Build cool iOS music apps with AudioKit ∞
28 Apr 2015
If like us you are passionate about building audio-oriented apps for iOS, you might be interested in checking out the latest version of the new AudioKit open-source library.
Version 2.1 was just released, and it is the first version to include significant contributions from Catloaf Software's own lead engineer, Stéphane Peter.
AudioKit is a powerful audio library based on the popular Csound library, providing an easy-to-use API in Objective-C and Swift with powerful features for audio synthesis, processing and analysis.
Development is very active and new features are being added all the time, and we are proud of being a part of the core team behind this effort.
We plan to use AudioKit as the audio engine behind the next major version of our popular Trainer HD apps, and more. We're sure our users will be equally excited about the new features we'll be able to add to our apps thanks to AudioKit!
Version 2.1 was just released, and it is the first version to include significant contributions from Catloaf Software's own lead engineer, Stéphane Peter.
AudioKit is a powerful audio library based on the popular Csound library, providing an easy-to-use API in Objective-C and Swift with powerful features for audio synthesis, processing and analysis.
Development is very active and new features are being added all the time, and we are proud of being a part of the core team behind this effort.
We plan to use AudioKit as the audio engine behind the next major version of our popular Trainer HD apps, and more. We're sure our users will be equally excited about the new features we'll be able to add to our apps thanks to AudioKit!
Announcing Trainer HD v5.7 with new Scales! ∞
03 Apr 2015
We are proud to announce the release of the latest version of our Trainer HD series of educational apps for iOS. Version 5.7 is a major update to the apps, and besides a slew of bug fixes it contains a few nice new features!
Remember, the training options do not apply to Game mode but only to Training and Staff modes. The new setting now also allows the fretboard map to be customized in Free Play.
The app is available right now as a free update on the App Store for most editions, although the update for the Banjo edition is slightly delayed but should be available very soon.
- The staff display has been greatly improved to make it more readable and intuitive. It now scrolls from right to left, which should feel more natural. It also now supports the common 8va/8vb notation to make it easier to read notes on the far sides of the fretboard. You won't have to count lines on the staff anymore!
- Introducing scale focus! You will now find over 40 types of scales in the training options, allowing to focus your training on any one of them in the key of your choice. When picking a scale, only notes from that scale will be used for training.
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| New "Focus on a scale" training option |
- Free Play mode can now apply training options to restrict which notes are shown on the fretboard, making it easy to visualize the scale of your choice on the fretboard map.
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| You can now apply training options to the fretboard map in Free Play. |
- A new wheel icon is now present in training, staff and free play modes, allowing quick access to the training options screen to change the settings without interrupting your session.
Remember, the training options do not apply to Game mode but only to Training and Staff modes. The new setting now also allows the fretboard map to be customized in Free Play.
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| Free Play with Fretboard Map showing a blues scale |
The app is available right now as a free update on the App Store for most editions, although the update for the Banjo edition is slightly delayed but should be available very soon.
We have some major new changes coming up for version 6.0! We may even have an entirely new app coming out soon. Stay tuned...
Trainer HD 5.6, now supporting the iPhone 6 and 6 Plus ∞
09 Dec 2014
Just in time for the holidays, we are proud to announce the release of the latest version of our Trainer HD series of educational apps for musicians.
Version 5.6 brings full support for the latest Apple devices, the bigger iPhone 6 and 6 Plus. Of course, we still support all previous devices, as well as the iPad.
This is also the first release to bring full support for the new iOS 8, on all devices. As a side note, we have had to drop support for iOS 5 in this release, and a minimum version of iOS 6 is required to install this update. If you still have an old device running iOS 5 (mostly the first generation iPad), we urge you to update it to a newer version of the system if you can, or ask Santa to bring you a new iPad.
We have also fixed a whole lot of bugs, and managed to make the application significantly lighter, making it faster to download.
All editions of Trainer HD have been updated and are now immediately available to install from the App Store.
