useful for guitarists that seldomly encounter chords in root position due to the tuning of the instrument.

Another essential tool found in ChordLab is the Circle of Fifths which is implemented interactively. It not only allows to look up key signatures for major and minor, but all major modes like dorian, phrygian, etc. Additionally ChordLab displays degree structures for a key in standard Roman numerals. This is extremely useful when putting together chord progressions.

Putting music theory into words often makes it sound overly complex. Chords are color and nobody would say that red or blue are complicated. ChordLab is not an application that shows you 1000 different colors. It is an application that lets you work with colors, identify them, make them brighter, darker, less complex, more complex and then shows you how to play them. It is very a unique tool for musicians, song-writers, professionals and music students and one that you will find yourself coming back to again and again.

Features:

- chord spelling for all common chords found in fake books (i.e. Real Book)
- chord finder finds correct chord descriptions for triads and seventh chords
- music notation and textual representation of chord tones
- fingering display for piano and guitar
- alternate fingerings for guitar where avaiable
- alto, bass, tenor, treble clefs and grand staff
- all possible inversions
- all standard voicings
- automatic reduction to 3 or 4 voices
- automatic root and fifth substitution
- key signatures for all major modes (circle of fifths)
- degree structure in Roman numerals for all major modes (circle of fifths)
- high quality piano samples
- arpeggiated playback

ChordLab is available from the App Store for your iPhone or iPod touch.

ScaleMaster 1.5 for iPhone and iPod Touch Released

2009-04-07T18:13:00.000-07:00

Scales are elementary to all musicianship. They provide flavor and harmonic structure, but are at the same time fairly complex. ScaleMaster is designed to help in several key areas concerning scales. It lists over 100 scale types in all keys and shows them in music notation. There are four different clefs available (treble, bass, alto and tenor). Additionally scale degrees are shown qualified by the interval to the root. To help visualization there are four virtual instruments (bass, guitar, mandolin and piano). These virtual instruments feature overlays that can show scale degrees or position of a note in the current scale and can be shifted to all available positions.

Scale and root selection in version 1.5 have been joined into a half-screen dialog that updates the notation display live and allows to play scales immediately before dismissing the window. Version 1.5 also introduces a new streamlined interface with larger controls for the 4 virtual instruments. An added lock function allows to lock the interface with only the current instrument interface remaining active. Playback has been optimized and and extra option to add an octave to the end of each scale has been added.

Designed for the beginning musician as well as the professional, ScaleMaster is an excellent tool towards advancement in theory and scales in particular, making it easy to look up a scale in seconds, getting a taste of the flavor of a particular scale by listening to it, or finding out how to play it on one’s instrument.

EarTester 1.0 Released

2009-04-02T07:22:00.000-07:00

EarTester is a free companion application to EarMan. It tests your ear training skills at a proficiency level achieved when completing the EarMan curriculum. Intervals are automatically replayed when a wrong guess is made and are sounded together with a maximum range of 6 octaves. In addition the replay button in the toolbar can be used. EarMan considers 80% as a passing grade, but you might want to aim higher. EarTester uses the same high quality samples that are used in EarMan and also displays intervals in music notation.

EarTester is available from the App Store for your iPhone or iPod touch.

EarMan 1.0 iPhone Edition Released

2009-03-25T08:05:00.000-07:00

A good ear is the key to all musicianship. One of the most basic skills for any musician is the ability to correctly identify intervals, something that is practiced in class or with a private tutor. EarMan is a program that helps you practice ear training on the go. This is an affordable, no-nonsense application that can help you improve your skills with a structured curriculum and fully customizable practice sessions. Completing a training session in EarMan takes about 1-2 minutes, only a fraction of a typical tutored lesson. All sessions are graded immediately and results are made available in the results section of the EarMan.

Main Features:

Structured Training Program with 105 Sessions

Fully Configurable Quick Sessions

High Quality Samples

Music Notation

Silent Mode (for Practicing Intervals Visually)

Interval Songs as Mnemonic Aid

Calm Interface

Incorporation of Complementary Intervals

Selectable Playback Range and Direction

Automatic Grading of Sessions

Detailed Reports

Localized into English, French, Italian, Japanese, German and Spanish

Much thought went into the design of this application. There are high resolution playback samples, a "calm interface" designed to keep you focussed on the sound, interval songs to help memorize the base intervals, but above all EarMan is meant to be a constant companion. Like many things ear training needs to be done on a regular basis to truly yield results and that makes EarMan an ideal application for the iPhone.

