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.

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.

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.

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!

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.

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.

Details

Blue Microphones makes some of the most popular USB based podcasting and general recording microphones available on the market. They do a great job of marrying high end components with a great sense of style that makes the mics not only great to record on but fun to record into as well. Now Blue Microphones has come out with their latest iPod/iPad microphone, the Mikey Digital. The original Mikey came out several years ago and gained quite a following among those that wanted to use their portable devices as field recorders. Â Used together with or without the free BlueFiRe iOS app the Mikey Digital turns any iPad, iPod, or iPhone into a complete portable digital audio recorder capable of holding its own with commercial products by Zoom, Sony, and others.

Mikey Digital Specs and Features

The Mikey Digital is thinner than its predecessor but still maintains the ability to flip up to 230 degrees allowing you to lay down your phone while keeping the microphone elevated away from the hard reflective surface of the table. The Mikey Digital also features an automatic gain adjustment on the mic itself which adjusts the sensitivity of the mic depending on the volume level of the audio source.

Where the Mikey Digital really shows some innovation though is that this new model includes both an 1/8th inch audio-in jack and a mini-USB connector. The audio-in jack allows you to record from an external audio source. However, you cannot record both from the built in microphone and the line-in source at the same time. The mini-USB connection opens up the option for you to charge your iPhone via a standard Mini-USB charger and it can recharge the phone while the recording is being made.

Compatibility Issues

Mikey Digital Microphone Closeup

There are very few downsides to the Mikey Digital except for one, compatibility. The Mikey Digital is compatible only with 4th generation iPods, iPhone 4 and 4s, or any of the iPad models. Older iPods or iPhone 3G/3GS cannot use the Mikey Digital, but can benefit from the original Mikey for iPod model which is still available at many retailers.

The Mikey Digital will be coming out in early 2012 at many online and brick and mortar retailers. The Blue FiRe recording app is currently available on the Apple App Store. The late model Mikey for iPod is already available via Amazon.com and other online outlets.

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