ABRSM Violin Scales Trainer vs Bowing Challenge

The ABRSM Violin Scales Trainer is your all-in-one companion for practising scales. The app covers all scales requirements at ABRSM Grades 1-5 from the current Violin syllabus and is also suitable for Initial Grade within Grade 1! What does ABRSM Violin Scales Trainer include? An extensive set of resources to help you practise your scales and learn the requirements for your Practical Grades and enhance your performance: Practice Area • Notation for every scale, including suggested fingering and positioning. • Example performances of every scale, for you to compare your own playing against. • A built-in metronome to help you see how close you are to exam tempo. Start slow and gradually build up the speed! • A unique backing track for every scale.
 Test Area If you fancy a quick warm-up or to put yourself to the test, then the Test Area is for you! This area selects a series of scales from the requirements for you to perform. Use the record function, reflect critically and rate your performance. Practice Meter The more you use Violin Scales Trainer, the smarter it gets. The Practice Meter lets you see at a glance which scales you’re doing well at, and which ones need more practice. Why Practise Scales? Time devoted to these exercises within each practice session will improve many aspects of technique, such as co-ordination, string crossing, bow control, position changes and tone production. In addition, the sense of key and pattern acquired through familiarity with scales and arpeggios has several benefits: it speeds up the learning of new pieces, builds aural awareness, increases familiarity with the geography of the instrument, and helps develop fine intonation, evenness of line and quality of tone.

Bowing Challenge generates random string crossing exercises for violin, viola, cello and double bass to develop sight-reading skills and agility. The teacher or performer has a variety of choices, such as exercise length and difficulty. Exercises may be viewed on-screen, or printed to any AirPrint-compatible printer. This app is suitable for all performers, from beginning to the most advanced. The exercises for all instruments can be generated for 2, 3, or 4 strings. The exercises for the cello and double bass can optionally be written to be performed one octave higher than the open strings (using harmonics) to facilitate bow agility and speed: • Cello (open strings): C2, G2, D3, and A3 [Bass clef] • Cello (harmonics): C3, G3, D4, and A4 [Treble clef] • Double Bass (open strings): E2, A2, D3, and G3 [Bass clef] (double bass sounds one octave lower than written, at E1, A1, D2 and G2) • Double Bass (harmonics): E3, A3, D4, and G4 [Treble clef] (double bass sounds one octave lower than written, at E2, A2, D3, and G3) • Custom: any 2, 3, or 4 notes; any clef Developed for P. G. Robinson by Kosada.