RoGame Software Releases ScaleMaster 2.0

Scales are elementary to all musicianship. They provide flavor and harmonic structure, but are at the same time fairly complex. ScaleMaster is designed to help in several key areas concerning scales. It lists over 100 scale types in all keys and shows them in music notation. There are four different clefs available (treble, bass, alto and tenor). Additionally scale degrees are shown qualified by the interval to the root. To help visualization there are four virtual instruments (bass, guitar, mandolin and piano). These virtual instruments feature overlays that can show scale degrees or position of a note in the current scale and can be shifted to all available positions. ScaleMaster 2.0 is now available at the App Store.

In version 2.0 ScaleMaster's layout has been optimized greatly to provide a much larger viewing area and displays up to two rows of music notation. Scale's can now be viewed in any direction or combination thereof. In single row setting up or down ScaleMaster now indicates semitones for all intervals. Also new for the iPhone version is landscape view which allows for a larger instrument area - 7 frets for the guitar, bass and mandolin instruments and over 2 octaves for piano. The center screen toolbar adds two buttons to adjust notation and instrument view detail respectively.

ScaleMaster 2.0 adds a completely new facility called chord matching. With chord matching one selects chord symbols in the matching picker to display a list of all scales that include the complete chord as scale tones. ScaleMaster's notation view then shows chord tones in red and regular scale tones in black. On play the entire scale is played with the chord at the end. Chord matching comes in very handy when trying to determine which scales to use in improvisation and gives a number of alternatives to one's go-to scale choices.


The scale picker in ScaleMaster has been re-designed as well and now adds color coding as well as type display directly in the picker. Additionally there is now a rating feature with 6 steps from no rating to 5 stars. That makes it a little easier to remember one's favorite scales and adds a visual reminder. Scale ratings are displayed in the main view just above the instrument view.

Typical use of ScaleMaster includes a fair amount of work with the virtual instruments (bass, guitar, mandolin and piano). For a larger playing area ScaleMaster now also supports landscape orientation. Turning the iPhone on the side automatically adjusts the app's notation view into single line mode, but maintains any setting from portrait mode. With the exception of the scale direction switch, all dialogs like scale picker, chord matcher or settings view are available in landscape mode. Amongst other improvements are revised instrument graphics, support for left-handedness in all stringed instruments and additional included sound libraries for the iPhone version.

ScaleMaster has become a staple app for many musicians and has seen many updates since its original publishing date in 2008. Version 2.0 adds considerable value to the app and is being released as a free upgrade to all current users. ScaleMaster is available in English and German localizations.

Features:
* 105 scales
* Virtual bass, guitar, mandolin and piano instruments
* Alto, bass, tenor, treble clefs
* Adjustable positions for all instruments
* Adjustable tuning for all string instruments
* Lockable interface
* Supports landscape orientation
* Semitone indicators
* Scale rating
* Scale type indicator (i.e. pentatonic)
* Support for left-handed players
* chord/scale matching
* 4 scale views (up, down or 2 combinations)
* Displays note names, scale index or degree
* High quality samples for each instrument
* Support for sound libraries
* Academic discounts available
* Localized into English and German


Pricing and Availability:
ScaleMaster 2.0 for the iPhone or iPad cost $9.99 USD (or equivalent amount in other currencies) and is available worldwide exclusively through the App Store in the Music category. Educational discounts as well as a limited number of teacher copies are available.

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