EarMaster likes to mess with my guitar fingerings! :?

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brett.gildersleeve
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Joined: 02 Dec 2005, 12:08
Location: Boston, MA

EarMaster likes to mess with my guitar fingerings! :?

Post by brett.gildersleeve »

Hi. I just bought the latest version of EarMaster, and have been using it for a while. I play guitar, and I prefer to enter the notes in by clicking on the fretboard. When doing the chord identification exercises, however, when I add or delete a note, EarMaster automatically changes the fingerings I have already placed. I realize that there are several ways to play the same chord voicing on a guitar, but the "auto-fingering" feature of EarMaster can be downright frustrating.

Let me give an example, so you can follow along and understand the problem a little better.

The key is F Major, and EarMaster plays me the major triad in root position, with F already labeled on the fretboard.

e x
B x
G x
D 3
A x
E x

EarMaster wants me to play this chord in open position, but I feel like playing it somewhere else on the fretboard (just to be a little more versatile as a guitarist). I'll add an F note on the A string to start.

e x
B x
G x
D x
A 8
E x

OK, so far so good. Now I'll add in my A.

e x
B x
G x
D 7
A 8
E x

Good. My triad is starting to take shape. Now I just need to add the C. Oops I clicked on the wrong fret! Db instead of C.

e x
B x
G 6
D 7
A 8
E x

Well, no worries! This problem can be solved. I'll just delete that Db and try again.

e x
B x
G 2
D 3
A x
E x

Gahhh! All of my fingerings changed! :strange: EarMaster really wants me to play in open position! Well, I submit.

e x
B 1
G 2
D 3
A x
E x

Notice that now, if I delete that C and click on the place I originally wanted the C to go, EarMaster takes me back to the original chord I wanted to play.

e x
B x
G 5
D 7
A 8
E x

Strange. Anyways, you see the problem. When adding or deleting notes, EarMaster automatically changes the fingering of your chord to make it work. I understand this design decision, but it can be very frustrating when you're figuring things out (especially when you get into the later lessons and more complex chord voicings).

Is there a way to disable the "auto-finger" feature? If there isn't, I would love to see it as a new feature. Also, I realize you can't play two notes simultaneously on the same string, but another solution would be to change the software so that by adding a second note on a string, it replaces the previous note. This would help to avoid confusion as well.

Whew. Sorry, that was pretty long-winded. Anyways, it's great software! Please let me know what you think!

Thanks a bunch. :-D
-Brett Gildersleeve
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Hans
EarMaster.com
Posts: 278
Joined: 24 May 2005, 00:54
Location: Denmark

Post by Hans »

Hi Brett,

I see what you mean. The automatic fingering was made help less skilled guitarist, but I see it does not work as consistent as we intended it to. It has to be changed, but how should it work to be perfect?
If more than one tone is selected for the same string, then I still think it should move one of them to another string if possible. Except for that situation, maybe it is not necessary to re-organize the fingering at all (even for beginners) as long as it is playable?

Best regards,
Hans Jakobsen
EarMaster
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Waigin
Grand maestro
Posts: 148
Joined: 19 Jun 2005, 05:04
Location: Montreal

Post by Waigin »

I think it should be simple as possible for everyone, beginning and advance. First, it's to develop the ear not develop fingering. :strange:
Guest

Post by Guest »

That's true.

I've been using the program some more, and giving this problem some thought. It seems that it might be difficult to solve.

Perhaps you could simply have a checkbox in the options menu somewhere...

[x] Disable Automatic Guitar Fingerings

That might be the easiest way to fix it!
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Waigin
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Posts: 148
Joined: 19 Jun 2005, 05:04
Location: Montreal

Post by Waigin »

That's a nice idea!
Volothamp

EarMaster is made for learning music

Post by Volothamp »

As a guitarist, I don't want to learn to find chord only in the first 4 frets. All the freatboard will be great. There should be a way to "force" the program to give the note not only in the open position, as Brett said.

Speaking of guitar, have you noticed that sometime in the "interval recognition exercise" EM drop all tuning an octave down? That is weird 8-o

Bravo EarMaster developers, you have made the best ear training software ever! :)
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Waigin
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Posts: 148
Joined: 19 Jun 2005, 05:04
Location: Montreal

Post by Waigin »

with the option like the other said will be nice for that. We have to remember that earmaster is a program to develop the earring and not the fingering. For the fingerring, you can use fretboard warrior
Guest

Re: EarMaster is made for learning music

Post by Guest »

Volothamp wrote:As a guitarist, I don't want to learn to find chord only in the first 4 frets. All the freatboard will be great. There should be a way to "force" the program to give the note not only in the open position, as Brett said.

Speaking of guitar, have you noticed that sometime in the "interval recognition exercise" EM drop all tuning an octave down? That is weird 8-o

Bravo EarMaster developers, you have made the best ear training software ever! :)
IS THIS NOT BECAUSE THE GUITAR IS A TRANSPOSING INSTRUMENT. I.E. IT SOUNDS AND OCTAVE LOWER THAN WRITTEN.
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Tyro
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Joined: 25 Jan 2010, 04:49
Location: England

Guitar Inputs in chord Recognition

Post by Tyro »

I am a new user of EM and have to say I am very disapointed to find that when trying to apply the answer to chord recognition questons in a realistic way to the fretboard, it is not allowed, with the programe moving notes to unplayable positions.
I dont accept the premis that the programe is primarily for ear training as you have to go to the places you expect to hear the notes. not to impossible voicings with two notes played on the same strings for example.
I see that these points were first raised about five years ago by others
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Hans
EarMaster.com
Posts: 278
Joined: 24 May 2005, 00:54
Location: Denmark

Post by Hans »

We can make a small fix so EarMaster will not reorganize the tones on the strings when you delete a tone. But I am not sure if it is only a problem when you delete a tone?

Best regards,
Hans Jakobsen
EarMaster
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