EarMan is available from the App Store for your iPhone or iPod touch.

Destaller 3.5 Released

2009-01-30T10:54:00.000-08:00

Destaller Pro 3.5 has been released. This is a maintenance upgrade providing better compatibility and fixing several small issues. This upgrade is available immediately and recommended to all users. ProPack has also been updated and is now at version 2.6.

Almond 1.0 iPhone Edition Released

2008-11-15T05:30:00.000-08:00

Almond is a dictionary for musical terminology. It includes over 1400 listings, 200 illustrations and is designed to deliver short and concise definitions. In addition to most common phrases in music today also standard Italian and German terminology is included. Musical terminology is often confusing to beginning as well as advanced students and even teachers often prefer to have a reference handy. This is mostly due to the melange of languages used where one score will have remarks in German while the next piece is annotated in Italian. Almond also covers the entire field of music and is not limited to a style or to only classical music.

In Almond's unique three-step access, most often the main description plus inline illustration is available directly from the main screen. Tapping an entry displays the details view that often contains additional information regarding a specific term. To widen a definition Almond additionally features convenient links to Google and Wikipedia which can be accessed through the buttons in the toolbar. These buttons are "pre-loaded" with the current search term and will launch Safari with the results for the search term in either Google Defines or Wikipedia. This three-step access allows quick access to data even if not connected to the internet or when data transfer needs to be kept to a minimum and only takes one additional tap to access the full resources of the internet to do a deep search for a specific musical term.

Anybody involved in music, student or professional, has at some time or another used dictionaries, tables and other ways to look up musical terminology. Even the experienced performer will occasionally have had a score with just one or two completely unknown annotations. With Almond this is now a problem of the past. Almond is available here and from the App Store on your iPhone or iPod touch.

Mozart 1.0 Released for iPhone/iPod touch

2008-10-18T09:42:00.000-07:00

We are happy to announce that after many months of hard work Mozart has been released for the iPhone. You can view some videos and screenshots on Mozart's homepage.
Mozart is a program designed to aid in the process of learning how to read music. It does that in form of a game. Once the game is started via the toolbar or menu a stream of whole notes comes streaming from the right side of the screen. These notes have to be named in the order of their appearance with the current input instrument (i.e. piano). Once a note gets too close to the clef on the left side of the screen it disappears in a cloud of vapor and the player loses one life. For each note named in time the player gets one point or more depending on level. The further the game progresses the more notes will appear in this steady stream and their range will widen to potentially include many ledger lines above and below the staff. Once a player has depleted all his lives the game is over and he might receive a high score.

Designed for the beginning musician as well as the professional, Mozart is an excellent tool towards better reading in 12 minor and major keys, practicing, Solfege or unfamiliar keys or just to have fun while learning. You can get Mozart here and also from the AppStore on your iPhone.

ScaleMaster 1.0 Released for iPhone/iPod touch

2008-09-15T15:26:00.000-07:00

Scales are elementary to all musicianship. They provide flavor and harmonic structure, but are at the same time fairly complex. ScaleMaster is designed to help in several key areas concerning scales. It lists over 100 scale types in all keys and shows them in music notation. There are four different clefs available (treble, bass, alto and tenor). Additionally scale degrees are shown qualified by the interval to the root. To help visualization there are four virtual instruments (bass, guitar, mandolin and piano). These virtual instruments feature overlays that can show scale degrees or position of a note in the current scale and can be shifted to all available positions.

Designed for the beginning musician as well as the professional, ScaleMaster is an excellent tool towards advancement in theory and scales in particular, making it easy to look up a scale in seconds, getting a taste of the flavor of a particular scale by listening to it, or finding out how to play it on one’s instrument. You can get ScaleMaster here and also from the AppStore on your iPhone.

Destaller 3.4 Released

2008-09-10T12:47:00.000-07:00

Destaller Pro adds support for the Treo Pro as well as improved file navigation. On devices with 5-way buttons the left/right buttons can now be used to page scroll the applicaiton's table in the left hand column of the main screen. The up/down arrows now employ line scrolling.
All bundle containing this title have been updated as well.

