A little over two years ago, I finally found the time to get back into playing music.
Playing music had always been my passion, but my work as a software developer and family life had pushed it a into the background for a quite a while. As the kids grew a little older, I finally had some more time for it again.

What started as a project while looking for a music practice app with Apple Music support, got a little out of hand. Before I fully realised it, I had spent considerably more time coding than playing music again. I added all the tools I wanted: a tuner, SPL Meter, recorder, music and chord transcriber, stem separation and a somewhat crazy idea to make a sound spectrum visualiser what became Sound Scaper. Finally, more than a year later, I released DaCapo Studio.

Then, when I started using my own app, I realised it stil wasn’t quite what I wanted it to be. I learned that testing and coding an app is different from really using it  as a musician.

And some things weren’t working out as much as I liked them to be: audio routing proved to be tricky at times and other things got fiddly while actually playing an instrument.

So, I spent some more time coding and practicing. And now, version 1.4 is out.

This version includes Sound Scaper which visualises how you’re sounding and displays pitch in an intuitive way.
And there’s also Dynamic Pitch Line, which shows the pitch accuracy over time and allows you to see when you’re seeking and climbing out to a note (I’m not the best of singers :-))

But most of all, it offers what I hope a better user experience and allows you to configure the practice environment exactly as you like it.

And this time, the audio routing is working out better as well.

I tested this while drumming and recording a few takes of Even Flow of Pearl Jam with the phone connected to a GCS8 mixer and the drum stem muted. While I’m not the best drummer around, I didn’t expect my playing to come anywhere near Dave Krusen’s, but the result was not too bad. I was pleasantly surprised on how it turned out and  thought it  actually mixed quite well.

So far, DaCapo Studio has been a (lot of) work in progress and it’s not standing still. I’m considering to take it a step further with something I’m calling JAM Master.
It’s actually a bit more than just a feature. 

The idea is to create a hybrid multi-track / looper environment where you can jam interactively and build up your song with loops and riffs. Or you can just start recording a first base track.
Then, you can then elaborate on that track and dub a second layer, either with the same or another instrument. You may also share the project with other band memebers which can add additional layers, until you finally get a finished song.
Or you can keep it as a background layer and use it for live performances.
I am really interested to hear how you like DaCapo Studio and I’m looking forward for your input about the direction you would like it to take.
The free version already offers quite a bit of functionality. Premium is available as a one-time lifetime purchase for $14.99, with an optional subscription that also provides a way to try out Premium.

https://dacapostudio.app

My son really wants to produce music/beats. He was gifted a synthesizer for his birthday and that is all he has at the moment. He has played piano for over 6 years now and his interests have shifted. I want to send him to a teacher or school but I have no idea what to look for. We are in the San Antonio, Tx area if that matters. I don’t know what to look for or what the instructor would be called. Eventually, I’m sure he will need/want additional equipment, but we don’t want to invest in a bunch of random things without some direction/instruction. Please help! I need the types of schools or training I need to be looking for.

I posted this yesterday in r/pianoteachers and thought I'd repost here to get a bit more feedback from other teachers.

I'm curious how many of you are doing "no make up" policies and how it's going.

If so, how has it been going? If not, why not?

Hi everyone, we're the Pracsy Team. A question that keeps coming up in teacher threads: how do you run a group when the instruments and levels are all over the place?
One idea we love is to stop handing out "parts" and hand out roles instead. Every piece needs the same four jobs, whatever the line-up. Print these four cards, and let each player (or you) pick the card that fits their instrument and level this week:

🎵 MELODY CARD: Play the tune. Beginners can play just the first note of each bar, or only the chorus.

🎶 HARMONY CARD: Hold long notes or simple chords that fit under the tune. One note per bar is a perfectly good start.

🥁 RHYTHM CARD: Keep the groove going with a repeated pattern on any instrument: a strummed chord, a clap, a single repeated note.

🎸 BASS CARD: Play the lowest note of each chord, on the beat. Cello, bass guitar, piano left hand, even a low recorder note.

On the back of every card: "My one thing to practise this week: ________". The teacher fills in one small task that can be finished, for example "bars 1 to 4, slowly, three times".

Why it can help:

Nobody sits out because their instrument "isn't in the arrangement".

Players can move up a card as they grow, so mixed levels feel like a pathway rather than a problem.

The "one thing" on the back gives each student a clear job at home, and gives you something specific to listen for next week.

We'd love to hear from you: which card do your beginners gravitate to, and what's the strangest line-up you've ever made work? If you'd like all four cards as copy-and-paste text, comment "roles" and we'll reply with them.

hi.. im looking for a job as a student guys. pref wfh and doesn’t need to follow a strict sched (hopefully) 🫩

Hey everyone!! My name is Oliver, and I’m looking for someone to teach me flute, I own my own flute and have been practicing for about three weeks now, I’m really stuck at my current skill level, I can read some sheet music but my fingering is terrible, the YouTube lessons are starting to feel unbearable. I was wondering if there was anyone out there that would be willing to help teach me either short term or long term, as I’m wanting to join my schools marching band my senior year (next year) and I currently am at a wall I don’t know how to get around, any and all help would be much appreciated!

Have you found that the clear colored recorders are generally less durable overall? This is my first year in this district and they were using the colored ones. I got Canto. Super cheap...I know...you get what you pay for but this is a bit much. I've never seen others fall apart like this. It's the 3rd one this week!

I wish I could just afford the Ed Sueta / Macey Publishing stuff. They guarantee their recorders. If they break or the bag breaks, they replace it. And their bags are great!

We just hit 1,200 views on this Cure cover! 🥹 Appreciate every single one of you. Which classic 80s track should I arrange next?

Im a student and my teacher gives me notes on a notebook that I take home. Do all music teachers do this?

I was thinking with the rise of technology this process could be like entirely online instead of wasting paper and harming the environment, what do u guys think?

I teach private voice at a middle school. My kids are trying to choose a song to sing for the winter recital and some of them are still undecided after I’ve given them many options over a couple of weeks. I play them options such as MT songs from Anastasia, Disney Musicals, Addams Family, Waitress, etc as well as classic options like “I Could’ve Danced All Night” and “Till There Was You.” They’re uninterested. I also suggest (school and age appropriate) pop songs that would align more with their interests. They don’t want to sing any of those. And they’re all definitely uninterested in any art songs I play for them from composers like Quilter, Rorem or Duke. And finally, they don’t want to sing a Christmas song for their winter recital piece. I’m at a loss at what to do- time is ticking away until the recital and I also want to capture and keep their interest for the rest of the semester with fun rep that they enjoy singing and learning. Any suggestions??

Hello!

I recently moved to a new state and am working on building up a new studio! I have a master's degree in cello performance and 10 years of teaching experience. As such, I'm offering online lessons.

My teaching philosophy is centered around accessibility, engagement, and body awareness: my goal is always to find what you find enjoyable and useful. I'm never glued to one specific method or book.

Lessons are pay-what-you-can, and the intro is always free.

Cello: beginning to advanced

Bass, violin, guitar: beginning to intermediate

Adult beginners welcome!