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Known problems

1. If you move the application to a different place than /applications, you must keep the path short: the total path length to the directory where the application is, may not exceed 87 Characters (including slashes).

2. If the path name (in case you move the application) contains non standard ASCII characters, the program will not start.

3. If you forgot to install Quicktime from Apple the following message will appear: "This application has failed to start because QTMLClient.dll was not found." Unfortunately, the application does not run without QuickTime installed. You get the same error message if you did not restart the computer after installing Quicktime before starting ListeningSingingTeacher.

4. Multiple versions of Quicktime: If you get the errormessage "The procedure entry point for CFRelease could not be located in the dynamic link library QTMLClient.dll" or "The application or DLL C:\WINDOWS\system32\QTMLClient.dll is not a valid image. ..." then you probably have an old version of QTMLClient in C:\WINDOWS\system32. ListeningSingingTeacher needs a newer version which gets by default installed in C:\Program Files\Quicktime\QTSystem. This should be the only version of the file qtmlclient.dll. To find out if you have multiple versions of QTMLClient on your drives do the following:

Windows 7: Click the Start menu. Just above the start menu a searchfile appears. Enter QTMLClient.dll. On Windows 7 the search starts autoatically.

Windows Vist:a: Click the magnifying glass Search Everywhere. In the upcoming Window click Advanced Search.And activate the checkbox Include non-indexed, hidden and system files. In the Name field enter QTMLClient.dll and click on search.

In Windows XP: Click "Start" --> "Search". On the left bottom click "Click here to use Search Companion". In the upcomming window click "More advanced options" and select "Search system folders", "Search hidden files and folders" and "Search subfolders". In "All or part of the filename" enter "qtmlclient.dll" and click the "Search button.

You should find at least one version of the file QTMLClient.dll in C:\Program Files\Quicktime\QTSystem. If you find other versions beside C:\Program Files\Quicktime\QTSystem rename those versions. Be cautious and do not delete the other versions, just rename them for a test and reboot the system. Start Listening Singing(Music Teacher again. If you then get problems with other programs re-rename the renamed version back to the original name, other programs may need this older versions.

5. Latency issues under Vista. Under Vista not all sound cards are supported and the software emulation introduces unwanted delays. Windows 7 and 8 have a much better sound model and should not show this behavior.

Testing Latency

To test if the program, which uses OpenAL, has latency, do the following:

In the OS set the sound-output to speakers, so that the microphone can record what is coming from the speakers.

Start the program and on the "Select Lesson" dialog, check "Show Exercise and Replay Options".

Choose the lesson: "Scale: Sing after me".

On the next page click "Start".

On the appearing "Exercise Options" dialog, select "NoNote" for "Note Assisstance".

Under "Sound Options" set "Beatclicks" from "noClicks" to "beatClicks".

Click "Go" and be quiet, so that the system can record the beat clicks.

In the upper part of the Window, where the bouncing beat ball line is shown, check if the beat clicks get a green marking. If they are blue and lag behind the white reference line, the system has a latency issue. That is the sound needs too much time before it is hearable through the speakers. In this case the program is not suited for your computer hardware (Vista users: Upgrading to Windows 7 may help).

Midi and lyrics

Not all midi files contain a lyrics track.

Sometimes the times-stamps for the lyrics track are set to appear before the actual midi note sound. This has the advantage for the performer that the text gets highlighted just before the note is active. Unfortunately, Listening Singing Teacher can not always assign the lyrics to the correct note in this case.

In other cases the melody track is split into two or more tracks. For example the solo will be played on a saxophone track and the common refrain is played on a trumpet track. However, with Listening Singing Teacher you can only assign one track to the melody. In this way, midi files which use this technique make it more pleasant to listen to the music, but the single tracks will not contain the whole melody. Therefore there will be "missing" parts on the staff when imported by Listening Singing Teacher.

To overcome these problems, you must have a midi editor, which allows you to add or adjust lyrics time-stamps or to merge two channels into one again.

FAQ

What do I get for the payment?
Payment permits continued use of this version of the installed software on the computer the software was installed and access to all lessons. There is no warranty on the software. The tracking down of errors on other machines than ours is far too complicated. If you discover a software fault, please notify us.

In short, by paying you are allowed to use the program as it is, as long as the program works (e. g. operating system changes may make the program unusable).

What happens if I do not register after 10 hours?
Nothing. You break the rules. Please be fair, a singing lesson of an hour with a real teacher, costs approximately the same as the license for this program. Of course a real teacher can get you additional important feedback on your posture, the breathing and other things, so you cannot compare the two approaches with each other. Many people will try this program for free, and they are allowed to do so: for ten hours. If you still use the program after ten hours, it seems that the software is useful to you: therefore paying is only fair.

Where do I get Support
There is no support hotline. However we are interested in improving the product.
If you find errors or experience program crashes, let us know. Tell us also about documentation errors, sound errors or any other improvement possibilities of the program.
If the program stops unexpectedly, see in the system console log for error messages.
If the problem can be documented by the recording, export the recording and send the recording along with an error description.

Check if you can download a newer version with the same major version number. If so, back up your old version, before installing the newer version and try to reproduce the error with the new version.

