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Tom Quayle Solo app

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Tom Quayle has recently released an interval training app designed to focus practice on intervalic functions. Took the leap of faith and downloaded for £15. Seriously impressed with results after just 2 days and well worth checking out. Anyone else had a go? 

Here’s a video with Tom explaining how it works. https://youtu.be/F-e_ymVvdTg
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  • I watched this last night and it looks really impressive. Not sure how helpful it would be to someone like me just starting out in theory, at least not without having watched his fretboard course.
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  • I don’t fi it heavily reliant on theory knowledge. It is more of an immersion learning thing. If you know the intervals of the major scale I reckon you are good to go.
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  • adampeteradampeter Frets: 775
    Downloaded this this morning, early impressions are very good
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  • BarneyBarney Frets: 614
    I'm really interested in this and would have downloaded...it seems as though it's not available for Android ?
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  • Barney said:
    I'm really interested in this and would have downloaded...it seems as though it's not available for Android ?
    Not yet for Android apparently but coming... 
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  • TrudeTrude Frets: 914
    Am I right in thinking it doesn't actually play audio of each chord you're playing along with? Seems like a strange omission if the aim is to find notes that work in the context of a chord sequence.
    Some of the gear, some idea

    Trading feedback here
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  • lysanderlysander Frets: 574
    @Trude yes you are right and I totally agree. Cool app but it really needs this desperately.
    I think several have given this feedback.
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  • PudWudPudWud Frets: 155
    edited January 2021
    Really like Tom as a guitarist, and I met him and Rick Graham by chance in a guitar shop about 10 years ago and both were lovely guys. I'll definitely be downloading this as it seems really useful. 
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  • Agree would be better if it played the chord. Wonder whether that might trip up the note recognition side of it though. Once you get onto the 3 and 4 note sequences you do start to hear the outline of the chord when you play the individual notes though.
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  • axisusaxisus Frets: 28280
    Normally I would avoid TQ teaching stuff as he is about a million light years in advance of me, however, some positive noises here so I may take a look at the vid later when not at work.
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  • Yep he’s from another planet I think. There is something accessible about this though as it goes right down to fundamentals. 
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  • Please don't shoot me down..

    Has Tom also produced an app to allow you to turn this practise into actual music when you try to improvise?

    Do we have two willing victims to undertake a little experiment over the next six months? It's a thought experiment so lets assume both victims are clones, have equal capability and work equally as hard. the goal of this experiment is to see who can play the 'best' jazz guitar improvisation (I know we all have different ideas of best).

    Victim 1 - I want you to work through the chord sequence of Autumn Leaves using the app. I want you to work through the arps/scales in all orders and up to the fastest speed you can.

    Victim 2 - I want you to transcribe the lines of Joe Pass playing over the chord sequence. Learn as many lines as you can and play them into the ground. Try to modify them dynamically as play - change the phrasing, mix and match the lines.. make them your own. Grab some more Jazz records and do the same..

    At the end of the six months we're going to get both victims to record a solo and hear the results..

    I'm not suggesting that there is no value in learning to be able to see/hear intervals on the neck but ultimately the chances of Victim 1 turning in a quality piece of Jazz improvisation is between 'slim and none'

    Doesn't just apply to Jazz - I only suggested this as the chord sequence is Autumn Leaves. Could equally be any style..

    I like TQ - think he's a great player and he's helped me loads with getting my legato up to snuff. I'm just not convinced the app is actually a way of getting meaningful musical results..

    Si
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  • @grappagreen I think you raise a really valid point. If someone were to rely solely on this app to develop general musicianship/improvising skills they would definitely fall short. But as part of a broader system of learning (that would ideally include transcription etc) I think it is really powerful, and I also think that’s all the app is intended to be. 
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  • @bencowling81 ;
    Thanks Ben,

    I don't doubt it has some value - the problem I really have is that I've met and talked to lots of people who have sleepwalked into using learning materials like this (and the study of music theory) and forgotten about the most important bit. It's become a surrogate for the actual work that needs to be done if improvisational competency is the goal.

    In fact I'd go as far to say that when I suggest to people what they really need to do to become a competent improvisor they look at me as if I'm mad. 

    The grand irony is that the more time you spend on the things you don't need to do, the less time you have to spend on the stuff you do need to do and it becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy. Good news is that there are always more products on the market (that you don't need) that you can go and buy when the last one you bought doesn't work out..

