Sing on Sight

How it works

A note appears on the staff. Sing it.
The pitch detector listens in real time: once you hold the correct pitch for about a second, the note validates and the next one appears. The tolerance window is ±50 cents — wide enough to be forgiving but narrow enough to actually train your ear.
The staff shows up to eight notes at a time. Click any note to jump back to it, or keep singing forward through the sequence.

Why sight-singing?

Sight-singing is the ability to read a melody from sheet music and sing it without hearing it first. It is one of the most effective ear training exercises there is, because it forces you to connect written notation, interval memory, and your own voice at the same time.
Regular practice builds relative pitch — the ability to hear intervals rather than just isolated notes — and dramatically speeds up learning new pieces. You don't need to be a singer to benefit. Instrumentalists who practice sight-singing consistently report stronger musical memory, faster score reading, and a better sense of phrasing.
Five minutes a day is enough to see results within a few weeks.

Scale and key

Choose a root note and a mode. FretMind generates a sequence of notes drawn from that scale, within your calibrated voice range.
Eleven modes are available: major, natural minor, harmonic minor, melodic minor, pentatonic major, pentatonic minor, blues, Dorian, Phrygian, Lydian, and Mixolydian.
Start on C major to get comfortable with the interface, then explore other keys and modes as you progress. Dorian has a jazzy minor quality, Lydian sounds bright and floating, Mixolydian has a bluesy major feel. Each mode trains your ear to recognise a different set of interval relationships.

Clef and voice type

The panel on the left shows six voice types: soprano, mezzo-soprano, alto, tenor, baritone, and bass. Your calibrated voice type is highlighted. Click any row to select it and choose a clef.
Modern clefs (treble, bass, treble 8vb) are used in everyday practice and most contemporary sheet music. Historical clefs (soprano, mezzo-soprano, alto, tenor, baritone) appear in choral scores and early music repertoire.
If a sequence feels consistently too high or too low even after selecting the right voice type, use the octave shifter (+ / −) to the right of the staff. It shifts all notes up or down by one octave without changing the key.

Tips

Use the Listen button to hear the target note before singing — especially useful when starting a new scale or key.
If you struggle with a particular interval, click back to that note on the staff and repeat it until it feels natural.
Practice in short sessions: five to ten minutes daily beats a single long session per week. Your voice and your ear need repetition over time, not volume.
Recalibrate if your voice changes — after warming up, after illness, or if you switch to a significantly different vocal register.

Frequently Asked Questions

How does voice calibration work?
Calibration measures your comfortable vocal range in two short takes: a low note you can hold easily, then a high note in full voice without straining. FretMind uses these two reference points to estimate your voice type and ensure all generated note sequences stay within your range. You can recalibrate at any time by clicking the Recalibrate button.

What scales and modes are available?
Sing on Sight includes eleven scales and modes: major, natural minor, harmonic minor, melodic minor, pentatonic major, pentatonic minor, blues, Dorian, Phrygian, Lydian, and Mixolydian. Each one generates a different set of interval relationships, useful for training different aspects of your ear.

What if the notes are too high or too low for me?
First make sure you have selected the correct voice type in the clef panel (soprano, mezzo-soprano, alto, tenor, baritone, or bass). If notes still feel out of range, use the octave shifter (+ / − buttons to the right of the staff) to shift the entire sequence up or down by one octave. If the problem persists, try recalibrating your voice range.

Do I need to be a singer to use Sing on Sight?
No. Sight-singing is a skill that benefits all musicians, not just singers. Guitarists, pianists, and other instrumentalists who practice sight-singing regularly develop stronger relative pitch, faster score reading, and better musical memory. You just need a microphone and the willingness to make some noise.

How accurate does my pitch need to be?
The tolerance window is set to ±50 cents — half a semitone in either direction. This is wide enough to be accessible for beginners but narrow enough to actually train your ear. Perfect pitch is not required: what matters is getting close and adjusting in real time as you listen to yourself.