Mozart 2 Pro
Documentation

Instruments

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There are a number of instruments available for our Mozart app. Where the original Mozart app only used to have the Letters (C, D, E) instrument we can now have up to 11. The exact number of instruments depends on the version of Mozart installed. The Mozart 2 Pro app includes all available instruments as shown here. Instrument specific version like Mozart 2 for Piano on the other hand only include the piano instrument plus the Letters and Solfege instruments which are included in all versions.

 

Scordatura

Title Barmodule HUD

Mozart is a tremendous resource not only to beginners but professionals and advanced musicians as well. Scordatura is another example for that. String detuning is known as scordatura in the classical realm and guitarists will have encountered open tunings. Like reading in an alternate clef it is one of the things that can throw the most accomplished reader for a loop. For that reason we have implemented string detuning in all string instruments in Mozart and by that we mean any instrument that has strings. Note the golden quarter circle with the tuning fork in the picture above. That is the tuning button. Tapping or clicking brings up the string detuning window as seen above for the cello instrument. Any string can be detuned by up to 4 half tone steps or semitones in either direction.

Now let's get started with the Letters instrument.

 

Letters

Title Barmodule HUD

The Letters instrument is the first one in Mozart's instrument picker and our default instrument. This isntrument as well as the Solfege instrument are not octave specific which sets them apart from the rest. For beginners this is the best place to start because we don't have to worry about instruments, positions and such. Just the old "every good boy deserves fun" and "FACE". Note that we have two interchangeable Cs on some devices like the iPhone 6 (the letter may vary).

 

Solfege

Title Barmodule HUD

The Solfege instrument is an alternative to the Letters instrument and functions quite similarly. For those raised on Solfege syllables instead of letters it may be the goto instrument of choice. Additionally this instrument is also very useful to those persuing a higher education in music where Solfege is a subject taken in addition to instrumental proficiency. Note that Mozart supports Movable Do as well as Fixed Do. The preference for this can be set in Settings. And again we have interchangeable Dos on some devices (the syllable may vary).

 

Banjo

Title Barmodule HUD

The banjo makes its first appearance in Mozart 2. As seen above this is the most popular version of the instrument, the 5-string banjo. Note that all strings including the high G string can be detuned. The banjo also supports left-handed stringing (use the option in Settings).

 

Bass

Title Barmodule HUD

The bass instrument in Mozart 2 has been updated from previous versions. New graphics and improved upper position handling have been added. Also of note is that in Mozart 2 we now have embedded position markers in all string instruments.

 

Guitar

Title Barmodule HUD

The guitar instrument in Mozart 2 also received a bit of a face-lift. The new neck and new fret markers plus improved upper position handling make it a bit easier to read and work with.

 

Mandolin

Title Barmodule HUD

Not to be repetitive, but the Mandolin instrument received an overhaul as well in Mozart 2. In this case, if you have used another version of Mozart before, you will notice that in addition to the new graphics the frets have been set a bit narrower. This was an important improvement because of the instrument's tuning in 5ths. In first position we can now see the fingered D as well as the open string D at the same time.

 

Piano

Title Barmodule HUD

The piano instrument in Mozart 2 adds octave markings for Cs. We found that to be helpful when using the instrument in training mode. Middle C is indicated with an orange gradient.

 

Violin, Viola, Cello and Double Bass

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The entire string family has been added in Mozart 2 Pro and are also available in instrument specific versions. That includes the violin, vialo, cello and double bass. All support scordatura (note the golden quarter circle button above) to allow practicing with detuned strings. Left-handed stringing (use the option in Settings) for all of these instruments is also supported.

 

Note Info View

Title Barmodule HUD

A new feature in Mozart 2 is called note info view. This is enabled automatically between games and allows you to look at pitches of an instrument in music notation. The info view displays what is called enharmonic notation. That means it doesn't take the current key into regard. Notes like C, D, E are displayed just regularly but when it comes to Eb for example the display will show two notes as seen above. We get D# AND Eb. Enharmonically speaking these notes are identical but there are actually two ways of writing them. The note info view is a great way to look up notes you might have missed during the game.

Note: In the Letters and Solfege instruments the note info view only displays the letter or syllable of the pressed note.

 

Summary

That is a lot of instruments - at least in Mozart 2 Pro. And if you have an instrument specific version of Mozart 2 you still have 3 instruments to work with. Let's note once more that most settings are instrument specific. That includes the clef, the instrument sound, any detuning of strings and positions in case you should used training mode.

Speaking of settings, why not head over to Settings and see what is available there.

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