Square Note Gregorian Chant App
  • Just released a new chant app for iOS and Android, designed for chant aficionados, and those desiring to learn more about it. Square Note has Mass Propers (for both the OF and the EF), full Kyriale, and a small selection of various hymns and antiphons. Lots more planned and in the pipeline.

    Organized by liturgical celebration, full search text, dynamic playback, zoom in and out, works well on small devices, and shines on iPads/tablets. Early adopters get it for 50% off, at USD $2.99. Enjoy! :)

    IOS: https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/square-note-gregorian-chant/id1180469174

    Android: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=org.marello.squarenote
  • BenBen
    Posts: 3,114
    I'm not sure if it's just me, but the android link is broken.
  • David DeavyDavid Deavy
    Posts: 105
    Downloaded the iPad version this morning very nice, would like to see the Requiem Mass added.
  • Thanks Ben, I think the link is fixed now.

    David: coming very soon. Thanks!
  • David DeavyDavid Deavy
    Posts: 105
    Thanks Father, hopefully the Requiem will be EF?

  • Hi David: yes.
  • Priestboi
    Posts: 155
    Thanks so much Fr Spencer! I'm having so much fun with this. I wish I had this when cantoring for the Latin Mass back home. Don't get me wrong - a LU or GR is wonderful to have, but not everyone has access to the necessary chants for under $5.

    If you are open to some suggestions that may improve UX, please let me know via PM.
  • rogue63
    Posts: 410
    Excellent! Beautiful! Well-rendered! A very useful tool, indeed. The future of Gregorian chant.

    Perhaps this will spur some discussion about the different resources we all use. Obviously, most of us are not singing straight from the LU every Sunday, but an app like this begins to make Latin propers more accessible. Of course, pronunciation guides, actual recordings, interpretive differences, etc., are beyond the scope of this kind of app, but that world is now suddenly accessible. Imagine, asking choristers to buy the app, bring phones/tablets to rehearsal, and walking them through the material, step by step. Hats off to the Fathers Spencer!
  • What a wonderful app! Happy to buy it and support your work.
  • stulte
    Posts: 355
    Father, I just purchased and downloaded the Android version of the app and am very impressed with what's included. Visually, it's very appealing and intuitive to use. I very much like the bookmark feature and how it's easy to re-arrange their order. The search feature is very helpful as well.

    Regarding a few chants I'd like, will there be a future update to the app to include the Asperges and Vidi Aquam? Another nice-to-have feature would be to be able to swipe left or right to move from one chant to the next rather than having to go back to the menu. Lastly, while I realize this would be a significant undertaking, would it be possible to have (even as an in-app purchase) the EF Divine Office? Having it arranged so as to make chanting the D.O. idiot-proof would be simply amazing.

    I'm going to share this app with the members of my schola (and encourage them to purchase it) as well as my pastor.
  • Thanks all, grateful for the positive feedback and any and all constructive criticism too.

    Priestboi: just sent you a PM

    rogue63: I agree. This app is just a small contribution to a much larger effort to make sacred music more accessible and approachable. Lots more to do on many fronts!

    stulte: Yes, we'll be including more parts of the Mass, we're having to investigate copyright issues on some things, but it's high on our list. Swipe left and right: coming very soon actually! ;) Good idea about the Office too, we'll have to explore that...
  • donr
    Posts: 971
    Great work Father. I downloaded the App for my I-Pad and are encouraging others to purchase it. I look forward to using it with my small schola and chat classes this summer.
  • ClemensRomanusClemensRomanus
    Posts: 1,023
    Fantastic app! Might want to check your above line text on the Alleluia Veni, Sancte Spiritus in the Pentecost Mass During the Day.
  • PaxTecum
    Posts: 314
    Love this! Used it today for communion Antiphon at OF vigil mass for 5th Sunday of Lent
  • bhcordovabhcordova
    Posts: 1,164
    Just downloaded it! Thanks, Fr. Spencer!!!!
  • rogue63
    Posts: 410
    Another possible feature:

    The Order of Mass/responses/dialogues/acclamations? A good starting point for introducing the whole idea.
  • donr
    Posts: 971
    If I may make a couple of suggestions. It would be helpful (to me anyway), if the app would revert back to C when you move to a new chant.

    Also can you increase the volume on whole app or add an attenuation feature. Its a little to soft from my I-Pad speakers.

    thanks, So far I love this app. Great work.
  • Wonderful work, Father Spencer!
  • Really neat!
  • matthewjmatthewj
    Posts: 2,700
    I told my staff singers about this today and I think 6 of them bought it while we sat there. I think I should probably get a referral fee. :-)
  • Used this to sneak in the communion antiphon without anyone noticing or calling me out for it lol

    Great app, it's gonna make my life a lot easier when quickly trying to fiddle through chants which I don't have.
  • Thank you all!

    rogue63: Hoping to have ordinaries in there very soon.

    donr: Thanks for the ideas. I'll see what I can do about volume, should be simple to amp that up a bit. See below regarding pitch.

    matthewj: Would an extra prayer count!? :)

    Casavant Organist: Nice!

