User Guide & FAQ

How the Application Works

PitchDrops is built on the concept of progressive, bite-sized daily training. You select a mode, listen to the audio prompt, and select the correct answer. The app runs completely locally on your device, meaning it works entirely offline once loaded to ensure zero latency with audio playback.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much should I practice each day?

Consistency beats marathon sessions. We recommend 5 to 10 minutes a day. Because PitchDrops uses spaced repetition with a 7-day memory half-life, short daily sessions keep your recall sharp and maintain your streak without causing ear fatigue.

How do the Adaptive Questions work?

Instead of giving you identical, repetitive tests, PitchDrops uses an adaptive training engine that acts like a personal tutor. It keeps track of how well you know every individual interval, chord, and scale. The engine constantly fine-tunes itself to hit your learning sweet spot, aiming for 75% to 80% accuracy, while letting challenging concepts step back to prevent frustration until your ears are refreshed.

Why doesn't PitchDrops drill my mistakes over and over?

In ear training, rote error repetition causes acute ear fatigue and cognitive burnout. If your auditory cortex cannot yet discriminate a sound, hammering it creates confusion. PitchDrops operates on a Bayesian model: when you repeatedly miss an item, the engine gains certainty that you aren't ready yet, letting it step back so you can build anchor references in your 75%–80% sweet spot before resurfacing it naturally.

What are the different Play Styles?

• Melodic (Ascending/Descending): Notes are played sequentially; ideal for scales and melodic intervals.
• Harmonic: Notes are played simultaneously, simulating active chord structures.
• Random: Notes are scrambled to test recognition separate from conventional patterns.

What is the Tuning setting (12T, 5JI, 7JI)?

PitchDrops uses 12-Tone Equal Temperament (12-TET) by default. For advanced studies in microtonality and pure acoustic relationships, we offer Just Intonation options (5-Limit and 7-Limit JI) which use pure mathematical frequency ratios to achieve perfectly consonant chords.