In January of 2013, ThinkMusicTechnology stunned the music technology world, trying to raise funds to make an app that would convert handwriting to music notation. That fundraising attempt failed, and at last notice, that app was no longer being developed.
In the 2013-2014 academic year (roughly one year later), Neutatron released an app called NotateMe which converts handwritten notation to music. Additionally, they offered a single-staff app called NotateMe Now for free. The free app allowed people to decide whether they wanted to buy the complete app, and it also offered a wonderful tool for education (the teacher can create a score and share it with the free app that students can download). I used the free version with students in 2013-2014 to write compositions and to have my classes complete melodic dictation exercises.
The full version of NotateMe isn’t cheap ($39.99), but in my opinion, is money well-spent. Neuratron has been adding to the app over the months, and MusicXML import is now included in the app, as well as additional pens, ever-increasing accuracy, and more.
Neuratron is about to blow the market wide open.
I grew to know Neuratron from their music scanning app, PhotoScore. I am a Finale user, and I have been disappointed by the accuracy of SmartScore, another scanning app, that is bundled with Finale. I purchased the full version of SmartScore, but did not buy the latest update. I downloaded the trial version of the latest version, and for music I use (typically 2-4 part choral music), the latest version of SmartScore (X2) was no more accurate than the previous version I already own. I purchased PDFtoMusic, which is a great tool to convert a PDF to a MusicXML file if it was “printed” as a PDF from a notation package, and I also purcahsed PhotoScore ultimate to convert regular PDFs to MusicXML files. I find–again, with my music–that PhotoScore is the most accurate, including scanning of text (there is always editing to do).
For a long time, Neuratron has stated that they are bringing PhotoScore capability to NotateMe. This evening, NotateMe Now has a PhotoScore Now component. This is brilliant…you can scan a single-line score into NotateMe Now. I happened to have a single-line band score at my house, so I scanned it. The results were AMAZING. In a “easy” band score (Level 1.5?), there were only two errors, and even diacritical markings were scanned! This is all on my iPad!!! No scanner needed. Just click…
Let’s say you have a student who wants to hear their part…they take a picture of it, it gets imported, and they can hear it. If something gets scanned in wrong, you can change it BY HAND. This is life-changing for the musician, folks.
At the moment, there is no way to scan an existing PDF or to access a picture in your camera roll…you have to take the picture yourself. I am sure these will be addressed, especially with the In-App Purchase version that is coming soon to the “full” version NotateMe. The full version of NotateMe with the In-App Purchase is set for imminent release, as soon as it is approved by Apple. I don’t yet know pricing, but you can bet that I will immediately buy that In-App Purchase. Yes, Neuratron, take my money.
If you want to buy the full version of NotateMe, consider doing so with this referral link (I earn a commission on the sale that comes from Apple’s 30%, not the developer’s 70%): https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/notateme/id699470139?mt=8&uo=4&at=10l9SE
NotateMe Now is available free here: https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/notateme-now/id783567215?mt=8&uo=4&at=10l9SE
And yes, Android friends, this is a Android product, too. My Android device (a hacked HP TouchPad) doesn’t handle the app well, but I am sure that any current Android device can handle running NotateMe or NotateMe Now (I don’t have any referral system with the Google Play store).
The future is NOW! Isn’t this exciting?
Posted with Blogsy
Technology in Music Education 