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.

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ComputerNext to the microphone, the most important piece of equipment in the recording studio is the device used to process and store the audio information. Today audio recorders come in a variety of forms. For the music classroom and general consumer use, I strongly suggest using a computer with a good, high quality sound card...

{mosimage}Next to the microphone, the most important piece of equipment in the recording studio is the device used to process and store the audio information. Today audio recorders come in a variety of forms. For the music classroom and general consumer use, I strongly suggest using a computer with a good, high quality sound card. While there are other ways to record audio such as Digital Audio Tape (DAT) and MiniDisc, using a computer allows you to store large quantities of raw audio for later use. Using a computer also allows you to quickly output your finished mix directly to a CD or DVD.

 

If you take my recommendation and use a computer, make sure to purchase a high quality sound card for capturing the audio. Most home and school computers come with "on-board" audio, meaning that the sound card is integrated into the motherboard. These on-board systems generally have playback as their priority whereas in this case we need the recording end to be the priority. The industry standard for consumer brand sound cards is the Sound Blaster series. I have had great success with their Audigy line of cards. Depending on the model you also have the option of having a separate connector box or a panel connector that slips into an empty external drive bay on the front of your computer. These boxes allow you to connect your audio sources directly to the Sound Blaster card without the need for adapters. For example, you can take the 1/8 inch audio out signal from your mixer and plug it directly into the card allowing you to record directly from the source. Most of the Audigy line also provides connections for digital audio as well as optical, RCA, and MIDI connections.

In addition to the great hardware capabilities of the Audigy line you also get with the equipment a bundled set of recording software. Included in the bundle is a great sequencer program that you can use to record single instruments and then layer them together to create a completed ensemble recording. You can also use the bundled wave (WAV) editor to edit and adjust the audio that has been recorded using a ton of filters and other tools. Software bundles change frequently so be sure to check what is included before you purchase a new sound card.


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