Solfeggionation: freeware OSX program musical typing of Gregorian pitches.
  • bgeorge77
    Posts: 190
    Hello,

    I wrote this program to fill a gap I saw:

    http://www.box.net/shared/zg87vhsvdp

    The program is called Solfeggionation. It allows the student of chant to quickly tap out the pitches of a Gregorian chant without having to figure out how the scale is supposed to map onto a piano keyboard. Also, it allows transposition of the pitch. You can mouse click directly on the Gregorian note, or you can type the key substitute below. (It's pretty clear when you start it up what you're supposed to do.)

    I have found this program to be very helpful to me, I have been able to figure out chants that I don't think I otherwise would have been able to figure out.

    The program is compatible with Mac OS 10.4 and higher. I offer it freely, as long as it is not resold.

    Please comment if you like it, or even if you don't.

    AMDG,
    Ben George
    Solfeggionation OSX.zip
    230K
  • RagueneauRagueneau
    Posts: 2,592
    I cannot wait to try this out!!!!!

    I just have to wait until I have a free second. I am very slow Re: these type of technical things.

    THANK YOU!
  • Aristotle EsguerraAristotle Esguerra
    Posts: 1,186
    My only suggestions would be to add (1) the option of a woodwind, string, or perhaps even the "choir ooh"; and (2) the option to output sounds on a lower octave (for men's voices to match a unison rather than an octave). Both could probably be done using radio buttons or a toggle.

    Otherwise, excellent in its simplicity. Thanks :¬)
  • bgeorge77
    Posts: 190
    Thank you for your ideas Aristotle, to clarify:

    1. I have it in my plans to add organ and woodwind etc soon, I think it will be easy.

    2. When you say octave, I take it you mean playing at the same time as the other note? (Cause you can go down an octave now by transposing -12.) I like the idea of simultaneous higher or lower octaves. That would be quite easy to add.
  • RobertRobert
    Posts: 343
    I downloaded this program and it's fantastic. The simplicity is perfect, the interface totally intuitive.

    This would make a great iPhone app...
  • orourkebr
    Posts: 57
    Brilliant! Thank you!
  • bgeorge77
    Posts: 190
    Heh, way ahead of you Robert ;)

    Hopefully sometime before the end of this year.
  • WJA
    Posts: 237
    Is there any way to run this Mac app on a PC?

    Yes, I know Macs are better, Bill Gates is wicked, etc.

    WJA
  • bgeorge77
    Posts: 190
    Hey WJA,

    As of now I have no plans to port it to PC. Not a case of Macs being better, it's just that I don't know how to code on a PC, and also the development tools are free on Macs.

    But perhaps if a resourceful PC coder can be found, I will share notes with him.
  • noel jones, aagonoel jones, aago
    Posts: 6,611
    You are, from now on, known as Sir bgeorge77, knighted for an absolutely fantastic piece of software.

    What were you thinking/doing when this came to you, Sir bgeorge77?
  • bgeorge77
    Posts: 190
    I was thinking "Man I hate firing up Garage Band just to use the Musical Typing thing, and also, I have no practice in mapping and transposing Gregorian scales onto the piano keys."

    Please spread news of this program far and wide, I really believe that it can help people. Are there any other forums that I should be posting this on? Or other sections of this forum? Repost this at will!
  • bgeorge77
    Posts: 190
    I attach a screenshot for those curious.

    By the way, the program is very simple and completely self contained, it doesn't spread files all over your system.
    Solfeggionation Screenshot.jpg
    67K
  • chonakchonak
    Posts: 9,216
    I wasn't able to view that; I think the forum software doesn't handle JPEG attachments quite right. If you can convert it to a GIF image and re-post it, that might succeed,
  • bgeorge77
    Posts: 190
    Thanks chonak, GIF attached.
    Solfeggionation Screenshot.gif
    22K
  • chonakchonak
    Posts: 9,216
    When I download either file, my PC receives it with an extra byte at the very beginning, an LF character (ASCII 10). This prevents the file's header being recognized, so I can't display the files. But if I take that extra byte out, the image is fine. So I was mistaken about this being a matter of just JPEG files or GIF files. It's happening with both. I'll have to ask for tech help from Aristotle, who maintains the forum software.
  • bgeorge77
    Posts: 190
    Uh oh... wow, when I try to DL the attached zip file from the first post it gets corrupted as well.... The BOX.net one works fine, use that link folks!

    Looks like the forum software is corrupting the files.
  • Aristotle EsguerraAristotle Esguerra
    Posts: 1,186
    No solution comes up readily; for the time being I'll have to disable image attachments altogether. So if you want to share an image, upload it to another server and supply a link to it from here. Apologies to all.
  • bgeorge77
    Posts: 190
    Does anyone have an alternate suggestion for a name for this program? I'm not totally happy with "Solfeggionation."
  • RagueneauRagueneau
    Posts: 2,592
    How about, "THE COOLEST THING IN THE WORLD" ??
  • orourkebr
    Posts: 57
    Can somebody re-upload this? Thanks!

    Edit: Nevermind.
  • Adam WoodAdam Wood
    Posts: 6,482
    MACS only?! sad...

    This seems awesome (if it does what I think it does). I was thinking the other day how needed something like this is.
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