    Si
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  • @grappagreen ; I totally agree Si, and on reflection am probably guilty of that to some extent. Right, time to dust off the Joe Pass records!
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  • BradBrad Frets: 658
    After watching the vid, I guess it’s a 21st Century approach to doing pre-existing exercises for developing fretboard knowledge and to start playing changes. 

    It does feel a little like reinventing the wheel to me, but I commend him for creating something for those that may not be lucky enough to have been exposed to such approaches. For those that rely on technology for their learning it could be a great asset...

    It’s a bit of a chicken or the egg situation for me. Whilst I do completely agree with you @grappagreen I can’t tell you the amount of stuff that I transcribed that meant nothing to me, because I simply didn’t know the fretboard well enough. They were lines that just existed in isolation. Learning the instrument and working on strategies similar to the Tom Quayle app made a big difference as I didn’t have the musicality to make my transcribing work for me. I think the two go hand in hand. 

    So the aim for me at least, is to have a victim 3 who does the work that both victims 1 and 2 do :smile: but that kind of might go against the sales pitch of the app a little?

    One thing I really do like about that vid is his stressing the importance of using and working with small chunks of info though. 
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  • GuyBodenGuyBoden Frets: 733
    Please don't shoot me down..

    Has Tom also produced an app to allow you to turn this practise into actual music when you try to improvise?

    Do we have two willing victims to undertake a little experiment over the next six months? It's a thought experiment so lets assume both victims are clones, have equal capability and work equally as hard. the goal of this experiment is to see who can play the 'best' jazz guitar improvisation (I know we all have different ideas of best).

    Victim 1 - I want you to work through the chord sequence of Autumn Leaves using the app. I want you to work through the arps/scales in all orders and up to the fastest speed you can.

    Victim 2 - I want you to transcribe the lines of Joe Pass playing over the chord sequence. Learn as many lines as you can and play them into the ground. Try to modify them dynamically as play - change the phrasing, mix and match the lines.. make them your own. Grab some more Jazz records and do the same..

    At the end of the six months we're going to get both victims to record a solo and hear the results..

    I'm not suggesting that there is no value in learning to be able to see/hear intervals on the neck but ultimately the chances of Victim 1 turning in a quality piece of Jazz improvisation is between 'slim and none'

    Doesn't just apply to Jazz - I only suggested this as the chord sequence is Autumn Leaves. Could equally be any style..

    I like TQ - think he's a great player and he's helped me loads with getting my legato up to snuff. I'm just not convinced the app is actually a way of getting meaningful musical results..

    Si

    But, there's no money to be made if players learn by transcribing from the records of the greats, but it's still the best way to learn IMHO.

    Tom Quayle is one of my fav players, and he needs to sell stuff to live and feed his family.

    "Music makes the rules, music is not made from the rules."
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  • GuyBoden said:
    Please don't shoot me down..

    Has Tom also produced an app to allow you to turn this practise into actual music when you try to improvise?

    Do we have two willing victims to undertake a little experiment over the next six months? It's a thought experiment so lets assume both victims are clones, have equal capability and work equally as hard. the goal of this experiment is to see who can play the 'best' jazz guitar improvisation (I know we all have different ideas of best).

    Victim 1 - I want you to work through the chord sequence of Autumn Leaves using the app. I want you to work through the arps/scales in all orders and up to the fastest speed you can.

    Victim 2 - I want you to transcribe the lines of Joe Pass playing over the chord sequence. Learn as many lines as you can and play them into the ground. Try to modify them dynamically as play - change the phrasing, mix and match the lines.. make them your own. Grab some more Jazz records and do the same..

    At the end of the six months we're going to get both victims to record a solo and hear the results..

    I'm not suggesting that there is no value in learning to be able to see/hear intervals on the neck but ultimately the chances of Victim 1 turning in a quality piece of Jazz improvisation is between 'slim and none'

    Doesn't just apply to Jazz - I only suggested this as the chord sequence is Autumn Leaves. Could equally be any style..

    I like TQ - think he's a great player and he's helped me loads with getting my legato up to snuff. I'm just not convinced the app is actually a way of getting meaningful musical results..

    Si

    But, there's no money to be made if players learn by transcribing from the records of the greats, but it's still the best way to learn IMHO.

    Tom Quayle is one of my fav players, and he needs to sell stuff to live and feed his family.

    @GuyBoden ;
    And finally we get to the point :) Just because people like Tom need to make a living doesn't mean that the teaching products we have on the market are necessary or required. A whole industry has established itself selling dreams and purported shortcuts to something they will seldom help achieve (or certainly not in isolation).

