StringGallery

This time we're having a look at the StringGallery website, which you can find at www.stringgallery.com.

This new website was launched last year in association with ESTA(UK), and is an incredibly useful place to look for help. If you need an instrument maker or repairer, if you're looking for a new teacher, reviews of new products, a forum to discuss issues, or strings in the news, then you can find all of these things under one roof here.

And that's before I've even mentioned the technique videos.

In association with ESTA(UK), StringGallery has filmed videos covering huge numbers of techniques broken down into short 2 or 3 minute videos by some of the best known teachers and players out there – David Le Page covers the violinists and violas, Steven Doane the cello, and Cathy Elliott the double basses. Doubting your detache? Struggling with spiccato? Puzzled over ponticello? Have a look at these videos, and you may find another way of dealing with your problems.

For some areas of the site you have to register, but this is free, so no hassle really. There's a shop section with over 1000 products available, but you can't actually buy anything through the website – it will merely direct you to your nearest StringGallery location, which are music shops that have agreed to hold a minimum level of stock of bowed instruments and supplies.

StringGallery's stated aim is to to increase the level of young and budding musicians who choose to pick up a bowed instrument, and I think the website pitches itself about right to achieve this. It's clearly laid out, and easy on the eye.

There's not too much technical talk to put you off if you're not quite sure what you're looking for, and the videos mentioned earlier do their best to explain many of the more confusing words in the string-playing world as it is! It's a relatively new site, as I said, and areas like the forums and calendar will undoubtedly develop into fuller and more informative versions of what they currently are (I couldn't find any events in the Calendar at all!), but I would really recommend this site to you all – there's plenty on there to help you with your string-playing life!

Speedshifter

In a nutshell, the Speedshifter software from the ABRSM does exactly what the name suggests. Load a track and you are presented with a circular metronome, whereby you can vary the speed at which the music plays without changing the pitch. Speedshifter is a free to download and use programme currently available for Windows and Mac OSX, available at www.abrsm.org/speedshifter. Download and installation is straightforward, with a registration page (name, email, age, which instruments you play), that does give you the option to opt out of marketing emails.

Using the software is pretty intuitive. There is a 'load track' button, either be from a CD directly, or in MP3 format. Be aware that other formats don't work, so many tracks, in your iTunes library for instance, might not be usable without conversion. As the track is loading, Speedshifter checks online to see if it recognises your track against the ABRSM library.

If it does, it will automatically come up with the correct speed in beats per minute (BPM). If not, (and this is the only bit of the software that wasn't immediately obvious), you click on the menu button to find the option to start BPM recording. Click along at the speed of the track and it will tell you the BPM of the music. It is possible for the menu to come up behind the main window, thereby hiding this button from view!

Because the software applies the change of speed to the whole track, rits, accels and the like are also shifted so no more trying to ignore the metronome for a few bars whilst enjoying a bit of rubato!

Once you're ready, start the track, and just slide the metronome marker around, for slower or faster interpretations. Because the software applies the change of speed to the whole track, rits, accels and the like are also shifted so no more trying to ignore the metronome for a few bars whilst enjoying a bit of rubato! It's an incredibly good way to practise a piece slowly, at exactly the speed you wish to, and unless you vary the speed massively from the original, it sounds extremely realistic.

There is the option to vary pitch by up to minor third in either direction, which is probably most useful for singers who often sing different transpositions depending on their vocal range. There's also a News tab for updates from the ABRSM, and a profile tab. As well as being a very useful practice tool, Speedshifter is great fun just to play around with. if you've ever wanted to hear Barber's Adagio at 200BPM, now's your chance!

Jonathan Bungard

Tuning up

OTUNER is a freedownload for Windows PCs and compatible mobile devices atotuner. sourceforge.netoTuner is a very basic, stripped down tuner for your PC and windows mobile devices, which displays the note being played, and a number of bars either side to indicate flatness or sharpness. I found it accurate, having tried it out on my laptop, and it’s hard to criticise free, open-source projects. If you simply want a no frills tuner that will tell you what note you’re playing and whether it’s bang in,then this might be the one for you.

Jonathan Bungard

CLEARTUNE is an app for the iPhone, iPod touch and Android phones, and retails at £2.39. Cleartune is a very handy little piece of kit when on the road, and it’s come in very useful for me whilst on tour with various artists and in various genres of music, where there is not always access to a piano, or at least one that’s in tune! It’s incredibly sensitive, and adjustable both for different temperaments (different ways of relating the notes to each other rather than the one most people are used to from a standard piano) and also for transposing instruments.

You can also calibrate your standard ‘A’ in 0.5Hz increments, which can come in handy if working with groups that don’t tune toA440. In pitch pipe mode, it has a cute wheel that allows you to quickly access the note you need to tune to, and being a violinist it’s really useful to be able to check all strings separately in this way, at least with my own instrument which is temperamental and often needs fine tuning in this way.

One thing to note is that if using this app on an iPod touch, you can’t make the 'live' tuner part of the app work unless you have a microphone attachment, as it will not pick up your live sound. On the iPhone or Android, this is the quickest and easiest way to use the app, which is a great little invention. Download at www.bitcount.com/cleartune

LIZZIE BALL Lizzie has performed worldwide as a violinist and vocalist and was recently appointed concertmaster of Nigel Kennedy’s acclaimed Orchestra of Life. Future plans include a 10 date tour with Nigel Kennedy. For more information, see www.lizzieball.com

The best of times

Metronome reloaded

[Creator's description link]

Metronome reloaded is a free application for your i-Phone / iPod Touch that produces an electronic steady tempo. No more clogging up your instrument case with a little plastic gadget that can accidentally go off at the most inopportune moments in rehearsals! Or using those prehistoric heavy duty metronomes that do some serious damage to your toes, should it slip out of your hands! You do need a steady finger to change the tempo marker to your required speed in this app, but o nce you’re there it keeps the beat perfectly. You can also choose the time signature with the first beat of the bar sounding at a different pitch. Altogether, I have found this application very useful and would recommend it to any musician. There's a really funny review on you tube, here!

reviewer: Fiona Robertson, violinist with the Royal Ballet Sinfonia and the Laurel string quartet

If you want an online free metronome, this one is clunky but clear; It has the usual abilities expected of a metronome, with the novelty of a very clear screen display, may or may not be your thing! Have a look!

If you are looking for a free downloadable metronome for your computer or PDA, try here - At Open Metronome. We'd love to have a review of this for our viewers. (No responsibility can be taken for the security of your connection when downloading from third party websites - please be sure to have your virus detection and firewalls on!)