Ear Master 5.

* Ear Master 5, eMedia Corp. (664 N.E. Northlake Way, Seattle, WA 98105), $69.95. System requirements: Windows 98/ME/2000/XP/ or later 10 MB hard disk space Soundcard or other MIDI device, CD-ROM, SVGA monitor Free Demo: http://www.earmaster.com/download/index.htm

This great piece of software is easy to install and use. The program is accompanied by a 47-page manual, which is easy to understand and follow. Questions can be answered by clicking with a mouse, playing on a MIDI keyboard or singing or playing the answer through a microphone. Once installed, the disk does not have to be inserted for the program to run.

To begin, choose Tutor or Customized mode. Tutor mode leads the user through exercises that get more difficult as they progress. The experience can be customized by choosing specific exercises to work with, and also further focus drills for your own specific needs by creating your own exercises.

It is easy to navigate through the exercises: questions can be repeated, paused and answers can be evaluated. Also, the exercises can be set up to provide a new question only if the previous question was answered correctly. When the user answers, the answer is heard and written on a grand staff.

Exercises are in the following areas: Interval Comparison, Intervals, Chords and Scales, Interval Singing, Chord Progressions, Melodic Dictation, Rhythm reading and Imitation, Rhythm Dictation, and Rhythm Correction.

In Intervals, lessons begin by simply having students decide which interval is greater, and questions get progressively more difficult. Intervals are heard both melodically and harmonically.

In Chord Progressions, students listen to a chord progression to identify. Lessons begin with a simple V-I and V-I mi progressions, and goes through 35 levels of chord progressions, ending with "I mi-bVI-IV mi-V-I mi."

In Melodic Dictation, students transcribe or sing a phrase by pitch or pitch plus rhythm. Rhythmic dictation is answered by either tapping the space bar or clapping into a microphone. Rhythm reading is also drilled by tapping or clapping a written rhythm.

There is also a Jazz Tutor, which would be helpful to the advanced or college-age student

This is a terrific program--one that I know will quickly become a staple in my computer lab. It is very well designed and can be used by students of all ages. Reviewed by Michelle Gordon, NCTM, Mattapoisett, Massachusetts 

* The items marked with this symbol can be ordered via the MTNA website through our affiliation with Amazon.com. Go to www.mtna.org, click on "Resources and Services" and scroll down to the Amazon.com section.