Happy Holidays!
Version 5.6 brings full support for the latest Apple devices, the bigger iPhone 6 and 6 Plus. Of course, we still support all previous devices, as well as the iPad.
This is also the first release to bring full support for the new iOS 8, on all devices. As a side note, we have had to drop support for iOS 5 in this release, and a minimum version of iOS 6 is required to install this update. If you still have an old device running iOS 5 (mostly the first generation iPad), we urge you to update it to a newer version of the system if you can, or ask Santa to bring you a new iPad.
We have also fixed a whole lot of bugs, and managed to make the application significantly lighter, making it faster to download.
All editions of Trainer HD have been updated and are now immediately available to install from the App Store.
- Free Edition (with in-app purchases)
- Guitar Edition
- Bass Edition
- Ukulele Edition
- Mandolin Edition
- Banjo Edition
- Complete Edition (no IAPs!)
Happy Holidays!
Thanksgiving 2014 Sale on Trainer HD! ∞
27 Nov 2014
To commemorate the American holiday and the start of the shopping season, we are having a big sale on our Trainer HD educational apps from Thanksgiving Day (November 27th) all the way till the end of the weekend. All apps and instruments are now deeply discounted!
The various editions of Trainer HD are the following :
The various editions of Trainer HD are the following :
- Free Edition: select individual instruments now just $0.99 (down from $2.99), or $2.99 for the complete bundle with all instruments.
- Instrument Editions: now just $0.99 (down from $2.99) - this includes :
- Complete Edition: now just $2.99 (down from $6.99)
We are also getting ready to release in the coming days the next major revision of the app, version 5.6, which will bring full support for the bigger screens on the new iPhones and full support for iOS 8. It will be a free upgrade from the current version, so take advance of the discount while you can!
Catloaf Software joins TI:ME ∞
19 May 2014
We are excited to announce that Catloaf Software, LLC is now a commercial member of the Technology Institute for Music Educators (TI:ME, at ti-me.org), a U.S. non-profit organization dedicated to promoting the use of technology to further music education.
Started in 1995, the stated mission of TI:ME is to assist music educators in applying technology to improve teaching and learning in music.
As a leading developer of educational apps targeted at the music market with our Trainer HD series of apps for iOS, we are a natural fit for this association. We look forward to a continuing relationship with professional educators all over the world, which will help us improve our products and in turn will help broaden music education.
The profile page for Catloaf Software on the TI:ME website can be found here. Feel free to connect with us if you are a member.
If you are a teacher or educator using apps to help further your work, please check TI:ME out and become a member today!
Trainer HD v5.4 Now Available ∞
18 May 2014
The latest version of the Trainer HD series of apps is now available on the App Store.
This new version includes the usual cohorts of bug fixes and improvements, but also contains one major new feature: daily practice reminder notifications.
Basically, after you've been practicing with the app on any of the instruments, you will be sent a notification 24 hours after getting out of the app reminding you that you should keep practicing. These notifications don't get sent if you have not logged any practice on an instrument, or if you have already mastered it (i.e. reached 90% mastery of the fretboard).
Additionally, if you don't want to get these daily notifications, they can easily be turned off by going to the settings menu and switching off the "Daily Reminders" button.
Practicing daily is the best way to improve your mastery of the fretboard in the long term, so we hope that you find these daily reminders useful!
Get the free app now for iPhone and iPad!
This new version includes the usual cohorts of bug fixes and improvements, but also contains one major new feature: daily practice reminder notifications.
Basically, after you've been practicing with the app on any of the instruments, you will be sent a notification 24 hours after getting out of the app reminding you that you should keep practicing. These notifications don't get sent if you have not logged any practice on an instrument, or if you have already mastered it (i.e. reached 90% mastery of the fretboard).
Additionally, if you don't want to get these daily notifications, they can easily be turned off by going to the settings menu and switching off the "Daily Reminders" button.
