SolFa Mode-Go-Round Lite2.1 - App Store

A unique musical instrument. An interactive music theory medium. An amazing solmization machine. All in one. Choose tonic and mode. Watch the keyboard change. Play and listen to the "do re mi fa so" singing. Follow the tutorials. Play and grasp music!

The keyboards:

The app features a diatonically oriented round keyboard and a chromatic piano keyboard. Like the scale, the former is circular resp. spiraled.

* You can play it from all directions. With friends, too! You can play a canon together and go around the keyboard.

* There are only 7 keys per octave, similar to the white keys of the piano. This makes it easy to improvise nice melodies and chords.

* Choose a tonic and mode. There are 12 tonics and 7 modes (church modes resp. major/minor), thus 84 configurations.

* The keys have labels for scale degree, note name and solmization syllable. The labels and sounds depend on the current configuration. A beam angel displays the positions of the diatonic tones in the chromatic scale and their step pattern.

* Change the key. The ordering of the 84 configurations make related configurations easy to reach. Simply add a single alteration sign, shift the whole scale by a half tone step, switch to related church modes or jump directly to your destination.

The sounds/mixer:

The keys trigger pre-recorded solmization syllables (do, re, mi, fa, so, la, ti) and/or instrument sounds.

* Freely mix vibraphone and solmization sounds.

The music theoretical playground:

The app is based on Thomas Noll's Tonkreisel exhibit. Please, see also his mathematical-music-theoretical topics, examples and tutorials for this app!

* Get a fine feeling for the character differences between the diatonic scales Major (Ionian), natural Minor (Aeolian) and the church modes Dorian, Phrygian, Lydian, Mixolydian and Locrian.

* Understand how they are interrelated.

* Hide visual guides to test your knowledge.

Solmization:

The syllables depend on the pitch, the chosen tonic/mode configuration and the solmization method.

* We visually and aurally support absolute solmization (Fixed-Do), relative solmization (Movable-Do) and scale degree solmization.

* Play notes, hear the solmization syllables and sing. Try it in different modes.

* Use the app as a Rosetta Stone of solmization.

Differences between the Lite and Free version:

* The Free version shows ads and hourly ask you to buy another version.

Extended features of the Full version (MIDI SolFa Mode-Go-Round):

* This app both produces and receives MIDI notes and control commands.

* Notes are displayed on the keyboards. You can visually distinguish notes from different channels.

* Selectively connect to other apps and devices, e.g. another SolFa Mode-Go-Round, a MIDI piano (via adapter), sequencers, keyboard apps and use Garageband sounds.

* Simply record tracks, export, import and play midi files.

* Use the channel-based filters and settings. tune into specific voices and hear MIDI recordings analytically.

* Improvise (with guidance) a four-part counterpoint canon note-by-note.

* Additional solmization voice Bruno.

* Install arbitrary instrument sounds.

Still not convinced?

Find documentation, background information and tutorials on the Tonkreisel and SolFa Mode-Go-Round website!

Have fun and let the mode go round!

Requires iOS 5.1 or later. Compatible with iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch.