For those of you who own iPhones

[SOTSDO]

.…here is an "app" that I've found handy to have available on my phones (I've had it for my last three iPhones). For a doubler like me (who doesn't spend much time on the bundle of sticks each year, it will save your bacon more than a few times.

It's called Bassoon (duh!), and it's for the more or less standard Heckel bassinet to low Bb. The method of scanning through the notes is smooth, and the visual presentation of the key work is minimalist while still being crystal-clear. And, the price (as is the case with most iPhone applications) is right.

Search the App Store and you will turn it up.

Incidentally, the name Bassoon calls to mind the fact that we have a street named 'Bassoon Street' here in Houston. I've even seen high school players posing under the street sign, ungainly horn in hand, for a photo being taken by mom or dad.

Sadly, there is no street named 'Bass Clarinet Terrace'…

 

[pete]

I'm pretty sure you're talking about this app. It's 99 cents.

EDIT: I checked the links for support. They're dead. The app was released in 2009. So, Terry, you might want to post which version of iOS you have, just so folks know that this app will work on their iDevice. (Hey, it's only 99 cents, anyway. I'd take a chance on it .)

 

[SOTSDO]

Natürlich, we are running the most current version of the iPhone software, iOS 8.1, this on our new iPhones 6. The application (Version 1.0, dated 2009) runs just fine.

Further research on the developer's other "apps" reveals a heavy emphasis on reference (with similar applications for clarinet, saxophone, flute and (shudder) oboe) as well as some related to computer coding.

All of the fingering references are well-laid out, beautifully illustrated, and cleverly designed, more than I can say for those designed by others. Apple published well composed interface guidelines for programmers, but far too many of them ignore the interface and only tend to the code. Not this guy - the fingering guides all appear to be executed exactly in accordance with the Apple guidelines.

However, the last of these was posted to the App Store in 2012, and all of the fingering charts seem to have been abandoned as long ago as 2011.

Testing of the developer links on all of the applications revealed that any connection with him through Apple's store is long-time gone. (I could find no other links or email addresses in the application itself - the interface is very simple, with no additional menus of any kind save the note/fingering one.)

Against that is the fact that he made specific updates to several of his applications as a result of requests from users. Go figure…

I have gone back and dinged him on this lack of support. I wonder if he still gets his share of each sale…

 

[pete]

FWIW, I was trying to find something in the iTunes store that I thought would be simple: a remote control for Windows' Media Player Classic. I went through at least a dozen apps that were no longer maintained until I found a free one that works perfectly. It's amazing what you can find there if you spend some time.