ScaleMaster 1.5 for Palm OS Released

2008-09-09T11:52:00.000-07:00

ScaleMaster 1.5 includes a variety of minor fixes. In addition it supports the Treo Pro and adds graphic indicators for notes located on open strings for the bass, guitar and mandolin instruments. This update is available immediately and recommended to all current users.

AbaCruX 1.0 Released for iPhone/iPod touch

2008-09-02T16:24:00.000-07:00

AbaCruX 1.0 has been released for the iPhone/iPod touch and is available from your iPhone or Apple's App Store. The application has been redesigned from ground up to better fit the iPhones capabilities and features exquisite animation in 3D, but see for yourself. Stay tuned for more ports to this exiting new platform.

Senet Deluxe 1.0 Released for iPhone/iPod Touch

2008-08-01T12:12:00.000-07:00

Senet Deluxe 1.0 has been released for the iPhone and is available at your iPhone or Apple's App Store. The applicaion has been redesigned from ground up to better fit the iPhones capabilities and features exquisite animation in 3D and new soundtrack. We are looking to port more of our current titles to the iPhone in the coming months.

Destaller Pro 3.3 Released

2008-07-23T07:54:00.000-07:00

Destaller Pro fixes 2 cosmetic issues on older devices like the m505 and m515. Also the background engine has been updated to better support SD/MMC cards bigger than 1 gig where device configuration allows it. All bundle containing this title have been updated as well.

ScaleMaster 1.2 Released

2008-04-10T07:12:00.000-07:00

ScaleMaster 1.2 includes a variety of minor fixes and full support for expanded Sound Library playback. The latter offers the application-specific settings that were introduced with the last Sound Library updates. This upgrade is available immediately and recommended to all user.

Destaller 3.2.2 and BackUp 1.8.2 Released

2008-04-03T08:14:00.000-07:00

BackUp Pro 1.8.2 and Destaller Pro 3.2.2 have been released.The upgrade adds fixes for some minor issues with the Centro.This upgrade is available immediately and recommended to all users. ProPack has also been updated and is now at version 2.3.

Destaller 3.2 Released

2008-03-14T07:47:00.000-07:00

Destaller Pro 3.2 has been released.This upgrade provides improved compatibillity as it has been compiled with Palm's recently released new SDK. This upgrade is available immediately and recommended to all users. ProPack has also been updated and is now at version 2.2.

New Sound Library Functionality for Music Apps

2008-03-06T08:19:00.000-08:00

When originally developing the Sound Library concept for Mozart the popularity of this feature was not anticipated. Since then four other applications have been enabled to use Sound Libraries. Until now a selected library was globally active for all these applications. These new releases change that and all applications using Sound Libraries (ChordLab 2.5, EarMan 2.1, DaCapo 5.1, Mozart 3.7, ScaleMaster 1.1) have been updated with a new feature that allows individual Sound Library settings on a per application basis. Upgrading is recommended for all current users. Music Bundle 6.9 and Music Bundle Gold 2.4 have also been released and reflect the new updates.

ScaleMaster 1.1 Released

2008-02-15T11:03:00.000-08:00

ScaleMaster 1.1 fixes several smaller cosmetic issues. Additionally it features improved Sound Library handling which should speed up the loading of files. This upgrade is recommended to all users.

Destaller 3.1 Released

2008-02-11T11:54:00.000-08:00

Destaller Pro 3.1 has been released.This upgrade improves file operations overall. Additionally the main interface was simplified and the Preferences dialog streamlined. A cosmetic issue affecting the Treo 680 has been resolved and Hexview now features customizable display colors.

This upgrade is available immediately and recommended to all users. ProPack has also been updated and is now at version 2.1.

EarMan 2.0 Released

2008-02-07T10:50:00.000-08:00

Ear Training on the GO!

BackUp Pro 1.8 Released

2008-01-21T12:03:00.000-08:00

BackUp Pro 1.8 adds support for Palm's new Treo 680 patch and some speed enhancements. The update is available immediately and recommended to all current users. Pro Pack has been updated as well to version 2.0.2.

