Monk is a new musical app for Windows Phone that lets you easily understand the inner workings of music. It has a huge library with lots of scales and chords for you to explore, and the interesting user interface allows you to rapidly get an idea of how notes are related inside any scale or chord.
The app allows you to transpose, change the scales, play with chord inversions, and take a look at the staff, all in the same screen. You will be able to select a specific accuracy to filter the search results and even select which note is the root of the scale or chord you're searching. Once found, play the scale or chord and listen to it. Monk lets you play all the notes on its polyphonic and multi-touch piano.
If you are a music enthusiast, and would like to understand the specifics, it’s a great app to have. It is a little crowded on a smaller screen especially when you have big fingers, and works better on my Nokia Lumia 1520. Monk is also in the works for Windows 8 and I look forward to an app like that on my Surface with all that real estate.
The app comes in two versions – Monk and Monk Lite. You can download Monk Lite for free from the Windows Phone Store. The Lite version has the following limitations:
- Only 7 scales in the library
- Inverse Scale Search - Limited to 2 notes
- Inverse Chord Search - Limited to 2 notes
- No support for Modes
- No support for Chord Piano Inversions
- No support for alterations ambiguity resolution
- No Treble/Bass Clef Staff
The full version of Monk usually goes for $1.45 (right QR code), but you can grab it on a discount for $0.99 through this week from the Windows Phone Store. You can also trial the full version for 24 hours.
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