From: tholland@pars.skidmore.edu (Anthony Holland)
Newsgroups: comp.archives
Subject: [comp.sys.next.announce] NeXT Ear Training Software Update Released: Audio Challenger 1.5
Date: 17 Apr 92 10:47:51 GMT
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Archive-name: auto/comp.sys.next.announce/NeXT-Ear-Training-Software-Update-Released-Audio-Challenger-1-5

"Announcing the release of "AUDIO CHALLENGER 1.5"

"Audio Challenger 1.0"  was the first ear-training software released  
for the NeXT computer and version 1.5 offers substantial improvements.

  Audio Challenger randomly generates ascending  
and descending melodic musical intervals which can be used in  
assisting music students in trying to improve their ability to  
aurally identify musical intervals.   Audio Challenger features  
real-time synthesis on the DSP (digital signal processing) chip of  
the NeXT computer which gives it the advantage of a more natural and  
"lively" musical timbre than ear-training programs that currently  
exist on other platforms.  Audio Challenger is released as FREEware  
to the internet archives by the researchers and students of DREAMS:   
Digital Research (in) Electro-Acoustic Music (at) Skidmore College.


IMPROVEMENTS in Version 1.5 include:

1.  Scoring bug fixed, you can no longer get "free" points for
	guessing the same interval.
	
2.  Wider range of notes to choose from: features full "chorus" range
	of 39 notes (low bass G2 to high soprano G5).

3.  The user can now select which intervals they want to practice.
	Simply click the little check boxes.  Thus,you can focus
	on intervals you are weak on.
	
4.  The user can choose to practice only ascending intervals, only
	descending or either...and let the computer choose.

5.  The user can choose one of three possible ranges to listen to:
	"high", "low" or "full range". 

6.  You can no longer close the main window (and "loose" it).

7.  A "high score" for each machine is maintained...along with the
	name of the person who achieved that score.
	(naturally, you can still "cheat" by choosing only P1
		intervals and answering them for an hour....just
		to achieve a new high score....but that's CHEATING
		of course !)

"Audio Challenger 1.5" is currently at the following archive sites:

*Archive Info:

 filenames: AudioChallenger1.5.tar.Z     (56.1 Kb = .127Mg uncompressed)
	       AudioChallengerREADME      (1900 Bytes)

1) sonata.cc.purdue.edu 
     probably in: /pub/next/2.0-release/binaries

2)  location: cs.orst.edu
     directory: /pub/next/submissions 
     (likely to move to /pub/next/binaries)
     
3)  princeton.edu 
	         /pub/music

After FTP'ing AudioChallenger1.5.tar.Z, 
          type: zcat AudioChallenger1.5.tar.Z | tar xvf -

note: you may need your system administrator to uncompress and untar  
AudioChallenger.


NOTE:  If you would like to receive a copy of AudioChallenger via 
	    NeXTmail....just drop a note to tholland@pars.skidmore.edu
	    and include your NeXTmail address.


Anthony G. Holland
Associate Professor of Music
NeXT Campus Support
Skidmore College
Saratoga Springs, NY 12866
tel: 518-584-5000 ext. 2606

next mail: tholland@pars.skidmore.edu