ChordLab, DaCapo and Mozart Updated

2008-01-14T07:41:00.000-08:00

Music Bundle 6.7.2 and Music Bundle Gold 2.2.2 have been released with updates to ChordLab, DaCapo and Mozart. These new releases reflect a minor change in the Sound Library module for these applications. Additionally there was a small fix in Mozart improving performance on the Centro.

Destaller Pro Updated

2008-01-02T08:52:00.000-08:00

Destaller Pro 3.0.1 has been released with several minor bugfixes. This update is recommended to all users and reflected in all bundles containing this title.

New Sound Libraries Released

2007-12-23T11:38:00.000-08:00

Sound Libraries can be used with the applications ChordLab, DaCapo (tuning pitch only), EarMan, Mozart and ScaleMaster. The newly added bundle Sound Libraries 03 includes the instruments: Orchestra, Organ and Xylophone. Sound Libraries 04 includes: Clarinet, Oboe and Trumpet.

ScaleMaster 1.0 Released

2007-12-18T11:01:00.000-08:00

Scales are elementary to all musicianship. They provide flavor and harmonic structure, but are at the same time fairly complex. ScaleMaster is designed to help in several key areas concerning scales. It lists over 100 scale types in all keys and shows them in music notation. There are four different clefs available (treble, bass, alto and tenor). Additionally scale degrees are shown qualified by the interval to the root. To help visualization there are four virtual instruments (bass, guitar, mandolin and piano). These virtual instruments feature overlays that can show scale degrees or position of a note in the current scale and can be shifted to all available positions. Any scale can be sounded out using RoGame’s Sound Libraries (Palm OS 5.0 and higher only) or the built-in synthesizer.

Designed for the beginning musician as well as the professional, ScaleMaster is an excellent tool towards advancement in theory and scales in particular, making it easy to look up a scale in seconds, getting a taste of the flavor of a particular scale by listening to it, or finding out how to play it on one’s instrument.

Over 100 listed scales
Realistic playback sounds
Notation display with accidentals
All keys
4 clefs
4 virtual instruments (bass, guitar, mandolin, piano)
Shiftable fretboard/keys
Interval and scale index overlays
Easy navigation with hard keys
Online help

Several Small Updates

2007-12-07T08:47:00.000-08:00

Music Bundle 6.7.1 and Music Bundle Gold 2.2.1 have been released with updates to DaCapo, EarMan and Mozart. A minor issue in DaCapo causing graphic remnants on the Zire22 has been fixed. EarMan 1.4.3 adds improved support for Sound Libraries and an issue in Mozart causing accidentals not to be displayed on some devices was fixed.

Mozart 3.5.1 Released

2007-11-22T09:27:00.000-08:00

Mozart 3.5.1 fixes a scoring issue on older Tungsten handhelds and resolves a cosmetic issue with transparency on some devices. This upgrade is recommended to all registered users and is reflected in all bundles containing Mozart.

Destaller 3.0 Released

2007-11-17T07:09:00.000-08:00

Destaller Pro 3.0 has been released featuring improved file handling, speed and several new features. The applications table can now be extended to full screen width and shows additional information in the extended view. Another feature is the new Preferences files editor which displays all preferences currently residing on a device. A Hex Viewer has been added as well and is available for all files residing in RAM. Last but not least is the new Install History. This is a file typically kept throughout the lifetime of a device and keeps track of all installed and deleted files as long as Destaller is used exclusively for deletion. Internally Destaller also uses this information to better identify preference files and unassociated data.
This upgrade is available immediately and recommended to all users. ProPack has also been updated and is now at version 2.0.

Mozart 3.5 Released

2007-11-09T10:08:00.000-08:00

Mozart 3.5 has an improved graphics engine and adds the ability to leave and return to a paused game. Several minor issues were addressed as well.This upgrade is recommended to all registered users and is reflected in all bundles containing Mozart.

DaCapo 5.0 Released

2007-10-26T08:42:00.001-07:00

DaCapo 5.0 offers many improvements. Processor load has been reduced for better battery performance. There are now universal settings for Form, Click and Tuning pitch which allow to override all presets, but leave all original preset settings intact. On devices with image support (i.e. Treos) the background for the application can now show a user defined graphic like a band logo. To graphically better support this the interface is now color neutral. DIA support has been added for tall devices like the LifeDrive to allow a full-screen interface. DaCapo's internal sounds have been streamlined and several additions made. It is now possible to use Sound Libraries for tuning pitches and new devices like the Centro are supported. All bundles containing DaCapo have been updated as well. We hope you like the new DaCapo. A demo is available here .

