There is no doubt that the use of MIDI files have provided music teachers with not only highly valuable teaching tools for their own personal ease and benefit, but have facilitated student growth in such fields as analysis, creativity, theory, and even act as practice aids. MIDI files have, in general, increased the opportunity to use quality computer-developed musical accompaniments in teaching music to children. Furthur, MIDI files as accompaniments can be especially helpful for students when working on solo repertoire during practice or if accompanists are not readily available. Additionally, many instrumental methods books used in schools incorporate MIDI files to practice with that students can use on their own time outside of the classroom.
MIDI accompaniment files are also extremely easy to aquire, many can be found for free online to download, or can be inportedwith a music notation software program, such as Finale or Sibelius. Once imported into one of these programs, they can also be quickly and easily altered or transposed to fit the needs of the performer or ensemble.
Moreover, while many feel like MIDI sequencing could never replace the musicality of real musicians playing real instruments, with a bit of effort, one can make sequences sound much like a real ensemble. Interestingly enough, MIDI sequencing does not include audio. Rather, a the sequence records which notes you have played, when you played them, including the tempo and rhythm, how quickly each note was played, and when the note was released. If you are a decent player, you can easiliy record live performances into the sequencer. You do not even need to be a proficient keyboard player. Instead, guitar, percussion, violin, wind, and other MIDI controllers can be used to enter sequences into the computer. Though the technology is definitely not perfect, it has come quite a ways in the last few years and is often highly impressive and realistic. And, as most modern sequencers can record audio, as well as MIDI, you can record sound with them much just as you would with a tape recorder, but with a much greater amount of editing options. Moreover, to get better-sounding music from your sequences, play them back using high quality sounds, such as those found on more sophisticated hardware and software synthesizers It is usually much easier to synthesize percussion, keyboard, and electronic instruments, while wind instruments are the most difficult to synthesize.
Why is this useful/relevant? Again, many educators create sequencing files for accompaniments for use with their students in class, rehearsals, and performances, allowing students to have a personal accompanist at their disposal anytime, resulting in better performers which can better contribute to our ensembles and their education and experiences holistically.
For further information on MIDI files and information, check out MIDI Search Engine, MIDI.com, Standard MIDI files on the Net, MIDI world, and Harmony Central.
Sunday, September 27, 2009
The Art's Edge Kennedy Center - PLN
Upon discovering this well-organized website, I have found that it seeks to meet the needs for teachers of the arts, covering music, art, and theater. Teachers can find lesson plans for both the arts and other school subjects, uniquely helping students learn math or science through the arts. This website allows one to pick the arts subject, school subject, and grade level, which helps the teacher narrow down the search for a lesson plan and save time. Not only are there lesson plans but an interactive section for the students, including a virtual tour of the Kennedy Arts Center. This website is a great way for teachers of the arts to incorporate other subjects into their classroom, helping students gain a better understanding of their subjects. How the standards are incorporated into the lesson plans is also included, so much that the teacher can pick a lesson plan based on a certain standard - great for teachers who are looking to combine the arts with other school subjects.
Sunday, September 20, 2009
Week 5 Readings - Everything you wanted to know about MIDI files... and then some.
After reading both articles this week, I have found MIDI files extremely flexible and useful for students, educators, and musicians. For example, the readings touched on how transposition is no problem with MIDI, allowing one to transpose entire songs at once with a single MIDI message. Also, a majority of sequencing programs allow one to edit individual or groups of notes in either MIDI tracks or audio tracks. Since a MIDI performance consists of individual MIDI events, students can easily edit or delete a single or selected grouping of notes. Also, electronic keyboards and other types of MIDI instruments make MIDI input with notation and sequencing software easy and much less time consuming.
If, however, you are looking for musically expressive, realistic sound quality, digital-audio files are much more practical. Recording rehearsals, concerts, audition CDs, and documenting performance progress all depend on genuine, instrumental sound that cannot be captured in a MIDI file. Even the most technically advanced instrumental synthesizers cannot effectively reproduce the subtle nuances of a live performance from an accomplished musician. If your students want 'the real deal', recording a live performance as digital audio is the best choice. The only drawback is that the resulting track may be more difficult to edit, though it will sound far more realistic. Moreover, it is important to note that if students want to compose hip-hop, techno, or other forms of electronic music that uses digitally recorded, looped, and processed sound clips from existing digital-audio recordings, digital-audio files must be utilized.
