BP3_Tonara
Tonara is an interactive sheet music application available for iPad. The app is a free installation with five classical scores included for piano, cello, flute, and violin. There was a Tonara demonstration video embedded on the Tonara introduction page. The video was a clear demonstration of the functions of the application. Tonara touts that it is digital music that listens to the player as the score is being played. The app actually follows the player, how exciting! An added function is Tonara Magic which allows the musician to select any measure or place in the score and the application will pick up at the selected point and proceed in the music as played by the musician. Tonara also allows the musician to record and share the performance.
I selected Tonara because I am looking for a way to document my practice and share my performance with my private instructor for feedback on those days we are not scheduled to meet. I downloaded Tonara from the App Store for my iPad. Upon installation I checked to see what music was in the catalog. None of the six free selections were the pieces I am presently working on with my private instructor. I searched the Tonara store and purchased Clair de Lune by C. Debussy for $1.99. The digital sheet music was accurate and very clear to read. There is also a page-turner function that can be set to turn the page at a designated point. Tonara worked as reported. Using Tonara Magic allowed me to play as the application recorded. The session was date stamped and saved in a folder for sharing.
One of the weaknesses is that there are a limited number of free scores are included with the download. I counted six (6) classical scores. Tonara has a catalog of items that can be purchased from the store and are priced from $.99 to $1.99. Once I clicked the store link I counted eighty-six (86) scores which were predominantly classical selections. There was a prompt advising that Tonara developers were working on securing the rights from several music publishers in an effort to extend the catalog. If the Tonara developers are able to add to the catalog this would be an exceptional application for musicians.
