ZanySaxophone - 'The beginners practice app' is a tool to help students learning to play the saxophone. Ideally, it should be used in conjunction with professional tuition, supporting practice outside of lessons. 

Key Features

• Unique, simple, single page app designed to help beginners practice while learning to play the saxophone
• Works in a browser on most devices - no apps to install
• It's free to use and used by students around the world
• Helps with practicing scales and fingerings
• Learn to play fun tunes quickly
• Choose between front or rear view of the keys
• Metronome to help keep in time, with control over tempo, allowing you to do things at your pace
• Aware of alternative fingerings
• Can speak instructions and information
• Can play the sound of the notes
• Shows the notes and scales on a stave
• Can be used with USB or Bluetooth footswitch, allowing the scales to be started and stopped without the need to touch the screen
• New improvements and features coming all the time

How to use it

There are 4 main elements to the app, the saxophone keys, the stave and notes, the info and command bars.

Everything is controlled from the command bar, which is always the bottom line of the screen. The info bar sits just above the command bar.

Starting with the Cog, Settings button ...

The first line is all about the scale that you want to work with. Click the Scale button and click and the scale you want to work with. The From and To note selection, allows you to focus on a range of notes. This is very useful, particularly when starting off, as you might want to focus on just a few notes. Whatever is selected on this first line, determines which scale and notes the app will work with. 

The second line is all about the metronome. When playing a scale, the metronome counts in a number of beats (Intro Beat) allowing you time to pick up your sax and get confortable. After the introduction, you can control the number of beats between each note (Play beats), so you have time to position your fingers. As you improve, you can reduce the time between notes.

The third line is for features you may wish to be on or off. Allow Tones, determines whether or not the app plays the tone assosiated with each note. Allow Speech determines whether the app speaks to you with, instructions and general information. 2nd Sax determines whether a smaller set of sax keys are shown, which displays alternative fingerings for any given note.

The 4th line allows you to select your sax with the Instrument button. Depending on the instrument selected, it will change the note transposition ensuring that the note played sounds as your sax would. Keys View determines your view of the keys, either looking from the front of the sax or from the rear. The Spacebar button allows you to select the effect of the spacebar being pressed. It can either start / stop playing the scales, activate voice commands, or simply do nothing. If used with a USB or Bluetooth foot pedal, it can allow you to control the app without the need to touch the keyboard. You can therefore place the app in your music stand, and use your foot to control whats happening. 

Going back to the command bar

and working left to right ....

The Dice button will generate a random note within your selected scale/note range. The idea is that you click the keys required to play the requested note. You can click alternative fingerings as well, since the app knows about these. When you have selected the keys, if you press the next Eye button, and the app will tell you if you are right or wrong. You can try as many times as you like, or simply just click the Dice to generate another note.

The next set of 4 buttons is about the scale. You can make a temporary change to the selected scale, by clicking on the Scales and selecting the required scale. If you click the green Play button, the app will start a countdown, and start playing the notes from your selected scale. Once clicked, the button will become a red Square, indicating the scales are playing. If you click it again, the scale will stop. This feature can be controlled by the spacebar, or by a USB/Bluetooth foot pedal. The next 2 buttons allow you to manually go Down / Up the scale, using the scale/notes you have selected in Settings. We have covered the Settings button previously. 

The next Mail button, allows you to send me an email. It also has a link to the ZanySaxophone website and Facebook pages. In addition, while the app is free, you can opt to buy me a coffee from time to time, if you are finding the app useful.

The Microphone, when enabled (not in iOS), will allow you to control the app with speech. If you click it, the Microphone will go red, indicating that the app is listening. While listening, if you clearly say Start or Stop, the scale will start or stop accordingly. Saying a number, 10 for instance, will cause the slider next to the microphone to adjust to that number. You can also use your finger to move the slider. The slider controls the number of beats in bewteen each note. If you change this while the scales are playing, it will take immediate effect.

On the info bar, above the command bar, the app will tell you which random note has been selected, which scale is selected, whether the app can speak to you and if you want the tones to be played. Green means yes, and red means no.

If you have any ideas or suggestions, please email me through the app.

Coming Soon

• More scales to choose from
• Simple tunes to practice based on your selected scale / notes
• While playing scales, preview the next note
• Tools for teachers to link through the app to your students
• Buy preconfigured foot pedals through the app
• Other instruments including flute, recorder and clarinet
• Colour themes for the background and key colours