If you are an elementary or middle school music teacher who would like to have their students try to compose with notation software rather than the popular loop-based programs out there, read on. Sibelius has recently announced the new Sibelius 5.0 Student Version, and it just might be the answer that you are looking for if you are in the market for an easy-to-use notation program at a very affordable price. At a starting price of $99 per copy or less, teachers who personally use Sibelius as their notation program of choice can have the powerful features of Sibelius for their students. Here are the features of Sibelius Students from the Sibelius website:

- Input notes via mouse, MIDI or computer keyboard
- Notate, play back, transpose and print music
- Panorama view lets you forget about page layout until you’re ready to print
- Hundreds of built-in ideas to help you get started
- Attach video files to your score
- Up to 12 staves per system
- Input dynamic markings, lyrics and other text
- Insert clef changes in your score
- Publish your music on the Internet
- Opens Sibelius, MusicXML and MIDI files
- Automatic backups and auto-save
- Exports MIDI files, web pages and Sibelius 4 or 5 scores

Sibelius also has a comparison chart to see what the student version can and cannot do.

I have seen the student version running, and I must say it looks and feels just like the real version. For mot music educators at the K-8 level, it is perfect. Leave it to Sibelius to create a student version of their software that was created with the intention to get more students composing. Now that they have given you the tools you have no excuse to not try composing with your students today!

I welcome your comments and suggestions.

Today I am in snow-covered East Brunswick, NJ for the NJMEA 2008 In-Service Conference. I am wearing three hats at this conference this year. First, as the Technology Coordinator for the conference; second as the Managing Director of SoundTree; and third as the outgoing President of the TI:ME NJ State Chapter.

As the Technology Coordinator it was an easy decision that SoundTree should provide the hands-on lab for the conference this year. We have an 8 station SoundTree lab, complete with tons of software for NJ educators to take for a spin. SoundTree and TI:ME NJ are sponsoring all of the sessions in the room - and there are lots to choose from. Here are just a few:

Introduction to Video Conferencing
Digital Audio Solutions for Music Educators
GarageBand in the World Music Curriculum
A Groovy Way for Your Elementary Students to Make Music
Teaching Classroom Music in the Keyboard Lab
Exploring Sounds: Virtual Synthesizers in the Music Classroom
Computer Recording In Rehearsal: Cheap And Simple
Lab Basics: Getting Started with Technology in Your Music Program

Many of the session materials listed above are located on a special page that SoundTree has created for the conference. If you’re snowed in and can’t make it today, please feel free to check out our page. If you are going to be there, please stop by the Carlyle Room to say hello.

I’m headed out now to go to the hotel - anyone have a shovel?

Music technology guru Thomas Rudolph has joined the blogosphere! His new blog is hosted by Berklee Music, and is titled Making the Most of Notation Software. He already has some great posts with tips on how to best utilize both Sibelius and Finale. If you have had the pleasure of taking a class or attending a session with Tom, you know what a masterful teacher he is. His greatest strength is his ability to demystify music technology by speaking in jargon-free, teacher-friendly terms. I am sure that this blog will be an incredible resource for teachers in the years to come - especially those who use notation software.

Welcome to the world of blogging Tom!

Over the past few weeks I have met a gentleman named Lionel Murray a few times at conferences. Mr. Murray is the Managing Director of Datasonics, an Australian company that specializes in music software for educators. Datasonics has recently partnered with Alfred Publications to bring a new software title to the market called Mastering Music. This innovative new software title attempts to do something that nothing else on the market is currently doing in quite the same way - provide music educators with a complete performance assessment/theory/sequencing/notation package - an all-in-one solution. Here is how the website describes the functions of Mastering Music:

Mastering Music™ educational software…

• Achieves musical outcomes in one single integrated program (equal to five or six other music software products)

• Provides over 400 lessons across all areas of music for ages 10-Adult

• Mapped to U.S. MENC National Standards for Music Education and U.S. state curricula

• Addresses a varied range of student abilities in one class by using self-paced lessons with increasing levels of difficulty

• Contains help pages and video tutorials to guide students through each lessons

• Records student performances while tracking their progress

• Assesses student portfolios and prints student and class reports

There are four distinct sections of the software: performing, composing, publishing, and musicianship. The software is well designed and provides teachers with an affordable solution for implementing technology into their music theory lessons, as well as providing students with composition lessons and tools. While I wouldn’t say it is a stand-alone sequencer or notation program, it does provde opportunities for students to complete composition lessons directly in the same software program, which many music teachers might like. At the incredibly low price of $99, this Windows-only title is worth a look. Mr. Murray has made a truly impressive product and I would recommend checking out the site and requesting a demo copy.

Today I am in San Antonio, TX for the 2008 TMEA Conference, and I have to say, I’ve never seen anything like this. It is by far the largest music educator conference I have ever attended. When I was here 4 years ago for the TI:ME National Conference I spent all of my time presenting, so I didn’t get a chance to visit the exhibit hall. Yesterday I spent the whole day working in the SoundTree booth and I was absolutely amazed by the size of it all! There are more exhibitors than any other show, more teachers, and it is extremely well run.

