BugBand 1.1


MINIMUSIC RELEASES BUGBAND UPGRADE
The leading music education software for PalmOS handheld computers.

SAN FRANCISCO, Calif., February 1st, 2005 - miniMusic has released a new version of their BugBand educational software. A game for handheld computers, BugBand drills music reading skills for piano and guitar. The new version adds brass instruments so that users can now also practice their fingering for trumpet and tuba. Other improvements include high resolution color graphics, an option for left or right handed guitar, and improvements to the sound and animation. Already being used in many K-12 classes throughout the US, the software is a great tool for students and teachers, but BugBand is also suitable for hobbyists and musicians of all ages.

BugBand, along with miniMusic's notation, ear training and pattern sequencing products, completes a software suite that covers all of the fundamentals of music. By using the Palm Platform, schools and private teachers can use technology to teach music at an affordable price. Instead of a classroom full of students sharing a few desktop stations, the same budget can be used to put a handheld computer into every student's hands. Many music teachers also take advantage of the portability of the handhelds by easily taking their entire computer lab to several different schools where they teach every day or every week.

"It's amazing how [BugBand] works and how quickly the kids pick up on it," claims Bryan Bogue, a teacher at the Libby Center in Spokane, Washington. He's been using BugBand and other miniMusic software with his 5th and 6th grade students and says "I haven't ever had a better year of teaching. I've never seen the kids more engaged throughout the entire class."

In addition to new instruments, high resolution color graphics and support for better sound, the new version improves on several existing features. In BugBand's "Practice" mode, any note you play on the instrument is now indicated directly on the musical staff making the relationship between the written music and the instrument even more clear than before. A new high score screen makes it much easier to track progress, especially in situations where the same handheld is being used by many different students.

Pricing, Availability, and Distribution
The BugBand 1.1 Upgrade will be free for all current owners of BugBand, or it can purchased for $14.95 US from the miniMusic website. BugBand is also included in the miniMusic Handheld Music Suite (also includes NotePad, BeatPad and EarTrain) which is available for $69.95 US. Educational discounts and site licenses are also available for all miniMusic products. Free demos of BugBand and other software titles are currently available for download from the miniMusic web-site at www.miniMusic.com and from other Palm OS software distributors.

About miniMusic
Based in San Francisco since 1999, miniMusic creates handheld computer software for music composition, education, performance, and entertainment so that musical ideas can be explored anywhere and anytime, giving individuals the freedom of musical expression on their own terms. Shipping applications include NotePad, BeatPad, EarTrain and BugBand and a Palm-to-MIDI hardware interface. Upcoming products will tackle sound design, MIDI sequencing and innovative new musical interfaces.

For more information please visit the miniMusic website at http://www.minimusic.com

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miniMusic, miniMusic NotePad, EarTrain, BeatPad and BugBand are trademarks of miniMusic. Palm Platform is a registered trademark, and Palm and Palm OS Powered are trademarks of Palm Computing, Inc.. Zodiac is a trademark of Tapwave. All other brands and product names may be trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective owners.

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