iPad Apps

This website lists and rates some music apps that are designed for use with the iPad. I've been curious about some of these, so maybe I'll try a few.

Beginning Mallet Players

Here is a nice PDF from the Percussive Arts Society website that is helpful for beginning mallet players.

Clarinet Technique

This is a great article on clarinet technique. It is appropriate for teachers and students of all ability levels.

Easter Music

This came up on my PLN and I thought it would be nice to share since we are entering the holiday weekend. Hope everyone has a nice Easter.

Duke Ellington Article

This is a nice piece on Duke and what he did for the members of his band and how they remained loyal to him over the years.

Duke Ellington Article

J.W. Pepper

This is not only a great resource for ordering music (and many other items), but it is also very useful when trying to access a recording of a piece. I use it often to listen to a new piece of music with my band.

J.W. Pepper Website

SmartMusic

New music is available for those who are subscribers to SmartMusic.

Pretty cool commercial...

Click here for a neat commercial featuring a homemade xylophone and J.S. Bach.

Interactive Whiteboards

This is an article that discusses the many advantages that interactive whiteboards (smartboards) offer the music classroom. It is a 4 part article. The link to the next part is numbered about halfway down the page.

Transcription Software

The Vic Firth website offers some great information concerning educational concepts that relate directly to percussion teaching and performance. This link leads to an article that discusses the advantages that transcription software offers the drummer.

Chicago Salsa

Love the food, but the music is even better! I came across this article today and thought that it was worth sharing. Enjoy.

Noteflight

A Bicycle Built For Two was a project that I enjoyed doing. I think that Noteflight is easy to use and I felt that I could input the music more efficiently when compared to last week's Musescore assignment. Of the two, I would say that I prefer the Noteflight over the Musescore for that reason alone. I appreciate that it is free and I can't wait to share with some of my students. 

I think that it would be a really cool way to have my students collaborate with one another on a composition. It would be neat to see how the students could add their own ideas to a score, whether it be a simple melody, a bass line, some harmony, or a few drum parts. I think it would be a great tool to use with a high school music theory course as well.  

iRig Mic for iPhone

Saw this microphone recently and thought about the uses in the classroom. With a nice recording app of for the iPhone, this mic might worth looking into. No doubt the recording quality is better when using it. It could be worth the $60 to have better quality when recording students who are making audition tapes, etc.

Interactive Music Websites

Found this site a little while ago. I have tried a few of them and I can see how they could be useful, especially for the general music class. I have heard of a few of these over the years at different clinic or sessions as well. Thought I would share!

Why STUDENTS feel music in our schools is important

This article was emailed to me today from a colleague. It comes to us from Marcia Neal, President of Music Education Consultants, Inc. based in Las Vegas. She presented a few sessions at our state convention this year and had some interesting thoughts.

Bad day for the Arts in Ohio

Gov. Kasich proposed his budget yesterday. Click here to view about the Arts.

This is just the beginning of some of the changes that may be coming for the Arts in Ohio, and teaching in general in Ohio. Those of you who are in Ohio, please be advocates for the Arts and the "art of teaching."

GarageBand for iPad

Anyone with an iPad, or thinking about getting one might be interested in this...I just got this app and so far it looks to be pretty incredible!

http://www.macworld.com/appguide/app.html?id=835978

Music Advocacy Brochure

Good stuff here. Share with anyone who will listen (or read!)

http://www.nammfoundation.org/support-music/new-advocacy-brochure-highlights-benefits-study-music

Benefits of Drumming

Found this today as I was browsing. If you have a program like mine, you probably have no problem getting beginning percussionists started! But if you do, here are some benefits of drumming to share.

http://www.nammfoundation.org/press-room/beating-odds-new-research-shows-how-group-drumming-can-help-build-social-and-emotional-sk

Initial Post

So yeah, I'm thinking this might be kind of fun. I've never really blogged before, but I can see that this could be a great way to communicate with others.