Practicing daily is the best way to improve your mastery of the fretboard in the long term, so we hope that you find these daily reminders useful!
Get the free app now for iPhone and iPad!
Trainer HD v5.3 released ∞
20 Apr 2014
The latest version (5.3) of the Trainer HD series of educational apps is now available on the App Store.
Along with the usual cohort of bug fixes, as well as the new ability to send challenges from within the game to your friends, we have made an important change to the way the apps are being priced and marketed.
This new version is now ad-supported for the instruments that have not been purchased. This means that in lieu of having to purchase the instrument to unlock all of its features, you can now choose to instead watch ads, in the form of banners and the occasional interstitial. This will in turn allow us to reach more users who wouldn't otherwise be able to afford to buy the full app or its instruments to use it.
Ad-supported instruments have vastly extended capabilities compared to previous versions of the app, however they do not include the full range of training options (for instance you are limited to the first 12 frets). To fully unlock them as well as remove the ads, you will need to purchase the instrument or the discounted bundle of all instruments.
If you have made purchases in a previous version of the apps, you will not see ads or any changes in the way you use the instruments. Likewise, the instruments included when you own one of our instrument editions are not affected. With those editions, the main change is that you are now able to play all the other instruments like in the free edition.
This change affects all editions of Trainer HD that include in-app purchases, meaning the popular free version as well as each of the instrument editions (Guitar, Bass, Banjo, Ukulele and Mandolin). The Complete edition stays ad-free as always.
We believe this is a move that will be seen as a net benefit for our users, as they will be able to enjoy more of the app before having to make a purchase decision.
As always, feel free to contact us directly with any questions and comments at [email protected].
Along with the usual cohort of bug fixes, as well as the new ability to send challenges from within the game to your friends, we have made an important change to the way the apps are being priced and marketed.
This new version is now ad-supported for the instruments that have not been purchased. This means that in lieu of having to purchase the instrument to unlock all of its features, you can now choose to instead watch ads, in the form of banners and the occasional interstitial. This will in turn allow us to reach more users who wouldn't otherwise be able to afford to buy the full app or its instruments to use it.
Ad-supported instruments have vastly extended capabilities compared to previous versions of the app, however they do not include the full range of training options (for instance you are limited to the first 12 frets). To fully unlock them as well as remove the ads, you will need to purchase the instrument or the discounted bundle of all instruments.
If you have made purchases in a previous version of the apps, you will not see ads or any changes in the way you use the instruments. Likewise, the instruments included when you own one of our instrument editions are not affected. With those editions, the main change is that you are now able to play all the other instruments like in the free edition.
This change affects all editions of Trainer HD that include in-app purchases, meaning the popular free version as well as each of the instrument editions (Guitar, Bass, Banjo, Ukulele and Mandolin). The Complete edition stays ad-free as always.
We believe this is a move that will be seen as a net benefit for our users, as they will be able to enjoy more of the app before having to make a purchase decision.
As always, feel free to contact us directly with any questions and comments at [email protected].
Trainer HD updated for iOS 7 and more ∞
07 Dec 2013
A quick run down of the new features in this release :
- A brand new lighter design for the app icons. Check them out below!
- Full support for iOS 7 and the new 64-bit A7 devices (iPhone 5s and the newest iPads)
- Now implementing Game Center challenges. Send challenges to your friends so they can try to beat your latest high score! We'll add more types of challenges in later updates.
- You can now pick which accidentals to show on the fretboard map in Free Play mode. The default depends on the tuning, but you can override it to only sharps or flats.
- We've fixed a ton of bugs too. Please feel free to email [email protected] if you encounter any odd issue with the app.
As a result of these changes, we have had to raise the minimum iOS requirements to iOS 5.1.1 or later. If your device is eligible to be upgraded (which includes all iPads), make sure you are up to date to get this version and further updates.
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| Complete Edition |
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| Free Edition |