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Level Up! Intermediate Techniques for Soundtrap, Bandlab, and GarageBand Creation
Gillian Desmarais | March 30, 2024As beginner digital audio workstations (DAWs) start to mimic the look and feel of professional DAWs, and it’s both exciting and daunting to dive into all the new features. Thanks to the influence of viral social media, kids are highly motivated to produce professional mixes. Assuming your students have a basic knowledge of how to […] Read More... -
Flat for Education: The Classroom Assistant That Never Sleeps
SBO Staff | March 30, 2024With digital tools now a central part of the classroom experience, teachers want to make sure those tools are truly helping them rather than creating additional hassles. That’s why Flat for Education has been built as an intelligent, customizable assistant that can improve the music learning and teaching experience both inside and outside of the […] Read More... -
The Music Educator’s Oath – First Do No Harm
Thomas Palmatier | March 30, 2024The phrase “First Do No Harm” has been widely quoted as part of the Hippocratic Oath that physicians swear upon obtaining their medical license. After in-depth research (two minutes on Wikipedia) I found that the phrase was not part of the original oath but has been added over the years. When I present conducting workshops, […] Read More... -
K-12 Resources: Repertoire Selections for School Choirs
Cheryl Dupont | March 30, 2024Submitted by Angee and Rick McKee – Mrs. Jenny Wren by Arthur Baynon. Unison voices and piano, for elementary choirs. This piece is great for teaching contrasting dynamics and expression in younger choirs. – We Will Sing for Joy by D. Scarlatti arr. Helenclair Lowe. Unison voices and piano, for elementary or middle school treble […] Read More... -
Tone Deaf Comics
ToneDeafComics.com | March 30, 2024 Read More... -
Sweetwater’s First Year in B&O
Mike Lawson | February 19, 2024It has been a little over a year since Sweetwater launched their band and orchestra (B&O) initiative. When the news hit, I thought, “Wow! Game-changer. If Sweetwater can do for the local band director and students what they have done so well for other musicians, that’s a big deal.” A year ago, we did an […] Read More... -
Selecting a Classical Saxophone Mouthpiece for Band Performance
Dr. Tracy Heavener | February 19, 2024When striving to produce a good saxophone tone, one of the most crucial pieces of equipment is the mouthpiece. There are many brands of saxophone mouthpieces being manufactured using a variety of materials, encompassing a wide price range and designed for performers at all levels of development. Beginning saxophonists usually play the stock mouthpieces sold […] Read More... -
NAfME’s Transformation
Mackie V. Spradley | February 19, 2024Prior to 2018, the music education community often articulated the need for NAfME to address topics centering diversity, inclusion, access, and equity; however, none of the previous actions created an impetus toward “doing the work” to make equity a foundational principle of NAfME’s identity. As an organization, NAfME kept “kicking the can down the road.” […] Read More... -
Mind Your Own Business – Carnegie Hall’s B-Side Program Teaches The Business Side of the Music Industry
Marty Steiner | February 19, 2024In November 2022, Carnegie Hall’s Weill Institute of Music announced a new youth-focused pilot program, titled “the B-Side.” The program is intended to introduce youth to many of the business functions in the music industry. Each of these functions also present future career opportunities for performers and non-performers, both instrumental and vocal. Planning and preparation […] Read More... -
Merging the Kodály and Orff Schulwerk Philosophies in the K-5 Classroom
Spencer C. Thornton | February 19, 2024Music teachers must be flexible and adapt to each student’s unique learning style to help them achieve musical excellence. To enhance their comprehension of beat, rhythm, and melody, students may require additional opportunities to explore various instruments. Creative movement, singing, listening activities, and visual aids are all useful techniques for teaching elementary general music. This […] Read More... -
Inspiring the Next Generation of Music Educators
Bob Morrison | February 19, 2024It is no secret schools in the United States face the most significant educator workforce shortage in our Nation’s history. The combination of the extensive number of educators leaving the field as the world emerged from the COVID-19 pandemic, the increasing encroachment of political issues into the schools, and a significant decrease in the number […] Read More... -
Getting to the Point! Comparative Articulation for Woodwinds – Part 1
Andrew J. Allen, Elise Naber Allen | February 19, 2024A director addresses their students: “Brass, let’s articulate some eighth notes: Ta ta Ta ta Ta ta Ta ta! 1! 2! 3! 4!” Perhaps there is a stray misfire here or there, but the results are quite pleasing! The director then draws their attention to the woodwinds: “Y’all are next! Ta ta Ta ta Ta […] Read More...