Dr. Thomas Rudolph is here with SoundTree and he presented a very informative session on Digital Audio for Music Educators. To view his session materials, visit the SoundTree TMEA 2008 page.

On a slightly more personal note, last night I had the pleasure of celebrating Jody Underwoods’ 30th Birthday (the SoundTree Southern Account Manager). The highlight of the evening was Jody taking over on piano at Durty Nellies and performing Billy Joel’s Piano Man. He received a well deserved standing ovation - but I don’t think the house piano player was too thrilled! Happy Birthday Jody!

My latest article for Tempo - the NJMEA Magazine - is now posted on my homepage. It is titled: Get The Gear On Stage - A Call for Alternative Performance Ensembles in Schools. The thrust of the article is the examination of traditional performance ensembles and the worth of considering alternatives to band, chorus, and orchestra. While it is not suggesting the elimination of those types of ensembles, it is suggesting that music educators should explore the possibilities of groups like a Laptop Orchestra, a synthesizer ensemble, a rock band, and more.

I hope you find the article thought provoking, and I look forward to reading your reactions.

Today I head down to the SCMEA Conference in Charleston, SC. It is one of my favorite cities and I am really looking forward to meeting the music educators who will be attending the technology sessions in the SoundTree Hands-On Technology Lab. There is a terrific schedule of presenters, including Robin Hodson of Sibelius, Tom Carruth from Finale, and Steve Rummage and Janice Adams from Apple. I will be presenting four different sessions as well on how to incorporate technology into a music curriculum.

I know that this will be a terrific conference. I will post some reactions over the next few days. Until then…

I welcome your comments, questions, and suggestions.

If you have been around me during the past month, you know that I am completely obsessed with the Kaossilator (KO 1) from Korg. I have it with me at all times, and whenever I have a few minutes, I pick it up and play with it. I haven’t been so excited about a piece of technology since GarageBand was introduced four years ago.

So what is it? The Kaossilator is a dynamic phrase synthesizer that allows you to make music by simply dragging your finger across a pad. There are 100 built-in sounds, 10 drum loops, tempo control, a great loop feature, and more. You can set the key and the scale type. It has a nifty gate and arpeggiator as well.

Yesterday I hooked my Kaossilator into GarageBand and recorded a composition to give you an idea of what it sounds like. While many people could surely do a better job (my rhythm is a bit off in places) I think it will give you an idea of how cool it is. I only used fingers on a pad to make what you’ll hear. I think it has huge potential in the music classroom - allowing students the ability to be creative without the necessity of knowing how to play an instrument.

I welcome your comments and suggestions.

Yesterday I had the pleasure of being interviewed by Robert Brannan, known as elderbob, for a very interesting project being run on a website called Musicbridges.  Here is a brief description of what Musicbridges is trying to do:

The site is a webcasting network of musicians and music educators dedicated to helping those involved in music and technology explore, discuss, and collaborate covering topics on music gear, music in education, ways to successfully create global recordings, and music lessons. Musicbridges is part of Worldbridges. They are also the ­home of the 2008 EVO  -  Music in Education Course.

My interview, part of their music education course titled “I Got Rhythm - Music in the Classroom”, has been posted, and although the beginning is pretty rough (we recorded the entire interview over Skype and there were some network problems) I think there are some interesting points.  While I was being interviewed there were a number of participants in a web chat who were interacting with me at the same time.  They have their own Yahoo Discussion Group, which I have joined, and I am looking forward to seeing what happens with this.  It was a great experience, and I urge other music educators to look into what these visionary people are doing.

I welcome your comments and suggestions.

At the NAMM Show last month, I saw a demonstration of a new software title that could very well be the answer that PC people have been waiting for.  Whenever I show people what you can do with GarageBand (looping, podcasting, easy-to-use, etc.) the question I am often asked is; “Is there software on the PC platform that can do the same thing?”  For the last four years my answer has been simply; “No”.  Meet Mixcraft 3 from Acoustica.

When I opened the software I immediately thought - wow, it even looks like GarageBand.  All of the features that GarageBand lovers are there.  Simple interface, built-in loops, easy editor, variable tempo, loop auditions, etc.  SoundTree provided me with a MacBook Pro that runs Parallels (a software title that allows you to run Windows on your Mac).  I installed it on the PC side, and I’ve been playing with it ever since.  It truly is the answer that PC people have been looking for.  Easier to use than traditional sequencers (that often don’t have built-on loops), and an amazing price of $49.95, Mixcraft 3 is the perfect music production tool.  I strongly urge you to download the demo today and check it out.  If you like it as much as I do, contact SoundTree at 1.800.963.8733 x6674 and ask Eric how you can get your copy today.

I welcome your comments and suggestions!