This is an ear-training tool called Melodic Dictation Trainer. It will help you identify melodic patterns and remember them too. It’s playable using a computer keyboard (for speed), as well as the on-screen controls (using your mouse or trackpad). From rhythm recall through to pitch recognition, it’s all there in this tool.
At the top of the interface, you will find difficulty settings labeled Easy, Medium, and Hard. Tap them to change how difficult each challenge are. The easy modes present shorter phrases with easier intervals. Longer and more complex patterns as well as subtle pitch offsets is found in hard modes. Off-beat rhythms can throws a wrench into things too. Next to these buttons are your score, streak and experience points. Below this is a progress bar that indicate how far through current level you’ve gone.
How to Use the Melodic Dictation Trainer
The round controls sits below the difficulty control. The Listen button is where you hear target sound or melody that you’re asked to study. You can hit this repeatedly to listen again to the material. The Reveal button shows answer if you get stuck. The new challenge button resets what you’ve input, and begins a new exercise. There is also a Clear button that removes your input so you can begin again. There’s also a volume slider to allow you to adjust the audio to a more comfortabley level.
Your own interactive surface are displayed in main area. Depending off whether you choose to play in melody or harmony mode this shows a row of scale degree buttons with empty slots where you click the degree button to place them. Alternatively, you may type numbers from 1, 8 into the empty slot using the number keys of your keyboard. Press the Play my answer button to hear what you have entered. The Check phrase button check your selection against target.
If you’d rather skip the mouse, there are some keyboard shortcuts that smooth out the process. The Space bar plays/pauses the audio. To start a new challenge, press N. To see the answer, press R. If you make a mistake, press Escape to clear it. Backspace deletes the previous entry in melody mode. Tab/Enter toggles cells on/off the grid in rhythm mode.
The range of tools available depends on the type of challenge. For example, in modes, you see a wheel showing both a piano and a set of options; tap the button (or keys 1-7) that matches the mode you are learning. In interval mode, it’s a grid used to pick an interval quality. In bass, it’s a diagram of the fretboard to click on note(s) to play. And in the tuning mode there is even a mic button to detect your pitch live.
The Fullscreen button on the header enlarges the work space area. More of the interactive elements, and their associated visual displays, fits into the screen. A How to play button triggers a help panel containing detailed explanations about the rules and keyboard mappings for each type of challenge. Keyboard mappings and the rules is spelled out here.
Speed isn’t important here; consistency is key. Aim for a streak. Guess if you don’t know, but use that reveal button for learning opportunities. Accuracy and momentum earn you those sweet experience points. Increase the difficulty as you sharpen your skills. Listen to some challenges first in Easy mode so that you get the flow. Try Medium or Hard next and see how far you can go.
When you press on the New challenge button, the widget will be ready to go. Have fun and train your ear.