Music Bundles Updated

2007-09-28T07:07:00.000-07:00

Music Bundle 6.4.1 and Music Bundle Gold 1.9.1 have been released with updates to all applications with additional support for the Treo 750. These updates are available immediately and recommended to all.

Games Bundle 2.7 Released

2007-09-18T08:01:00.000-07:00

Games Bundle has been updated to version 2.7. AbaCruX, Abalinio and Senet Deluxe have been updated as well and are available for download immediately. These updates are recommended for all current users.

Music Applications Updated

2007-08-11T06:52:00.000-07:00

Applications using our Sound Libraries (ChordLab, EarMan, Mozart) have been updated as well as all bundles containing these. Changes are pretty much under the hood and address a loading issue on older devices and memory usage. These updates are available immediately and recommended to all.

Mozart 3.3 Released

2007-07-31T06:39:00.000-07:00

Mozart 3.3 adds some improvements in rendering on older devices, enhanced compatibility on the Treos 650 and 680 and better background processing. This upgrade is recommended to all current users. All bundles containing this titles have been updated as well.

Pro Pack 1.7.5 Released

2007-07-12T07:45:00.000-07:00

Pro Pack 1.7.5 has been released. Destaller Pro and BackUp Pro add improved compatibillity for the Treo 755p and better performance . The upgrade is available immediately and recommended to all registered users.

Music Bundle 6.2 Released

2007-06-30T09:01:00.000-07:00

Music Bundle 6.2 has been released with updates to all applications with enhanecd support for the Treo 755. Updates to the applications Almond, DaCapo, and Mozart are also available.

Games Bundle 2.6 Released

2007-06-08T06:07:00.000-07:00

Games Bundle has been updated to version 2.6 with added support for the Treo 755p. AbaCruX, Abalinio and Senet Deluxe have been updated as well and are available for download immediately. These updates are recommended for all current users.

Music Bundle 6.1 Released

2007-05-27T09:01:00.000-07:00

Music Bundle 6.1 has been released with updates to all applications anticipating the release of the Treo 755. Most changes are to the underlying code structure for increased stability. This update is recommended to all users. Updates to the applications Almond, DaCapo, and Mozart are also available.

Pro Pack 1.7.3 Released

2007-05-17T09:30:00.000-07:00

Pro Pack 1.7.3 has been released and offer various small bug fixes in Destaller Pro and BackUp Pro. The upgrade is available immediately and recommended to all registered users.

Mozart 3.1.3 Released

2007-04-23T05:56:00.000-07:00

Mozart 3.1.3 includes several small fixes and is recommended to all current users. Playback pitches for several keys have been corrected. Also two graphic adjustments were made and several spelling mistakes were corrected in the German version. Also updated this week were Almond, ChordLab and EarMan with adjustments to serialized application settings.

Music Ed Titles Updated

2007-04-07T06:21:00.000-07:00

Almond, ChordLab, EarMan, DaCapo, and Mozart have been updated to include several improvements. Some small graphical glitches were fixed in Almond and DaCapo's timing was further improved with fewer instructions between beats. Additionally Sound Libraries are handled better in ChordLab, EarMan and Mozart. Also, there were some minor interface changes in the latter. All bundles containing these apps have been updated as well.

Music Applications Updated

2007-03-12T07:46:00.000-07:00

Almond, ChordLab, DaCapo, and EarMan have been updated as well as all bundles contianing these titles. Most changes involve minor cosmetic fixes and background performance. Also, DaCapo's micro timing was improved and Almond's launch time is now at least 15% faster. These updates are available immediately and recommended to all.
A $10.00 discount for Music Bundle Gold is available until 3/19/2007. Details and coupon code are available here.