If you get no or a wrong pitch responses from the program, please check in the replay mode what was recorded. If nothing gets recorded, check the sound control panel if the default input device is working correctly. If the input level is too low, increase it with the slider. If this does not work, you may have a microphone, which is not suited for that input channel. Expensive microphones often need special pre-amplifiers! The input channel must support microphones, line-in input channels expect a higher voltage signal than what you will get from microphones. There may also be a separate control panel for your digitizing device to adjust the sensitivity, check your hardware manuals. If you hear a lot of background noise, make sure nothing else is disturbing you. If there are clicks, chirps or hissing hearable, you might have unshielded microphone cables, which pick up electro-smog, or the microphone itself picks up a grumble from the 50/60 Hz power outlets. Try to reposition the microphone/cables. Make sure that the loudness display is in a correct range. If you make no sound, the sound control panel should show zero input level indicator lights or a maximum of two. If everything seems to be in a good range then make a hardcopy of the particular situation and export the recording, before mailing.

Send all the information (e. g. Computer Model, RAM, graphic card, audio equipment, etc.) you think might be helpful in resolving the problem to:

Acknowledged problems may go into the section entitled as "Open issues/ To Do's" on this page.

Can I print the statistics or songs?
Unfortunately, this version does not contain a print feature; you must make hard copies of the windows (use the application grab from the utilities folder). The songs and exercises may be printed from other applications, which can read abc-music notation. The songs can be found in the lessons directories (right-click the application icon and choose “Show Package Contents”. In the new window navigate to “Contents” and “Resources” and then double click on the desired lesson folder).

Why this fancy licensing terms, like the use of software is all at your sole risk?
In today’s modern world, where everybody can sue everybody for everything, one has to be cautious. Assume you are a super soprano, and you can break glassware just by singing. Please do not blame Listening Singing Teacher for such achievements; we are not willing to pay for that. Even worse, if you are a bass singer, which could destroy Jericho (hopefully you do not live in New York) … You get the idea!

Software is very complex, and computers are configured in different ways (and maybe have some problems on there own, it may even be important in which order you installed software), we cannot predict the behavior of the program. Therefore the risks to download, install or run the software is all at your risk. If you are very insecure and think if you stay at home all the time then you are safe, okay. If you fear that this software can destroy your computer or data on your computer: do not download, install or run this software. We really cannot guarantee that the server from where you download the software has not been hacked or that during the transmission no manipulations were made.

Do I have to be online to use the software?
No. You only have to be online for the download and the activation of the serial number.

Microphone Input level too low or audio device not supported
In the applications Utility Folder open “Audio Midi Setup”, and Select the “Audio Devices” Tab. From the “Default Input” Drop down Menu choose your microphone and in the “Properties For” also choose your microphone (see below). Drag the slider on the bottom of “Audio Input” to the right. Also make sure that the selected format is 44100.0 HZ and one channel 16 bit (1ch-16bit).

Other audio applications (e. g. GarageBand) may reset the input level, the frequency or the 16bit setting to 8bit. Be sure to check and set the following settings correctly:

Manual Activation

Unfortunately, the manual activation is a little bit complicated. There are three different numbers:

• the Serial Number (you get when you purchase the product)
• the Installation-ID (which is a unique identifier for your computer)
• and the Activation Code (which activates the serial number on a specified computer)

Please do not confuse these three numbers.

Here are instructions that illustrate the process of a manual activation:

a) Start Listening Singing Teacher on the computer you would like to use the product..
b) On the "Select User" page the Serial-number field should read "Trial-Version".
c) Enter your serial number from the confirmation mail. Entering the serial number manually has the potential to make mistakes (8 for B, O for 0, etc). So a better way is to use the button "Paste" which is on the same line as the serial number field. After clicking paste check visually that the beginning and the end of the serial number are ok.
d) Make sure you have an online connection, then click the button "Activate".
e) The following Browser window will open:

f) Leave "Activate using a web browser on this computer" selected and click "Next". The following window should appear:

g) Do not click "Next" yet. Click on the activation URL link http://activate.esellerate.net in the window. (Do not open a separate browser-window, the browser will be started automatically with additional information). The following window should appear:

h) The installation ID is hardware dependent and will be pre-filled. (If the field is empty then you probably started a manual browser window. Go back and click the link in the Web Activation window).
(Your prefilled data are of course different, this prefilled data get calculated from the serial number and hardware components of the computer (So I do not know what esellarate exactly uses. But this process allows to calculate an activation key for a computer which is not online. This means you could enter the installation ID (of an offline computer) on a computer which is online and get an activation key back for the offline computer.)).
Place the cursor at the end of the pre-filled Installation ID number by clicking behind the end of the pre-filled string. (I was told by a customer that the activation would only work if he did this)
Click Submit.
i) In the lower window part under "Activation Key" the field should now be filled with an Activation ID:

Mark and copy the activation key. Close this window.

j) The "Web Activation" window should be visible again:

Now click "Next".

k) The Enter Activation Key window should appear:

Paste the activation key.

Click "Activate".
l) You should be brought back to Listening Singing Teacher. The button "Activate" in the Select User page should now read "Deactivate". And all lessons should now be available.

Please let us know if you get a problem during the steps a) through l). You have to be online to activate the program. If the machine cannot be taken online, you should write down the Identification key you get in step f) and do the following steps on a computer which is online until you get the activation key for that machine. With the activation key you get, you should be able to do an activation on the machine without having an online connection.