EarMaster - Music Theory

The pitch recognition algorithm used in EarMaster is terrible for baritone voice. For one, it maps unpitched vocal transients to pitches, but worse, it misidentifies non-octave vocal harmonics as the sung pitch which obviously results in poor scores for correctly sung notes. Very frustrating. Regarding the Solfege add-on, which i recently purchased, the solution for the pitch identification problem given in the EarMaster forum is to sing every note as “eee…e” (the vowel sound in “key”). While this improves pitch recognition, it breaks the important training association between the solfege symbol (do, re, mi, …) and the scale location of the sung note. It’s like selling someone a bicycle, then telling them it can only be ridden on one street or the chain will fall off. Per the forum, EarMaster has known about this problem for at least a year. Until the pitch recognition algorithm is fixed, beware of EarMaster exercises and add-ons that depend on pitch recognition, particularly if you are a baritone. If the exercise depends only on listening to tones, EarMaster has a deservedly good reputation.

It’s an extremely useful app, I can see an obvious improvement after about three weeks of using it. I’m currently using the exercises (after purchasing the bundle). It’s really worth the money imho. One thing I’ve noticed though that I didn’t like so far is in the Chord inversions exercise when I make a mistake whether it was an augmented chord and not a diminished one, it logically should show the difference between the different chord types for the SAME key in my opinion and not based on the first note you hear. Or is there some kind of a setting where this can be changed? Otherwise, so far, I’m a very happy user. I use it daily for 45-60 minutes doing two rounds of each exercise type in my current exercise set.

I never write reviews. This is my first ever. But when an app comes along that changes the way I practice, helps the way I teach, and provides a new way of hearing music, I couldn’t help but do a review. The exercises are so well thought out, and have so much to offer both the complete beginner and the most world class musicians alike. Being an instructor at Nashville Music Academy, I can say this app has developed my ear and my students ear to a level that would have taken many more years to develop, if at all, without it. Do yourself a favor, take the step, make the commitment to complete all the exercises, and watch yourself grow as a musician like you never thought possible. Albeit this is a tool, and what you do with it is up to you, but through this training you can truly take the phrase “if you can hear it, you can play it” to heart. Thank you to the entire EarMaster team.