Low Cost MusicTechnology Options For The Music Education Classroom
Low Cost MusicTechnology Options For The Music Education Classroom

Finding ways to stretch your budget in a music classroom is always important and even more so when trying to purchase high tech electronics, software, and other materials.  This article provides an updated list of dozens of different low cost or free alternatives to expensive music education products.  It includes such categories as music notation software, drill design software, special needs hardware, and many more.

 

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The Star Spangled Banner- Free Sheet Music For Band Inst.
The Star Spangled Banner- Free Sheet Music For Band Inst.

This document contains sheet music for all common instruments to play The Star Spangled Banner, also known as the sheet music to the National Anthem of the United States of America. You can view the sheet music online or download the individual parts arranged for all common concert band instruments.  If you do not see your instrument listed please scroll to the bottom of the page and try one of the the other instruments.  Most musicians will be able to find at least one instrumental part that matches their range and preferred key signature.  If you are seeking a simple piano version of the song please select from the voice, trumpet, or alto saxophone versions.

 

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Using Plickers as an Assessment Tool in the Music Education Classroom
Using Plickers as an Assessment Tool in the Music Education Classroom

Music, band, choir, and orchestra classrooms can be huge and assessing the knowledge and retention of individual students in such a large class can be daunting.  Plickers are one of several solutions that can be adapted to work in large groups, making the act of assessing a student’s understanding a little easier and a whole lot faster.  

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Is Marching Band A Sport? Pros, Cons, and a Reality Check
Is Marching Band A Sport? Pros, Cons, and a Reality Check

In recent years the question of whether or not marching band is a sport has been brought up time and time again for various reasons and by various groups.  On one side you have the YES crowd who says that marching band is competitive, physically demanding, and every bit as much a team event as any traditional sporting event.  On the other side of the coin are those who say no, that marching band is NOT a sport and it is a musical pursuit that happens to involve coordinated movements.  Both sides are right, but to make a final decision we need to look deeper into the facts.  Read on to find out what they are!

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Portable Digital Audio Recorder Buying Guide With Reviews
Portable Digital Audio Recorder Buying Guide With Reviews

Scroll down to view the comparison chart of over a dozen different portable digital audio recorders.

Buying a portable digital audio recorder is a major decision.  The balance between price, features, and quality is a fine line that has many different options to choose from.  There are dozens of different models of portable digital audio recorders, some of which have drastically different sets of features yet sell for roughly the same price.  This easy to read head to head comparison chart and guide to many of the more popular portable digital audio recorders is intended to help potential buyers more easily see these differences and make an educated buying decision.

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Apps and More for the Choral Classroom
Apps and More for the Choral Classroom

The number of apps, software, and gadgets available for use in the music classroom continues to grow each year but finding things that can actually be beneficial to your classes grows more and more difficult as well.  We spoke with Dr. Christopher Russell, Director of Choirs at Oltman Middle School in St. Paul Park, Minnesota to get his must-have list of apps.

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How To Develop Your Ear

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Singing and Ear TrainingDeveloping your ear when singing is essential to being someone who can sing well.  Most people are able to tell you the difference between what sounds right and what sounds wrong, but developing that ear for your own singing takes some practice.

Learning how to sing well means you will need to develop your ear for notes, tones, and pitch.

Developing your ear really has little to do with the ear itself.  When a musician refers to developing your ear, he or she is talking about the ability to perceive, distinguish, and comprehend what your ear has heard.  For most people who are not born with perfect pitch, this means that you will have to train your brain to recognize the notes and chords you are hearing.  From the day you start your music lessons you will be developing your ear both consciously and subconsciously.

One task in developing your ear is to at least recognize relative pitch.  Most musicians do not have perfect pitch, but relative pitch will be good enough for you to develop your ear.  Relative pitch means that you may not know exactly what notes or chords are being played, but you will be able to determine chord progression.  As you train your ear, you will be able to hear a musical note in your head and sing it out loud accurately.

Practice is a large part of developing your ear.  However, one big mistake that novice singers make in developing their ear for music is that they try to do it in a group setting.  Singing in a choir will not help you develop your ear in the beginning, because you cannot develop your ear and listen to others at the same time.  Learning how to develop your ear is done best on your own.  This also applies to people who try to learn while there are background vocals.  Those vocals can cause problems in discerning the notes for a novice singer.  As you develop your ear, though, you will find it easier to tune out other singers better.

The best way to develop your ear is to take lessons offered by a singing coach or other program.  There are a number of methods you can use to develop your ear so that you are able to easily reproduce notes or even sing directly from sheet music.  Developing your ear means that you will more easily come up with the right notes, tones, and pitch for singing better.

Gordon Lee shares his FREE 6 MUST KNOW Tips Before You Start On Your Quest To Learn To Sing Better at http://www.learn-singing.com.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Gordon_Lee

 

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