While I won't comment much on the technical side of how MIDI files work, my overall, general impression of determining whether to use MIDI or digital-audio files is quite simple: if you are mostly concerned with the structure of a piece of music and want to easily edit/transpose on a highly detailed level, MIDI is the way to go. If the sound itself and musicality are the #1 priority, digital-audio is the better choice.
If, however, you are looking for musically expressive, realistic sound quality, digital-audio files are much more practical. Recording rehearsals, concerts, audition CDs, and documenting performance progress all depend on genuine, instrumental sound that cannot be captured in a MIDI file. Even the most technically advanced instrumental synthesizers cannot effectively reproduce the subtle nuances of a live performance from an accomplished musician. If your students want 'the real deal', recording a live performance as digital audio is the best choice. The only drawback is that the resulting track may be more difficult to edit, though it will sound far more realistic. Moreover, it is important to note that if students want to compose hip-hop, techno, or other forms of electronic music that uses digitally recorded, looped, and processed sound clips from existing digital-audio recordings, digital-audio files must be utilized.
While I won't comment much on the technical side of how MIDI files work, my overall, general impression of determining whether to use MIDI or digital-audio files is quite simple: if you are mostly concerned with the structure of a piece of music and want to easily edit/transpose on a highly detailed level, MIDI is the way to go. If the sound itself and musicality are the #1 priority, digital-audio is the better choice.
Monday, September 14, 2009
PLN #4
I'm sure many are familiar with this website, but I have found "eHow" to be surprisingly helpful for those band directors who need a quick refresher on a certain instrument and don't have time/money to take private lessons. Just click on the "videos" tab and enter the specific instrument you are trying to learn how to play once again and you will find a myriad of "how-to" videos, which teach everything from instrument assembly to fingering basic notes/forming an embouchure.
In a pinch, these FREE beginner videos on how to play virtually any instrument can be exceedingly quick and helpful. (I've used many of them..)
In a pinch, these FREE beginner videos on how to play virtually any instrument can be exceedingly quick and helpful. (I've used many of them..)
Sunday, September 13, 2009
PLN #3 - MENC Updates
What better way to stay updated on current events in the music ed. world than the National Association for Music Education? To get updates on the latest Music Educator's Journal, miscellaneous informative articles, music educator's forums, valuable resources, and much more, click here.
Week 4 Readings - "Sibelius/Creative Thinking/Notation Software/Vermont MIDI Project"
Most accurately stated in chapter 8 of Creative Thinking and Music Technology, "it has never been a more exciting time to be a music educator". Why is this, do you ask? Newer views of music intelligence tied to critical thinking enhanced by technology has resulted in the support of a constructionist philosophy, or the use of creativity to motivate learning. Because the significance of music in curriculum is constantly a struggle to justify to administrations, such developments look extremely promising for the world of music education and future educators.
A perfect example of this type of hands-on creative exploratory learning that allows students to 'dive right in' is the Vermont MIDI Project, "an Internet-based mentoring program that guides, encourages, and supports students in grades 2 through 12 who are learning to compose and arrange music." The project currently allows thousands of students in Vermont to to share their work with professional composers, teachers, and other students, regardless of location, helping students express themselves through music while fulfilling multiple MENC standards - how cool is that? How many more students would discover a passion of composition and music creativity if this was available to all students?
The VMP has also established multiple summer workshops for educators, where they learned to compose and arrange music and use notation and sequencing software. Each participating teacher and mentor received a copy of Sibelius software, and in no time, students and teachers were producing performance-quality scores and having them performed by professional musicians! I can't even imagine how fulfilling it would be to have my own composition performed by a professional musician - especially as a middle school student! (most of us were still too preoccupied trying to find the perfect outfit for the 7th-grade dance that detracted from the braces and questionable complexions to think about composing!)
Interestingly enough, it is clear that the Vermont MIDI Project could not exist without the help of current technology. Before computers, composition was a painstaking, laborious, and complex process resulting in many broken pencils and crumpled-up pieces of staff paper. Today, music notation software makes it possible for students at any level to more easily record
their musical inspirations and hear their pieces played in a variety of settings and styles.
Students can experiment with sound without really knowing anything about music theory or composition and just explore their creative side. Also, the Internet makes it possible for students to share musical ideas and benefit from the wisdom and expertise of music professionals all over.
