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! :)
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.
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!
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...
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.
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?
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.
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.
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?
@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...
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...
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.
To participate in the discussions on Catholic church music, sign in or register as a forum member, The forum is a project of the Church Music Association of America.