Mozart 3.1 Released

2007-02-22T10:36:00.000-08:00

Mozart 3.1 has been released and is available immediately. This version adds a number of small fixes but also adds a couple of new features. It is now possible to input pitches from open strings in the string instruments. Also, mandolin has been added to the input instruments and playback has been improved on TX devices. This upgrade is recommended to all registered users and is reflected in all bundles containing Mozart. There are still a couple of days left in the current Music Bundle promotion available from our homepage.

DaCapo 4.5 Released

2007-02-16T10:27:00.000-08:00

DaCapo 4.5 improves on preset switching, adds several new sounds and enhances playback on most devices. Some cosmetic issues have been addressed as well as overall handling. This upgrade is recommended to all registered users and is reflected in all bundles containing this title.

SilkScreen updated for Treo 680

2007-01-31T08:00:00.000-08:00

SilkScreen has been updated to version 3.7.4 to better support the Treo 680. This version supports assigning Home to the home key on the 680 to start regular launchers and hinders the device from powering up when the home key is pressed. Utilities Bundle has been updated as well to include this new version. The update is available immediately and recommended to all.

BackUp Pro and Destaller Pro Updated

2007-01-30T08:23:00.000-08:00

Backup Pro and Destaller Pro have been updated to better support the Treo 680 and also add several smaller fixes. All bundles including these applications have been updated as well. These updates are recommended to all and are available immediately.

Abalinio and Senet Deluxe Updated

2007-01-17T09:54:00.000-08:00

Abalinio and Senet Deluxe were updated to fix a couple of small cosmetic issues as well as an improvement for generating stats in Senet. Additionally backward compatibility for older handhelds was improved. Games Bundle has been updated as well to reflect these changes. These updates are available immediately and recommeded to all.

Almond, DaCapo and EarMan Updated

2007-01-15T10:01:00.000-08:00

Several music applications have been revised: Almond, DaCapo, and EarMan and all bundles including these titles. Several cosmetic details were fixed in Almond. DaCapo has been revised to run smoother on Treo 680s and for EarMan a fix was added to address an issue with complementary interval sets on some devices. These upgrades are recommended for all and are available immediately.

EarMan 1.0 Released

2006-12-13T08:44:00.000-08:00

Ear Training on the GO!

One of the most important skills for musicians of any kind is the ability to correctly identify intervals by ear. Ear training is therefore a substantial building block in music education. Practicing this skill happens mostly during class or with a private tutor and takes quite some time. With EarMan students are now able to take these lessons when and where they like. The program can be used as a full curriculum by itself or in addition to the lesson plan. The application fully supports RoGame sound libraries and comes with the outstanding grand piano library. EarMan grades ear training sessions and keeps track of progress made. It is the most patient teacher and allows to squeeze in a brief session while waiting for the bus or the tea water to boil.

In regular practicing mode EarMan allows the selection of interval sets, range and length of session. Sessions are then started via the toolbar buttons and proceed until the end of the test set. At that point results are tallied, graded and displayed. Most of the time a student will use this mode to target specific areas and to slowly improve. The curriculum mode on the other hand doesn’t allow any of the above selections and proceeds sequentially. The first curriculum session is always the interval set of seconds with a one-octave range. A curriculum session must be completed with a grade of ‘B’ or better to be added as evaluation. If so, the next curriculum session will be one testing thirds in a one-octave range and so on.

Any kind of flashiness has been avoided in the interface for EarMan for obvious reason – focus on the sound. Great attention has been paid towards one-handedness. When using one of the newer Palm branded handhelds, the 5-way navigation button can be used to navigate and enter answers during test sessions.

The methodology as implemented in EarMan has been designed by music professionals with great attention to detail. The inclusion of three sets of complementary intervals is one example and the use of unisons to “clean the palate” another one. The curriculum is designed to slowly enhance confidence and proficiency while addressing all intervals and increasing the range. Music teachers will find this to be an excellent tool to complement lesson plans and any musician will find EarMan a surprisingly effective tool to keep improving their mostly treasured tool – the ear.

Features Recap: Realistic grand piano sound, Notation view, Session Timer, Graded practice sessions, Complementary interval sets, Compound intervals, Playback modes, Built-in curriculum, Compatible with RoGame sound libraries, Toolbar interface.