Speaking of music notation software, Sibelius, one of the most popular professional notation programs, promises to be a "huge supporter of music education and provid[es] a host of materials for teachers and students". With Sibelius, teachers can print out scores and parts, prepare practice and assessment exercises and worksheets, and post files on educational Web sites, while students benefit by having the ability to compose and print out original compositions and arrangements, completing teacher-prepared worksheets, and have assisted practice sessions with recorded accompaniment. Sibelius also has the capability to add note names and fingerings, highlights and colors notes on scores, simplify or re-orchestrate parts for students, transpose music, create various rhythm parts, ensemble music, reduced piano parts, worksheets, and readiness exercises, burn practice CD's for students, and can even assist with writing your own method book. Teachers can also use scorch to post student compositions and files on school web sites that does not require the purchase of any software.
Overall, the gist of these four articles is quite simple: in order to get students to think creatively and thus become better music students, we must teach creatively. (For every action...) One of the greatest methods of creative teaching is through the use of technology, and with the aid of advanced music notation software and all of it's uses and rich features at our fingertips, there is no telling what we can't do to facilitate learning and most importantly, make it more enjoyable and valuable for students.
A perfect example of this type of hands-on creative exploratory learning that allows students to 'dive right in' is the Vermont MIDI Project, "an Internet-based mentoring program that guides, encourages, and supports students in grades 2 through 12 who are learning to compose and arrange music." The project currently allows thousands of students in Vermont to to share their work with professional composers, teachers, and other students, regardless of location, helping students express themselves through music while fulfilling multiple MENC standards - how cool is that? How many more students would discover a passion of composition and music creativity if this was available to all students?
The VMP has also established multiple summer workshops for educators, where they learned to compose and arrange music and use notation and sequencing software. Each participating teacher and mentor received a copy of Sibelius software, and in no time, students and teachers were producing performance-quality scores and having them performed by professional musicians! I can't even imagine how fulfilling it would be to have my own composition performed by a professional musician - especially as a middle school student! (most of us were still too preoccupied trying to find the perfect outfit for the 7th-grade dance that detracted from the braces and questionable complexions to think about composing!)
Interestingly enough, it is clear that the Vermont MIDI Project could not exist without the help of current technology. Before computers, composition was a painstaking, laborious, and complex process resulting in many broken pencils and crumpled-up pieces of staff paper. Today, music notation software makes it possible for students at any level to more easily record
their musical inspirations and hear their pieces played in a variety of settings and styles.
Students can experiment with sound without really knowing anything about music theory or composition and just explore their creative side. Also, the Internet makes it possible for students to share musical ideas and benefit from the wisdom and expertise of music professionals all over.
Speaking of music notation software, Sibelius, one of the most popular professional notation programs, promises to be a "huge supporter of music education and provid[es] a host of materials for teachers and students". With Sibelius, teachers can print out scores and parts, prepare practice and assessment exercises and worksheets, and post files on educational Web sites, while students benefit by having the ability to compose and print out original compositions and arrangements, completing teacher-prepared worksheets, and have assisted practice sessions with recorded accompaniment. Sibelius also has the capability to add note names and fingerings, highlights and colors notes on scores, simplify or re-orchestrate parts for students, transpose music, create various rhythm parts, ensemble music, reduced piano parts, worksheets, and readiness exercises, burn practice CD's for students, and can even assist with writing your own method book. Teachers can also use scorch to post student compositions and files on school web sites that does not require the purchase of any software.
Overall, the gist of these four articles is quite simple: in order to get students to think creatively and thus become better music students, we must teach creatively. (For every action...) One of the greatest methods of creative teaching is through the use of technology, and with the aid of advanced music notation software and all of it's uses and rich features at our fingertips, there is no telling what we can't do to facilitate learning and most importantly, make it more enjoyable and valuable for students.
PLN #2 - "So You Want to Teach?"
I recently added this to my PLN and found the various articles to be quite interesting and eye-opening. Comprised as a "scrapbook-like survival guide" for new teachers, I think it's valuable to gain insight into challenges that beginning educators face that I will or may have never been told about or prepared for as an undergrad, "expecting the unexpected". After all, one can only learn so much from listening to lectures and various"what-if"scenarios, as opposed to the 'real deal'. Utilizing stories of others' experiences, hardships, conflicts, and advice is closest to the actual experience of teaching and most beneficial.
Week 3 Readings - Music Notation Software
For me, music notation software has a myriad of personal and educational benefits. On the most obvious level, as educators we can use it to write music for our groups. Now, while you're probably thinking "that's the most obvious statement ever", many 'old school' band directors shy away from it and underestimate how beneficial this software can be to meeting not only student's needs, but our own.
