Program Info

Tune Assistant has the following main functions:

Play

  • MIDI renditions consist of melody, bass and keyboard accompaniment.
  • Select tempo, key, balance and MIDI instrument assignments.
  • Choose from 25 standard instrumental and vocal ranges with appropriate transpositions, or define a custom range.
  • Available keys match the currently chosen vocal or instrumental range.
  • Play from any point in the tune.
  • Mute the melody to sing or play along with the accompaniment.
  • Save as standard MIDI file.

Display

  • Display tunes in standard notation.
  • Show or hide chord and tonal function symbols.
  • Display tune text.
  • Print notation or text.

Manage

  • Match tunes by tonality, meter, range, categories and tonal functions.
  • Save frequently visited tunes in a list of favorites.
  • Make changes to notes, chords and text
  • Reconcile user edits with updates of the tune database.

Learn

  • Sound tonal syllables associated with tune melodies.
  • Sound tonal syllables associated with chord roots and bass notes.

Musicians and music teachers of all stripes can use Tune Assistant as a general resource for finding, playing, displaying and organizing tunes. Here is a small selection of the many possible uses:

  • Looking for a tune in a particular meter or tonality? Easy. Select that tonality or meter from the menu.
  • Looking for examples of the use of augmented sixth chords (or diminished 7ths, or secondary dominants, etc.)? Use the powerful tonal function matching features.
  • Limited to a narrow pitch range with your preschool voices (or beginning band students)? Go to the Custom Range window and set the exact parameters you need. Tune Assistant automatically identifies the tunes that fit that range and also determines the usable keys.
  • Remember just a word or two of a tune title or lyrics? Use the Search feature.
  • Classroom teachers: Do you need a song for a particular holiday? How about a unit on a country or historical event? It's easy with the Categories feature. Select USA:Civil War, for example, and Tune Assistant identifies a dozen tunes from that era. You don't need an accompanist or music reading skills; just click and the music plays. Print out the text or project it on a screen.
  • Band and orchestra directors: Your students can use Tune Assistant as a practice aid. The software automatically applies the appropriate range and transposition for all the standard instruments. Learn the tune melody from the notation or by rote. Play along with the melody, or click the melody off and play with just the accompaniment parts. Change tempo and key as needed.
  • Kodály teachers: Tune Assistant can help your students learn tonal solfege. Control-Click a note and the appropriate syllable "sings" back at you! Shift-Click a chord symbol and hear the tonal syllable associated with the chord root. (The system is moveable-do with la-based minor, re-based Dorian, etc.)
  • Tune enthusiasts: Contact the author if you're interested in contributing a tune library of the musical era, style or tradition you're passionate about.

Go the the downloads page to download a free demo version of Tune Assistant, or Tune Maker, the free program I use to quickly and easily enter pitch, rhythm, chord (tonal function) and text information.

Click here to see a sample of the main Tune Assistant window. (Note: All tonal functions for major tonality are shown, but you may reduce the number displayed, or even hide them completely.)

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