FAQ for EarMaster ear training software


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Frequently asked questions

	Installation and setup There is no sound? The sound is not good; the chords are muddy? [Windows] The sound is delayed? MIDI IN does not work? How to install/configure EarMaster School in a network [see guide] I am trying to re-install EarMaster, but my serial number is not accepted Can I use a Sample player instead of the built-in softsynth of my computer? How can I use the microphone input option? [Mac] EarMaster is asking me for my serial number each time I start it up [Mac] EarMaster is crashing as soon as a sound is about to be played. What can I do?
	Using EarMaster Do you have to know music theory to use EarMaster? Can EarMaster be used by children? I don't want EarMaster to remember the first questions I answer Can I change the terminology (e.g. chord names) used in EarMaster? My microphone seems to be set up properly, but the program doesn't accept my singing input. How long will it take to feel my aural skills have improved? Is it possible to train with solfege syllables in EarMaster? What if I want to train perfect pitch? Can I do that in EarMaster? EarMaster is helping me too much. How can I make it harder? The Interval Singing exercise is greyed-out, how come?
	Other questions If I purchase the download edition, what happens if my computer breaks down or I need to change computer? Is EarMaster available for Mac? Is EarMaster available for iPhone or other mobile OS? I bought a box version from a dealer, but I lost my serial number. What can I do?

Installation and setup

There is no sound?

Go to the Tools menu and choose Program settings. On the Devices tab you can choose among different Output-devices. Choose one from the list, set the volumen to max and click the Play button. If this doesn't produce any sound, try to choose another from the list. At least one of them should produce some sound.

In some situations it can cause problems if more programs use MIDI at the same time. Please try to restart Windows and run EarMaster as the only program using MIDI.

Please also make sure that the volume is set to max both for the Windows MIDI volume and the EarMaster volume setting for Chords, Rhythm and Metronome. All of them can be changed in the EarMaster Program settings.

The sound is not good; the chords are muddy?

EarMaster uses the MIDI sound in your sound card. Some sound cards can produce MIDI sound using different technologies, each with its own driver installed. Therefore first try to choose another MIDI device from the list in the Program settings (in the Tools menu).

If the sound is not acceptable, you must buy another sound card. A sound card with wave table technology will give you a better sound (see also “The sound is delayed” below).

The sound is delayed?

A sound card with Wavetable technology can give you a very good sound quality for the MIDI instruments. It is however important that your sound card generates its instrument sounds from a hardware Wavetable, not a software Wavetable. Software Wavetable sound generation leads to annoying delays between pressing the spacebar, and hearing the sound.

EarMaster can compensate for the delay in your sound card. When you activate this compensation, EarMaster will use a wave file for the clap sound to avoid using the delayed sound in your sound card.

Go to the Tools menu and choose Program settings and find the MIDI devices tab. Here you can Synchronize rhythms by adjusting the delay.

If the internal compensation is not acceptable or possible then the only solution is to buy another sound card.

MIDI IN does not work?

To make MIDI in work, do the following:
1) In the EarMaster " Program settings" , choose the driver that should be used on the " Devices" tab. If no driver is listed then you need to install one that fits to your sound card or MIDI interface.
2) Enable the MIDI in from the " Answer input" menu
3) Make sure that no other programs are running that use MIDI in. Often Windows cannot handle if two programs want to use MIDI in at the same time.

How do I install EarMaster School in a network?

See guide: Installing EarMaster School 5.0 in a network

I am trying to re-install EarMaster, but my serial number is not accepted

You can't activate EarMaster with the partial serial number shown at the splash screen when starting EarMaster or when clicking on "About EarMaster".

To reinstall your copy of EarMaster and activate it, you need the full version of your serial number, which was delivered to you by e-mail when you purchased your license (download and box versions), and/or which is located in your EarMaster box (for box versions only).

If you lost track of your serial number, we may be able to send it to you again IF you registered your EarMaster copy online or sent us the registration card. If you didn't register, we won't be able to track your serial number back.

Can I use a Sample player instead of the built-in softsynth of my computer?

Yes, but this is not a feature that is included in EarMaster. It requires therefore a little bit of tweeking:

On Mac OS X:
Go to App>Utilities>Audio/MIDI Setup and switch the IAC driver on by ticking "Device is Online". Then choose IAC driver as MIDI Out device in EarMaster and as MIDI In in your Sample player. You can also use a AUi or VSTi host like Garage Band or Logic and use it to play the MIDI data generated by EarMaster instead of a sample player.

On Windows:
Install a virtual MIDI device/cable/port/patchbay. Then choose your virtual MIDI device as MIDI Out device in EarMaster and as MIDI In in your Sample player. Just like on the Mac, You can also use a DXi or VSTi host and use it to play the MIDI data generated by EarMaster instead of a sample player.

The microphone input option is not working

You can activate the Microphone Input answering method by clicking on its icon at the bottom right of the screen. A tuner interface will show in the upper right side of the window, displaying the tones you sing/play into the microphone, and a green VU level meter next to the microphone icon will indicate how much sound is registered by the microphone.

When you sing into the microphone during the exercises, the tones should be displayed on the visual interfaces (staff, guitar, piano, etc). If no tone is shown, then the program isn't registering the notes you are singing/playing, so you may not have activated the Microphone answering method, or set up your microphone correctly.

