StaffPad is a wonderful looking new music notation application for Windows. Unfortunately it is not available for Apple. Although I haven’t tried it out since I am an Apple guy it sure does look incredible. So clean and quick. You can notate your ideas before forgetting them! It cost a modest US$69.95 Check it out at StaffPad.net
StaffPad Music Notation App – Awesome
28 04 2016Comments : Leave a Comment »
Categories : composition, Computer and Software, Cool Stuff that might be useful, Education resource, Music Composition, Music Software, Music Tech, Music Theory, Notation, Original Composition, Uncategorized
Great Composition App for Music Students & Mashups
2 05 2014One of my music students found a great FREE online application today while trying to make a mashup. They wanted to find the tempo bpm of a song and the key it was in, so searched for an app and found HookTheory.com This application will do that plus a whole lot more. They have a beginner music composition music theory ibook for purchase at $14.95 as well as two wonderful online applications that are totally FREE. This interface is slick and easy to use and it will even create a notated score using western notation and even tabs if needed. Composing is simple and fun. Everything is colour coded and the application will even suggest chords to go with your melody. Checkout THEORY TAB for composing. The snap shot below gives you an idea of how everything look. Pretty straight ahead and if you have trouble figuring things out there is an online manual with video tutorials. CHECK IT OUT YOURSELF ONLINE.
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Categories : 21st century education, Application, Audio, composition, Computer and Software, Education resource, For Guitarists, IB Music, MIDI, Music Composition, Music Education, Music Software, Music Theory, Notation, Publishing, Teacher resource, Textbook, Tutorial, Web 2.0
Cool New MIDI Instrument – Percussa Audio Blocks
28 05 2012Audio Blocks is one of the coolest new instruments I have seen. These look like so much fun. Audio Blocks by Percussa are a new MIDI instrument that you can input your own samples to create completely original and new compositions of your own.
I wish they were a bit cheaper to buy. A set of four blocks runs around $600 US. A little steep.
Here is some info from their site.
Improvisor is a MIDI sequencer application which plays back multiple step sequences with up to 64 steps in length.
Each sequence is entered using velocity and semitone patterns, relative to a root note.
Semitone patterns can be played back using different velocity patterns or the other way around.
Semitone patterns can follow each other, which means they will add to each other’s relative semitone steps.
By drawing your own semitone and velocity patterns, and making patterns follow each other, you can create completely new melodies, which you didn’t imagine before!
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Tags: applications, composition, cool stuff, instrumenet, Music Resource, technology
Categories : 21st century education, composition, Computer and Software, Cool Stuff that might be useful, Education resource, Fun, Instruments and Controllers, MIDI, Music Composition, Music Education, Music NEWS, Music Software, Music Tech, Original Composition, Teaching Tools and Software, The Future of Music Education, The Science of Music, Uncategorized
Song Composition – Rapping Romeo and Juliet
14 09 2011
Rapping is both an interesting and accessible composition style that can teach students all about musical form, rhythm, phrasing, dynamics, timing, lyric creation, digital audio recording and more.
For a lesson idea that will link you into the English department, ask them which play they are including in the years curriculum. In my case it was Romeo and Juliet. I got them to translate the soliloquy into modern language and create a rap performance. It was not only hugely successful and fun, the students learning more about song construction, music theory, and performance than they will ever know.
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Categories : composition, GarageBand, Lesson Plans, Music Composition, Music Education, Music Performance, Music Tech, Original Composition, Recording
Seven Great Apps for Teaching Music
4 07 2011Free Technology for Teachers has pulled together a great post of 7 wonderful applications that music educators and students can all use to enjoy and learn about music. They are all well worth looking at and incorporating into your classroom teaching. Check them out!
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Categories : composition, Computer and Software, Education resource, Music Composition, Music Education, Music Resource, Music Software, Music Tech, Online, Original Composition, Publishing, Teaching Tools and Software, The Future of Music Education, Web 2.0, Web Based Software
Music Listening and Analysis – Great Resource by Rob Kapilow
11 01 2011If you are looking for a great resource for teaching Listening and Analysis of Music you should check out Rob Kapilow’s wonderful podcasts and recordings. I previously did a post on Rob Kapilow and have found it so good I decided to make another about another album he has on another piece by Mozart. I came across his podcasts while looking for info on Mozart’s Jupiter Symphony for my grade 11/12 IB Music History class. Rob gives a wonderful commentary of the music as it is played so the listener can home in on what to listen for. Well Done I have since found another title of Mozart that Rob has analyzed as well as a radio show on NPR. Give your students the knowledge to become better listeners. Rob Kapilow
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Categories : Lesson Plans, Listening and Analysis, Music Composition, Music Education, Music Resource, Resource
Things are not Always what the Seem in the Entertainment Industry
21 07 2010 Did you know that this sign originally was the sign for a pesso! Things are not always what they seem.
Here is an interesting story about the avenue two Scottish musicians (Gavin Bain and Billy Boyd) took in order to survive in the entertainment industry. They became “American Rappers”. Little did they know what they were getting into living the lie. Brought to you by NPR. Give the show a listen.
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Categories : Cool Stuff that might be useful, Entertainment Industry, Music Composition, Music Tech