Yeah, a fingering chart is fine if you just need something to glance at now and then. This is more about actually getting the fingerings stuck in your head so you’re not constantly looking them up.
It quizzes you instead of just displaying the chart. You get asked a note, you answer, and it tells you right away if you got it, which helps way more than staring at a list of fingerings.
It also plays the pitch for every note, so you’re linking the written note to how it actually sounds, not just which valves to press. Also it records your progress over time so you can actually measure how accurate you were and are now.
The clef switch is the part that matters for euphonium and baritone players. A lot of people bounce between treble clef (from band or trumpet backgrounds) and bass clef. The fingering doesn’t change, just the note name on the page. Written C in treble and B♭ in bass are both open, for example. Flipping back and forth on the same fingering makes it easier to read both, which comes up if you’re playing in a brass band and a concert band, or coming over from trumpet.
So it’s not really meant to replace the chart. It’s practice so you eventually don’t need one.
First, there is no substitute for actually picking up the horn and playing. And the best thing is actually playing in an ensemble with other musicians. But that's not always convenient especially for brass instruments that are loud and large. Sometimes the fingers outlast the lips which can get tired sooner. That's where this tool comes in. Say you're in a bus or a waiting room and have some time to kill. Why not pull out the app and drill some excerpt of music that you need to get into your mind rather than scrolling through social media?
The app runs on both iPhone and Android and those are the two devices most people have with them at all times. I suggest that you give it a try. It comes free with several major scales so you can see if it's worthwhile. It's just another tool in a brass player's toolbox ... never meant to substitute over actual lessons or playing in a group.
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u/bmjessep 6d ago
What is the benefit of this over a simple fingering chart?