EarMan is available by itself and as part of Music Bundle Gold

Almond 3.0 Released

2006-11-27T08:31:00.000-08:00

Almond 3.0 brings a much improved interface with a larger text area for definitions and a new toolbar. The toolbar features browser-like forward and backward arrows and a browse history menu to the find field. An Edit menu has been edit for more selective copy/paste operations. The database has been redesigned and now supports links and adds many new terms and graphics. This upgrade is recommended to all users. Music Bundle and Music Bundle Pro have been updated to incorporate Almond 3.0.

Sound Libraries 02 Released

2006-11-10T06:51:00.000-08:00

Sound Libraries 02 provide three new sound modules for the applications Mozart and ChordLab. These are Distorted Guitar, Acoustic Bass and Vibraphone. They can be purchased here or from our website and are priced at $4.95 for the bundle. Additional libraries will be made available over time as well as new applications using them.

Music Applications Updated

2006-11-02T10:12:00.000-08:00

New updates are available for the applications ChordLab, DaCapo and Mozart. Primarily these updates feature some small changes to the Sound Library interface and several fixes of cosmetic issues. These updates are recommended to all and are available immediately. All bundles containing one or more of these applications have been updated as well. Additional sound libraries for ChordLab and Mozart are now available here.

Sound Libraries 01 Released

2006-10-19T10:27:00.000-07:00

Sound Libraries 01 provide three new sound modules for the applications Mozart and ChordLab. These are Flute, Saxophone and Acoustic Guitar. They can be purchased here or from our website and are priced at $4.95 for the bundle. Additional libraries will be made available over time as well as new applications using them.

Games Updated

2006-10-10T08:50:00.000-07:00

The board games AbaCruX, Abalinio and Senet Deluxe have been updated. The new releases address several minor cosmetic issues and add improved compatibility with all current Palm OS handhelds. Games Bundle has been updated as well. These updates are recommended for all current users.

ChordLab 2.0 Released

2006-09-22T12:48:00.000-07:00

ChordLab 2.0 offers several new features, most importantly the capability to play back chords as block chords on devices with Palm OS 5.0 and higher. To do this ChordLab 2.0 uses RoGame's new Sound Libraries (01_GrandPiano.pdb is included). Chords can now be played arpeggiated, as block chord or even both in succession. The application also has been reduced in size and has a volume control. Several graphical improvements were made, some small bugs fixed and compatibility with current Palm OS handhelds has been improved. This release is recommended to all current users. Music Bundle Pro has been updated as well.

Destaller 2.8 Released

2006-09-15T06:13:00.000-07:00

Destaller Lite/Pro 2.8 has been released. It adds a new utility to switch screen resolution globally on a device and a couple of small and cosmetic fixes. This upgrade is available immediately and recommended to all users. All bundles containing this title have been updated as well.

Mozart 3.0 Released

2006-09-07T12:10:00.000-07:00

RoGame Software has released the third generation of their music education program Mozart. While the basic concept and premise of the program has not changed there are many new features and improvements.

Mozart is a program designed to aid in the process of learning how to read music. It does that in form of a game. Once the game is started via the toolbar or menu a stream of whole notes comes streaming from the right side of the screen. These notes have to be named in the order of their appearance with the current input instrument (i.e. piano). Once a note gets too close to the clef on the left side of the screen it disappears in a cloud of vapor and the player loses one life. For each note named in time the player gets one point or more depending on level. The further the game progresses the more notes will appear in this steady stream and their range will widen to potentially include many ledger lines above and below the staff. Once a player has depleted all his lives the game is over and he might receive a high score.

With version 3.0 Mozart can use new sound modules from RoGame Software. These are part of a sound library that will be made available in other music education titles as well. The game includes a Grand Piano module that sounds very realistic. Palm OS 5.x is needed for playback of these new sound modules and playback is asynchronous on many devices like the newer Treos, which makes for a very realistic game experience.

Over the years also many music professionals have used Mozart mainly to improve the reading of unfamiliar keys. Version 3.0 adds key signatures which makes Mozart an even more valuable tool for the student as well as for the professional. A real boon, however, is the option to have the notes of the current key signature highlighted graphically in the current instrument. The Solfege instrument now works according the “movable DO” principle and the letter input instrument changes note names according to key. A toolbar button to switch between parallel major and minor makes this concept very transparent.

