I recently discovered a new app I wanted to share with everyone as it has helped me tremendously. It’s in the App Store for like $4. No idea who created it, but it shows you a layout of all the notes on the harmonica, and then through your microphone as you play, it highlights the notes you are playing. You can select different keys, you can record, and it also color codes the accuracy of the note played for the intonation.
In the B2B Course Module 2, I was struggling to hear, learn, and know if I was playing the right notes for the chords (for example, when trying to play different double stops, I may be aiming for 45, but I’m hitting 34, 345, 45 or 456. As you play the notes, this tuner tells you what you’re playing and you can see if it’s correct! I’ve been using it to play double stops and single notes so I can learn the correct sound, position, etc. and get more consistent with the tone and feel. For bends, you can actually see your bends as they happen and know when you are hitting the right note!
Anyway, I’m not a salesman! I just stumbled upon the app and thought it may help some of you as much as it has me.
Hello @pnicholas1967 and @toogdog,
yes, it is in the Google Play Store. I’ve been using them for a long time. Especially at the beginning to learn the right note when bending or overblows.
Good stuff. These tools are helpful. Just remember ultimately we want to train our EARS and not our EYES. So these tools are GREAT at the BEGINNING to help us get started, but they should be like training wheels, and come off eventually.
And this is where using (cello) drones come into the mix. Start with the tuning apps, then gradually add in the drones and you are on your way! The tuning apps have their place and will always be used in various ways. But using a drone is much closer to the situation of playing with other musicians, just without the distraction of too many other sounds. And the cool, relaxing, meditative feeling is perfect for getting into the relaxed playing mode (for those out there who tend to “tense up” while playing).
I found a Japanese software (the software has an English interface) looking at a French harmonica lesson on YouTube ( I know) which is a very light Auto Tuner for wind instrument (at first made for Japanese shakuhachi flute).
It is the 3rd download in this page: https://shaku6.com/software.php
in the section “Sound color analyzer and Tuner for shakuhachi”.
There is no need to install the software. You can just extract the ZIP file and launch it. This can be useful to practice bend, overblows, etc.
I know @Luke has a “Bent it better” tool, but I find this tool also cool. You can:
you can adjust the frequency to your harmonica at the start
display the score
record what you are playing and check the notes after
you can see if the note is correct if it is in the meter blue zone
In the “Instrument(I)” menu, choose the last option “CDE/do.re.mi”, in the menu “Option(O)” select “Notation C D E(C)” and make sure the key is set to C (at the bottom right)
And the cool, relaxing, meditative feeling is perfect for getting into the relaxed playing mode (for those out there who tend to “tense up” while playing).
I know) which is a very light Auto Tuner for wind instrument (at first made for Japanese shakuhachi flute).