Tech Review: Quality Tones App
I always enjoy coming across apps that can make me a better and more efficient brass player. Recently, an app creator contacted about a product that will play a drone of random pitches with the intent of helping the musician strengthen their attack on these randomly selected notes.
Quality Tones (QTones) is an app created by Spencer Park, a professional horn player with the Houston Grand Opera and Houston Ballet Orchestras.
Overview
Taken from the app’s website, Qtones “will train you to play any note, in any range, in any dynamic, beautifully and consistently. It is a method that has been proven to dramatically help brass musicians of all levels develop a more beautiful sound and a more consistent and accurate level of playing.”
Often times, brass players have difficulty attacking the beginning of a certain note (Bolero, anyone?). Sometimes, this is a result of not hearing the pitch before attempting to play the note. With Qtones, the user is able to practice a random order of notes to strengthen ear training and general playing.
A Walk-Thru
When the user firsts open the app, you can choose your specific instrument. Once the instrument is selected, you are encouraged to click the info button in the top right-hand corner t0 receive a better experience with the features of this app.
After clicking “Start Session,” you may play the first indicated note. By pressing the play button, you allow the randomizer to automatically change notes for you. By pressing pause, you can work on a certain individual note. When satisfied with your sound, simply swipe to the left to move to the next random note.
With a session on the automatic, random feature, the notes go by a little too quickly – unless a fermata is placed over a note. With the preset features, you are able to play a wide variety of notes with each note have a different marking. Sometimes, you may play a half-note at pp, while other times you may play a sixteenth note at ff. By visiting “Customize Session,” you are able to work on many specific areas in your playing.
Even though a metronome is not building in this app, another app such as Tonal Energy Tuner does stay open while using the QTones app.
Overall Impression
At first use, I was slightly hesitant with the app due to some of the above-mentioned features. By spending more time with the app, I began to see its benefits such as endless, random notes. Where I really began to see its benefits was when I using the app with students who were having issues on recognizing pitches then trying to match those same tones. Almost instantly, pitch recognition increased for them.
Quality Tones is an important addition to the development of ear training for brass players. This app is a very useful tool for helping a student or professional in nailing a note the first time!
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