Freeware & Shareware Software Downloads - November 2003
By Kelly Embleton

As we all know, the Internet is constantly growing and contains new information and resources each day. Knowing this, it does make it harder to find what you are searching for, especially for the free stuff! This is where the list below comes in handy. It is a list of music and audio software downloads, as well as a few programs everyone can use.

Please be sure to have your anti-virus software running when downloading all software. Also, make sure you uninstall the software if you find it is not what you want or after the trial period has expired.

What Is Shareware?
Shareware is software that you download, try out and decide whether or not you want to purchase it after the trial period expires.

What Is Freeware?
Freeware is software that has been developed with no charge or fee for the user to download and use!

EarMaster Pro 4.0
Type: Shareware
Platform: Windows 98, NT, 2k, ME, XP
Web site: www.earmaster.com/download/index.htm
Description: This program teaches many of the basics of ear training, defining and listening for the minor, major and style notes in a pre-determined music selection. Some understanding of musical terms is needed to use this application. Just pick which instruments you play and the program is customized for your needs.

Guitar Tuner 4.0
Type: Shareware
Platform: MAC OS 6.0.5 thru OS 9
Web site: members.aol.com/raymeow/index.html#gt.targ
Description: Guitar Tuner listens while you tune and visually guides you through the tuning process.
Requirements: MAC computer with microphone.

Melody Assistant 6.3.5c
Type: Shareware
Platform: Macintosh PowerPC (Mac OS 8.6 to Mac OS X) and Windows (95,98, Me, 2000, NT4 or XP)
Web site: www.myriad-online.com/enindex.htm
Description: Melody Assistant is useful for computer-assisted music composition. It offers a friendly interface for ease of use and many powerful features. Features include sound definitions, text and graphics, and special effects for music like swing and drum staves.

Songwriter Submission Assistant 4.0
Type: Shareware
Platform: Windows 95/98/Me/NT/2000/XP
Web site: www.sharewarecorner.com/song.html
Description: Keep track of your song lyrics and publisher submissions. SongWriter Submission Assistant has a publisher address book where you can build your own database of publishers and their submission policies. Print out your lyrics whenever you need to submit them. Keeps track of publishers you have submitted to and dates.

Visual Music 1.1
Type: Freeware
Platform: Windows 95/98/Me/NT/2000/XP
Web site: www.shitalshah.com/vmusic/index.html
Description: Visual Music lets you play 128 musical instruments on your PC including flute, bagpipe and more. You can even record what you are playing, edit it and save it in a file. It also provides you with an easy to use scripting language to create music by telling what key in which instrument you want to play for how much time.

Weird Metronome 1.2
Type: Freeware
Platform: Windows 95/98/Me/NT/2000/XP
Web site: www.pinkandaint.com/weirdmet.shtml
Description: Weird Metronome is a program designed to beat out time using the MIDI hardware present in most sound cards. It is able to play measures of length up to 1,000 beats, with totally customizable emphasis of beats.

TravelAxe
Type: Freeware
Platform: Windows
Web site: www.travelaxe.net
Description: Travelaxe is a program (for leisure and business travellers) that searches multiple travel Web sites at that same time for hotel rates in over 730 cities from 39 different countries and lets you compare the prices from each travel Web site. When you find the price you want, TravelAxe takes you right to the booking page of the travel Web site to complete your reservation with that Web site.

VersionTracker.com
Type: Free software download Web site
Platform: downloads for MAC, Windows & Palms
Web site: www.versiontracker.com
Description: VersionTracker.com is a free software download site for updates, upgrades, and patches for freeware, shareware, demos, media players, screensavers, music, games, anti-virus and more.

Resources

• Music Industry Network Canada (MINC) has provided a one-stop-shop for services and anything you need to know about the music industry including: ANR (All New Releases) Lounge - an innovative online service to help recording artists reach Canadian radio. The ANR Lounge allows users create a virtual promotional kit for their new release, including sound clips and images, for distribution to radio. Visit MINC and the ANR Lounge at www.mincanada.com.

• Korg has enhanced its Web site, www.korg.com, with new key features, interactive tools, MP3s, artist information and more. Visit the Korg site and check out the additions. And while you're at it, don't forget to check out Korg Canada's Web site at www.jam-ind.com/korgcanada for Canada-specific information.

• The Mozilla 1.4 browser is now available! Mozilla is an open source browser supporting Internet standards across a variety of platforms including Windows, Linux, Mac OS X, OS/2, Solaris, and more. Mozilla provides users with acclaimed browsing convenience along with power features such as pop-up blocking and tabbed browsing. Mozilla also provides a sophisticated platform for developing web and Intranet applications using cutting edge technologies. Check it out at www.mozilla.org.

• Canadian Music Week 2004 is happening on March 3-6 in Toronto. Find out about the festival, main events, conferences and more at www.cmw.net.

• If you are looking for sheet music, songbooks, artist biographies, anthologies or greatest hits collections then visit Music Books Plus at www.musicbooksplus.com/sheetmusic. Music Books Plus has a vast selection of over 600 titles including: Best of Metallica, Ben Folds, Nickelback, Radiohead, Audioslave, Linkin Park, Paul McCartney and more.

• MusicSearch, found at www.musicsearch.com, is a music-only search site that offers a way to locate music-related resources on the ever-growing Internet. This site contains over 20,000 reviewed listings.