For example, how many times have you been missing a horn part and then proceeded to throw the poor player on some alto sax part that is already being doubled by an army of 10 or more loud saxes? With music notation software, you can easily write out a new, more musically effective part, replacing the old. Got a copy of an 80-year-old-yellow-wrinkled-can-hardly-even-readable piece of music? Enter it in to Sibelius/Finale to make a cleaner, legible copy that stops the one efervestant student from raising his hand every five minutes to waste valuable rehearsal time by asking if it's an F# or F natural in measure 5. Also, with advanced playback and sequencing options, whether your band falls victim to awkward instrumentation, is a middle-school aged group in need of easier parts, or you are blessed with one amazing player that you would like to feature as a soloist, you can write new parts to feature your star sections and players or do some musical-chair-esque rearranging of parts to highlight what actually sounds good by previewing it first. Or, if you are the over-achieving type, can create custom compositions for your group or small ensembles easily and listen to it with advanced playback. MIDI files of your composition can also be easily exported and given to students to take home and listen to. However, the compositions do not necessarily have to be concert material. Usuing Finale's 'exercise wizard", you can create custom exercises for students that feature a wide variety of teaching drill from scales to arpeggios. The possibilities are proportionate to the number of kids that will continuously forget to bring a pencil to rehearsal - yep you guessed it, endless.
However, the benefits of music notation software go far beyond the educator. For a college musician like myself, notation software has proved to be very helpful on a myriad of various music theory assignments as a way of making an assignment much more professional-looking than just using pencil and staff paper. Also, as someone who was originally very apprehensive about composition, I found using Sibelius to be a smooth transition as it is not only provides a quick and easy setup and foundation, but checks for parallel octaves/fifths, shows when certain instruments are out of their playable range, and offers immediate playback capabilities (I'm definitely an auditory learner when it comes to music). It has especially been helpful with arrangements I have done for my saxophone quartet (some that I could whip up in 24 hours) and other small groups as well. With this being said, having your students experiment with composition using music notation software, especially in schools that do not have a plethora of music classes, is a great way to encourage your students musically outside of the classroom. Perhaps you could hold contests for the best compositions or a student recital of all original works(akin to the MIDI project)? The more unique the approach, the more the students are likely to be motivated and the better they will perform for you.
Keeping it easy, fun, engaging students, and making your life significantly easier - what's not to like about music notation software?
For example, how many times have you been missing a horn part and then proceeded to throw the poor player on some alto sax part that is already being doubled by an army of 10 or more loud saxes? With music notation software, you can easily write out a new, more musically effective part, replacing the old. Got a copy of an 80-year-old-yellow-wrinkled-can-hardly-even-readable piece of music? Enter it in to Sibelius/Finale to make a cleaner, legible copy that stops the one efervestant student from raising his hand every five minutes to waste valuable rehearsal time by asking if it's an F# or F natural in measure 5. Also, with advanced playback and sequencing options, whether your band falls victim to awkward instrumentation, is a middle-school aged group in need of easier parts, or you are blessed with one amazing player that you would like to feature as a soloist, you can write new parts to feature your star sections and players or do some musical-chair-esque rearranging of parts to highlight what actually sounds good by previewing it first. Or, if you are the over-achieving type, can create custom compositions for your group or small ensembles easily and listen to it with advanced playback. MIDI files of your composition can also be easily exported and given to students to take home and listen to. However, the compositions do not necessarily have to be concert material. Usuing Finale's 'exercise wizard", you can create custom exercises for students that feature a wide variety of teaching drill from scales to arpeggios. The possibilities are proportionate to the number of kids that will continuously forget to bring a pencil to rehearsal - yep you guessed it, endless.
However, the benefits of music notation software go far beyond the educator. For a college musician like myself, notation software has proved to be very helpful on a myriad of various music theory assignments as a way of making an assignment much more professional-looking than just using pencil and staff paper. Also, as someone who was originally very apprehensive about composition, I found using Sibelius to be a smooth transition as it is not only provides a quick and easy setup and foundation, but checks for parallel octaves/fifths, shows when certain instruments are out of their playable range, and offers immediate playback capabilities (I'm definitely an auditory learner when it comes to music). It has especially been helpful with arrangements I have done for my saxophone quartet (some that I could whip up in 24 hours) and other small groups as well. With this being said, having your students experiment with composition using music notation software, especially in schools that do not have a plethora of music classes, is a great way to encourage your students musically outside of the classroom. Perhaps you could hold contests for the best compositions or a student recital of all original works(akin to the MIDI project)? The more unique the approach, the more the students are likely to be motivated and the better they will perform for you.
Keeping it easy, fun, engaging students, and making your life significantly easier - what's not to like about music notation software?
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