    Regarding pitch. Square note has to convert solfege values to notes for playback. The algorithm I'm using to do that is based on finding the best natural range for the user rather than trying to simply map 'do' to C, 're' to D, etc. Instead, when pitch adjustment is at the default, then the (unflatted) space at the center of the staff line is mapped to G. All note values are calculcated from there based on clef placement, flats, etc. Pitch adjustments move this up and down by a semitone.

    The benefit of doing it this way is that once you find a pitch adjustment that matches your natural singing range (I'm a bass and -3 is comfortable for me when I'm practicing), then no matter what chant you go to, that pitch adjustment should be comfortable. The disadvantage is that the actual notes played might vary, so tapping them out on a piano or a pitch pipe makes it difficult unless you can transpose on the fly.

    With that said, if there's a better way to do it, I'm open to ideas! Or maybe indicating the actual note being played might be helpful?
    Thanked by 2tomjaw donr
  • LenaH
    Posts: 34
    Love, love, love this app! Thanks Father Spencer. I will encourage my schola to download it too, maybe even require it!
  • CHGiffenCHGiffen
    Posts: 5,193
    Where's the version for a Windows phone?
  • chonakchonak
    Posts: 9,216
    Probably nowhere: as of late 2016, Windows phones are 0.3% of the global mobile market. Android is in almost 82% of phones; iOS is just under 18%.
  • CHGriffen: yes, sorry, chonak is right, the marketshare for Windows Phone is under 1% and dropping, just can't justify creating and maintaining the app on a platform with such a small user base at this point.
    Thanked by 1CHGiffen
  • VilyanorVilyanor
    Posts: 388
    Any way for playback to be done in just intonation or pythagorean tuning?
  • Vilyanor: technically I think it would be possible to support alternate tunings, though I'm not sure how much work it would be to implement. Let me look into it, and if it seems feasible, I'll add it to our wishlist of features. Thanks for the idea.
    Thanked by 1Vilyanor
  • I've just downloaded the app (Android version) today and have been playing around with it. It's very clearly and attractively laid out - great work! As a chant singer who sings regularly on Wednesdays and Holy Days, as well as Sundays, are there any plans to add other feasts or ferias? As a start, could we possibly have the propers for Spy Wednesday on the app? I see that propers for other days of Holy Week and Easter are there but not for Spy Wednesday.

    Anyway, I'm looking forward to trying it out! Thanks for launching this app. :)
  • Fr. Spencer, thank you so much for publishing this app! I was afraid it was an April Fool's joke... I've purchased the app via Google's Play Store and am checking it out now!

    None of the salicus markings are showing up for me in the chants, but the ictus markings are.

    They are now...

    Would it be possible to have the screen move with the playback cursor?
  • Just got a couple of peeps from my schola to get the app; it really is wonderful.
  • matthewjmatthewj
    Posts: 2,700
    Have you considered adding the scores of the Gregor & Taube Graduale restitutum to this collection? Let's add some controversy to the app.
  • tomjaw
    Posts: 2,782
    @matthewj I think the scores come from Gregobase and the Gregor & Taube Graduale have not yet been added.
  • @KittyMalkin: We have ferial Masses on our list, though we're adding chants in order of priority of liturgical place and how many people have requested them, and so far our priority list for the first major update will include: improving the Sanctorum, ordinaries in Latin, Requiem mass, Commons, more hymns. But hopefully with time we'll get to all requests...

    @BluePhantom: Thanks for spreading the word!

    @matthewj: ;)
  • I just wanted to revive this thread now that I have tried the App: it is a fantastic tool !!!
    https://squarenote.co/
    Any music director complaining that their singers cannot sight read, or that too many hymns are being composed, can now fix those problems easily AND give Pride of Place to Gregorian Chant (this app all but makes the "all things being equal" obsolete) AND follow the degrees of participation as instructed in Musicam Sacram:
    Just tell your volunteer choir members to play on their cell phones more often when they are not at rehearsal, specifically this App, and switch to singing everything from the Roman Gradual...

    Great work!! Thank you @Fr. Matthew Spencer
  • JesJes
    Posts: 576
    I ♡ this app.
    Thanked by 1CHGiffen
  • I can attest that I have personally used this app a number of times when I needed chants at Mass. I appreciate this work very much.
    Thanked by 1CHGiffen
  • GerardH
    Posts: 462
    I also heart this app. Now how fantastic it would be if Fr Weber's propers could be included as a paid-for add-on?!
    Thanked by 1marymezzo
  • francis
    Posts: 10,825
    With my newly acquired iPad Air this app rocks. Used it for a Rorate Mass this morning. The bookmarks let you create a playlist which scrolls from introit to ite. Thank you Fr. Spencer.

    Wondering if you can set the zoom level for each individual bookmarked selection in advance.
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