Guitar Focus
Detailed App Info:
Application Description
Beautiful, minimalist visualization tool for guitarists to learn scales in the context of chords - the scales' modes*. Available scales are: Diatonic, Harmonic Minor and Melodic Minor. *Note that I'm not talking here about the modes seen as differents tonal center of a scale, but only as the different sets of intervals in a scale based on each one of its degrees.
The harmonic identity of the notes you play over a chord (or while implying one in chord-melody), is their interval in relation to the chord's root. This is what this app shows you, it helps you see the true "color" of notes instead of a "one fit for all" series of scale degrees or notes names that you play blindingly without knowing what quality a note have in the actual context.
There's two fretboards so you can practice over chord changes, and the notes are visually 'weighted' (styled differently) according to their importance - chord tones, pentatonic complements, and the last 2 that complete the scale. You can change these visual weights, to put emphasis on a particular extended chord (the styles for each mode are remembered). There's also a moving and resizable middle bar controlling a mask that let you focus on a small region of the fretboard. In addition to the names of the modes - which are just labels to differentiate them - you have the scale degree, written as functional chord symbol (roman numeral).
You can also:
• Unlink the two boards for a different key/scale for each one;
• Scroll up to the 24th fret;
• Hide notes on a string and highlight the string, to practice with open strings (if the open note is possible);
• Choose one of 12 colors as a fretboard's color theme.
Some features are not implemented yet, but coming soon:
• Real notes or scales' degrees (Roman numbers) instead of mode degrees;
• Change the intervals style (2,4,6 instead of 9,11,13);
• Alternate/Custom tunings;
• Backing tracks to practice over (atmospheric pads);
• And more!
The harmonic identity of the notes you play over a chord (or while implying one in chord-melody), is their interval in relation to the chord's root. This is what this app shows you, it helps you see the true "color" of notes instead of a "one fit for all" series of scale degrees or notes names that you play blindingly without knowing what quality a note have in the actual context.
There's two fretboards so you can practice over chord changes, and the notes are visually 'weighted' (styled differently) according to their importance - chord tones, pentatonic complements, and the last 2 that complete the scale. You can change these visual weights, to put emphasis on a particular extended chord (the styles for each mode are remembered). There's also a moving and resizable middle bar controlling a mask that let you focus on a small region of the fretboard. In addition to the names of the modes - which are just labels to differentiate them - you have the scale degree, written as functional chord symbol (roman numeral).
You can also:
• Unlink the two boards for a different key/scale for each one;
• Scroll up to the 24th fret;
• Hide notes on a string and highlight the string, to practice with open strings (if the open note is possible);
• Choose one of 12 colors as a fretboard's color theme.
Some features are not implemented yet, but coming soon:
• Real notes or scales' degrees (Roman numbers) instead of mode degrees;
• Change the intervals style (2,4,6 instead of 9,11,13);
• Alternate/Custom tunings;
• Backing tracks to practice over (atmospheric pads);
• And more!
Requirements
Your mobile device must have at least 10.58 MB of space to download and install Guitar Focus app. Guitar Focus is available on iTunes for $2.99
If you have any problems with installation or in-app purchase, found bugs, questions, comments about this application, you can visit the official website of Jose Roux at http://sublimeid.com/guitarfocus.
Copyright © 2014 José Roux
