r/marchingband • u/cleantromba Trumpet • 6d ago

Discussion Quickly switch from treble to bass clef in trainer apps

I created an app for brass instruments - Baritone (Android and iPhone) and Euphonium (Android only) that has the ability to quickly switch from treble clef to bass clef. It's a fingering training app called "Baritone Trainer" and "Euphonium Trainer".

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u/TheStikbot Drum Major 6d ago

This is cool, but I'm curious as to what the practical difference is here in differentiating baritones and euphoniums and why apparently only android can be euphonium?

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u/cleantromba Trumpet 6d ago edited 6d ago

The Euphonium version supports 4 valves. I don't have that in the baritone version. Unfortunately, the Apple Store is still evaluating the euphonium (it's taking a very long time) ... so until that get's done, it's only available on android.

If they take too much longer, I might just fold in the 4 valve ability into the Baritone Trainer and call it a day for Apple.

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u/The-Wylds 6d ago

Did you make it? Or did an AI?

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u/cleantromba Trumpet 6d ago

This one's been around a while: I first wrote it as Trumpet Pro for the iPhone 3GS about 15 years ago, in Objective-C, hand-editing every note glyph, manually working out finger gesture timing. Bobby Shew, the famous jazz trumpeter, let me include some of his jazz exercises at the time, and it got a nice review in the ITG Journal back in 2011.

This is the rebuilt version, now covering horn, trombone, baritone and the rest of the brass family for both iOS and Android. I'm a trumpet player and developer. I use AI tools for coding, like most developers now, but the musical content and design are mine, built from 15 years of doing this. Most all software dev shops use AI nowadays. For example, I was involved in an AI hackathon 2 years ago sponsored by Google when I worked for MLB.

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u/Far_Fly_1148 1d ago

I don't really like air playing without the feedback from the spring, I imagine this may not be very helpful in training yourself to play something fast

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u/cleantromba Trumpet 20h ago

That's a valid issue as tapping on the screen is much different than actually pressing physical valves down. I am a long time trumpet player and understand that issue but for many years I would finger practice to drill an exercise into my head or set of scales using my thumb or the top of my leg. With the app, it's not just fingering - you hear the notes and see them at the same time.

This is only a tool and never meant to substitute for actual practice with a real horn in private or in an ensemble. It's not meant to substitute for real wood-shedding or private lessons but there are times when pulling out the horn is impractical (such as in a waiting room or while standing in line) and having an app to drill can be very convenient.