Another new feature in Mozart 3.0 are ranges. This concept has been implemented very broadly and allows for different ranges in every clef and instrument. By allowing the student to adjust the range of notes that can appear in a practicing session games can be better targeted towards specific weaknesses.

Graphically the application is much improved in version 3.0. The instruments are laid out in much broader fashion and are easier to use. The notation area can be customized to change background patterns and staff color. The new toolbar, which also serves as status display during games, is very easy to get used to and provides quick access to all essential dialogs and functions.

Previous users of Mozart will find many more new features in version 3.0 than can be described here. There is a new bass instrument. Solfege syllables can be switched to use Si instead of Ti. Sessions can be repeated. The game speed can be adjusted globally and is now constant, and much more. If you are involved in music in any capacity be it as student or teacher or professional, you want to take a look at this application. Get the demo and give it a spin.

Mozart is available by itself and as part of Music Bundle and Music Bundle Pro

BackUp Pro and Destaller Pro Updated

2006-08-28T09:37:00.000-07:00

BackUp Pro/Lite and Destaller Pro/Lite have been updated as well as any packages containing the applications. While this is a maintenance release, the update is recommended for all users. Background processing in BackUp Pro/Lite is improved and several small fixes were added to Destaller Pro/Lite including a fix for a bug that affected the display of preferences files.

New Utility Updates

2006-08-08T09:45:00.000-07:00

Many new updates are available today featuring important runtime enhancements and improved compatibility for current devices. These include Destaller 2.7.2, SprayPaint 3.7, and SilkScreen 3.7. All bundles including these applications have been updated as well.

Destaller 2.7 Released

2006-07-05T11:02:00.000-07:00

Destaller Lite/Pro 2.7 have been released. The table selection feature in this version has been extended to display additional information (i.e. version, size, mod. date). This feature is activated when tap-holding an item in the applications table. Also, the Type field in the toolbar has been replaced with a version field. The applications table also shows panels, but that information is now available via table selection. This upgrade is available immediately and recommended to all users. ProPack has also been updated and is now at version 1.5.

Music Applications Updated for Treo 700p

2006-06-19T11:05:00.000-07:00

Almond, ChordLab, DaCapo and Mozart have been updated for the Treo 700p and are available for immediate download. These updates are included in Music Bundle and Music Bundle Pro. All updates also include some minor bug fixes and are recommended to all users.

Destaller Pro and SilkScreen Updated for Treo 700p

2006-06-09T13:31:00.000-07:00

Destaller Pro and Silkscreen have been updated to support the Treo 700p. Packages containing these applications have been updated as well. The price for a one-year upgrade subscription for SilkScreen has been lowered to $4.95 (reg. $8.95) until 6-15-200. Per request this offer has also been made available to those whose upgrade subscription is still current..

DaCapo 4.0 Released

2006-06-02T15:26:00.000-07:00

DaCapo 4.0 has been released and is available for immediate download. The application is now fully preset based which means that all relevant settings are adjusted on a per preset basis. A new song form wizard allows for quick selection of common song forms and meters as well as customized form settings. New sound samples and background choices have been added and a new tap input form allows to tap along to a piece of music to determine its speed. A form info section has been added to the main screen and performance has overall been optimized. Music Bundle and Music Bundle Pro have been updated as well.

Games Bundle Updated

2006-05-08T09:41:00.000-07:00

Games Bundle and the individual applications AbaCruX, Abalinio and Senet Deluxe have all been updated to better support current hardware configurations. This is a maintanance upgrade and recommended to all users. Downloads are available from our main site and download accounts. A coupon code (CPN3754343928 ) for a $3.00 discount for Senet Deluxe is also available for our eSellerate store until mid May.

Destaller Pro 2.5 Released

2006-05-05T10:01:00.000-07:00

The new release of Destaller Lite and Pro 2.5 features a much expanded info panel that shows more detailed memory information, including DbCache status for NVFS devices. Additionally several small issues have been resolved. This update is available immediately and recommended to all users.

New Coupons

2006-05-01T16:54:00.000-07:00

New coupon codes have been released for Almond, BackUp Pro and Senet Deluxe. These are available from our homepage and vary between $5.00 to $3.00 off the regular retail price. Additionally some coupons are available for upgrade subscriptions and are available to registered users from their respective login pages.