PG Music Home Forums PG Music Wishlists Other Programs Wishlist Jazz Guitar Masterclass - current tempo not displayed!

The “Help” button brings up a page which shows a screenshot of the “Main Screen of the Program”. One of the highlighted features is “Tempo Adjustment” which seems to point to a couple of toolbar buttons which enable the tempo to be varied and the bpm to be displayed.

These buttons are not present on my toolbar and my "live help" exchanges have confirmed that there is no way of displaying the current tempo.

The tempo at which I am able to perform an exercise is vitally important information to enable me to assess my progress (or lack thereof!)

The lack of a tempo display is a fundamental flaw in the program's interface. I had initially been impressed with the program...

I've just watched https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WFDORaC04Mc&index=19&list=PL84A800A2D515AA60 ("Woodshedding with Band in a Box") so someone at PG Music clearly gets the importance of understanding the tempo at which you are playing. Please can we get the same clarity in Jazz guitar Masterclass?

Hi Nig,

I dont think anyone really cares if your impressed with the program or not. I know I dont!

And from reading your other posts, you sound a little bit like a whiner and complainer.......

Also, as long as you can hear the music and play in time with it, knowing what TEMPO it is is not really as important as you may think it is unless your a speed freak.......

Ive never been in a group or jam where a song is called and someone says Lets play it at 232 Blue Bossa at 186 Autumn Leaves at 144 I mean c'mon really!

BBB,

Nig is pointing out his version does not display tempo adjustment.

Nig,

Try adjusting your display resolution to 480 X 640 which is a standard VGA screen setting. Jazz Guitar Master Class is an older PGA Music software program so it was most likely designed to be displayed on VGA screens.

BBB thanks for your warm welcome to the forums!

If I adopted the same attitude as yours I could respond that "I don't think anyone really cares if you think I 'sound a little bit like a whiner and complainer'. I know I don't!", but that would be equally unconstructive.

Instead, just for the sake of clarity:
1. I was asked to post the original note by Kent on the "live help" desk to highlight the issue.

2. Kent kindly sent me a link to download a previous version of the program (version 1.0 build 73 compared with the current version 1.0 build 76) which does clearly display the current tempo as shown in the help file.

3. Kent's response on the "live help" desk was exemplary and helped me overcome the issue, but it still seems relevant to highlght that a valuable feature of the program seems to have disappeared in the space of "3 builds".

4. I find it a useful measure of my progress to be able to compare the tempos at which I am able to comfortably play an exercise over time. If I could only manage a piece at 60bpm last week but this week I can do 84bpm, then that tells me I am making progress. It doesn't tell me anything about my phrasing, or dynamics, or rhythmic accuracy, or right hand technique, but it does tell me that I have been able to play faster this week than last week. So it is one (imperfect) measure of improvement. I am not interested in the absolute tempo; it is the change (hopefully an increase!) that is important. Its not even the size of the change that is that important, just the fact of a change.

5. Build 76 does not indicate the tempo so the only way I can think of measuring a change would be to try and synchronise a real metronome with each exrcise and note the change over time; this does not sound practical or productive! Build 73 indicates the tempo, allowing any improvement to be clearly seen.

6. You may be correct that no-one is interested in my initial positive impression of the product having been undermined by an apparent flaw. However I know that I take note of my customers' views in my own business, and I know of no reason why PG Music would not be similarly concerned by a positive initial impression having been damaged by an apparent flaw in the software. The fact that they have a "wishlist" section in their forums suggests they welcome feedback. If you think that the program is better not displaying the current tempo, then please say so and offer a reasoned argument, otherwise I fail to see the point of your post in a "wishlist" context.

7. A sub-forum containing the word "wishlist" in it's title is probably not the place to expect to find unalloyed positivity about a company's products. I am sorry you see my comments as "whining" and "complaining"; they were intended as constructive criticism, albeit tinged with my frustration that what the help file promised was present was not in fact available. I am still enjoying the product (at least build 73) and hpe to continue to do so for some time to come. If a future "build 77" fixes the issues I have raised, then I will be extremely pleased.

I hope all that makes sense.

Thanks for your suggestion, JimFogle, but unfortunately it makes no difference; its a good thought though, thanks:)

Version 1.0 build 73 (supplied by Kent on the "live help" desk) displays the tempo dropdown on all resolutions from 640x480 to 1600x900 but version 1.0 build 76 does not (at least not on my system nor on Kent's).

If anyone can get the tempo to appear in version 1.0 build 76 then I'd be pleased to find out how and it might save PG Music some time and effort as well.

Hey Nig,

My apologies I got a little carried away, its nothing personal. I just got rubbed the wrong way when I read your comments about 16% and 5 minutes...........

im just thinking you gotta be kidding me etc etc like thats a big deal.......

I should have kept my comments to myself...........

Kind Regards, BBB