[Mac] EarMaster is asking me for my serial number each time I start it up

This is happening if you haven't installed EarMaster properly on your Mac.

When you download EarMaster, you get an image file (white hard disk icon named EarMaster). When you double-click on that file, a pop-window will show. You then have to drag the EarMaster icon over to the Applications Folder shortcut, following the arrow.

EarMaster will then be installed into your Applications folder. Once this is done, you can unmount the image file by clicking on the "Eject" icon next to it in the finder, and delete it or save it for later use.

EarMaster should only be started from your Applications folder or from the Dock. To place EarMaster on your Dock, simply drag the EarMaster icon from your Application folder to the Dock.

[Mac] EarMaster is crashing as soon as a sound is about to be played. What can I do?

Try to reboot your Mac.

The sound playback may cause the program to crash on systems that haven't been rebooted in a long time.

A simple reboot will fix that problem in a snap.

Using EarMaster

Do you have to know music theory to use EarMaster?

The answer is yes and no. Some exercises in EarMaster don't require any knowledge in music theory, like the Interval Comparison and Rhythm Imitation exercices. On top of that, most of the exercises can be used with Multiple Choice answer buttons or with instrument interfaces (piano, guitar, bass, etc.), instead of entering the tones on the staff.

However, it is a very good idea to learn some things about the theory behind intervals, scales, chords and music notation in order to get the most out of EarMaster and, of course, of your musicality.

Can EarMaster be used by children?

The Interval comparison and Rhythm imitation exercises can be used without reading skills and without note reading skills. When you use the Rhythm imitation exercise, we recommend that you un-check the "Clap rhythm with metronome" option in the "Exercise settings" menu, because it can be difficult for a child to follow a metronome and start at the right time.

The rest of the exercise areas in EarMaster requires you to either read notes or to read letters, but with help from an adult, all the exercises can be used to teach the child notes rhythms and to develop its aural skills.

I don't want EarMaster to remember the first questions I answer. I always want to start with a few non-obligating questions to get my ears tuned in. Is that possible?

Yes! You can clear the current results in the current exercise by pressing CTRL+DEL. If you are running the automatic tutor then this option is disabled.

Can I change the terminology (e.g. chord names) used in EarMaster?

Yes! All text in EarMaster can be changed. The file "English.lan" is a text file and contains all the English text strings in EarMaster. You can find the language files in the "Language" folder in the installation directory (e.g. c:\program files\EarMaster\Language). Just double-click the file to edit it with Notepad.

My microphone seems to be set up properly with the Microphone Tuning Wizard - but the program doesn't accept my singing input.

When you go through the Microphone setup steps, take special care with the settings of step 3, 4 and 6.

Don't go past step 3 and 4 before the tones shown by the program are corresponding to the ones you are singing. If you sing a C and the program isn't displaying "C", then you should adjust the available settings.

The program may also not recognize your answers if you sing several octaves above or below the question, in which case you can ask the program to only evaluate the tone, not the octave in which it is sung. To do that, click on the "Exercise Settings" tab and choose "Answer Identification>Any Octave".

Alternatively, you can also specify the range in which the questions will be asked. In customized mode, when setting up the exercise, go to the "Key and Root Movement" options. Choose "Advanced" and click on "Edit..." . Finally, specify the upper and lower limit for the questions on the keyboard at the bottom of the window.

How long will it take to feel my aural skills have improved?

Working on a daily basis for 5-20 minutes with EarMaster will help you master relative pitch and obtain a better feel of rhtythms and harmonies.

Usually, people already feel good results after only a couple of weeks, and it only gets better after that, so hang on.

Besides training with EarMaster, it is important to challenge your ear in "real life" situations too, like in the rehearsal room or while listening to recordings. It will be a good indicator of how much progress you accomplish.

Is it possible to train with solfege syllables in EarMaster?

Yes it is! Simply go to Exercise Settings>Tone Naming and choose either Solfege Absolute (Fixed-Do) or Solfege Relative (Movable-Do).

What if I want to train perfect pitch? Can I do that in EarMaster?

Even though EarMaster's main focus is on relative pitch training, you can easily set it up to train perfect pitch too!

In Customized Mode, set the Melodic Dictation exercise to only play one single tone and deselect "Play Tonic of Key". You will then be able to train at identifying single tones without any reference cue.

EarMaster is helping me too much. How can I make it harder?

You can use several options to make the exercises harder:

* In the Exercise Settings menu, deselect "Play Tone on Mouse Click"
* In the Exercise Settings menu again, set "Play Question limit" to "Once"
* In the Rhythm exercises, set the evalution to "Severe" (in Customized mode)
* Set the anwering time limit to under 15 seconds in the Exercise Settings menu

There are many other ways of setting up EarMaster to make the exercises harder, so try to check out the different options and parameters available in order to meet your personal requirements.

The Interval Singing exercise is greyed-out, how come?

The Interval Singing exercise must be set up to match your voice type. It is therefore only available in Customized Training Mode, not in Tutor Mode.

By selecting "Customized Mode" at the welcome screen, you will see that the Interval Singing exercise icon will be activated, which means that it is ready to use.