    I have no issues with this personally (people can spend their money on whatever they want) except that most of the products divert people away from what they really need to do to achieve their goals. The benefit of most of this stuff is to the teacher not the student ultimately in terms of supporting a sustainable business model.

    I know it's contentious but..

    Si
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  • kelpbedskelpbeds Frets: 181
    GuyBoden said:
    Please don't shoot me down..

    Has Tom also produced an app to allow you to turn this practise into actual music when you try to improvise?

    Do we have two willing victims to undertake a little experiment over the next six months? It's a thought experiment so lets assume both victims are clones, have equal capability and work equally as hard. the goal of this experiment is to see who can play the 'best' jazz guitar improvisation (I know we all have different ideas of best).

    Victim 1 - I want you to work through the chord sequence of Autumn Leaves using the app. I want you to work through the arps/scales in all orders and up to the fastest speed you can.

    Victim 2 - I want you to transcribe the lines of Joe Pass playing over the chord sequence. Learn as many lines as you can and play them into the ground. Try to modify them dynamically as play - change the phrasing, mix and match the lines.. make them your own. Grab some more Jazz records and do the same..

    At the end of the six months we're going to get both victims to record a solo and hear the results..

    I'm not suggesting that there is no value in learning to be able to see/hear intervals on the neck but ultimately the chances of Victim 1 turning in a quality piece of Jazz improvisation is between 'slim and none'

    Doesn't just apply to Jazz - I only suggested this as the chord sequence is Autumn Leaves. Could equally be any style..

    I like TQ - think he's a great player and he's helped me loads with getting my legato up to snuff. I'm just not convinced the app is actually a way of getting meaningful musical results..

    Si

    But, there's no money to be made if players learn by transcribing from the records of the greats, but it's still the best way to learn IMHO.

    Tom Quayle is one of my fav players, and he needs to sell stuff to live and feed his family.

    @GuyBoden ;
    And finally we get to the point :) Just because people like Tom need to make a living doesn't mean that the teaching products we have on the market are necessary or required. A whole industry has established itself selling dreams and purported shortcuts to something they will seldom help achieve (or certainly not in isolation).

    I have no issues with this personally (people can spend their money on whatever they want) except that most of the products divert people away from what they really need to do to achieve their goals. The benefit of most of this stuff is to the teacher not the student ultimately in terms of supporting a sustainable business model.

    I know it's contentious but..

    Si
    Got to say I disagree. I know David Beebee (who developed the app with Tom) pretty well and he is extremely passionate about education. They have produced an excellent product will serve guitarists wishing to develop their fretboard knowledge very well. Sure they will make some money along the way but that's the way of the world. There's no doubt that it is an excellent tool.
    Check out my Blues lessons channel at:  https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCBTSHf5NqVQDz0LzW2PC1Lw
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  • BranshenBranshen Frets: 1222
    edited March 2021
    I have been using this for about two weeks. This app is great and you can use it in many ways. Currently, I am using it to tackle playing chord scales over jazz changes, as I've been stuck thinking in keys for the longest time and want to get out of the rut. Combine it with a metronome of your choice, and you have a very capable training tool that can be used in a variety of ways. 

    The note detection is pretty good but not perfect, as it sometimes doesn't detect when you play the right note, and sometimes registered you've played the right note, even when I've played a wrong note or haven't even played a note at all (I suspect the mic registered ambient noise as having sounded the right note). All in all, once you go through the calibration process, it works 95% of the time, so not a massive problem, but that 5% does break the flow of the exercises. One unexpected benefit of this is that I am very focused on making sure my picked notes are clean and clear, so this con could be seen as a pro!

    I am aware that you can get better note detection by setting the app up to be used with an audio interface and plug the guitar directly into the phone instead of using the phone microphone. This will undoubtedly help with this minor issue but is not worth the faff for me personally.

    Dev support is excellent as well, I made a suggestion that they implement chord scale naming in the changes training mode, and Tom himself replied my email within a couple of hours, explaining why they didn't do it from the start and mentioned that they would look into making it a toggle-able option.

    To address some of the comments above, this app is just a tool, like a metronome and will not teach you how to play jazz. But, it will train you and help you gain some of the technical facilities needed, physically and mentally, to tackle jazz. It is well worth the asking price for the functionality, I rate it 9.5/10.
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