Generic selectors
Exact matches only
Search in title
Search in content
Post Type Selectors

Technology

  •

    Play-Along Software

    Mike Lawson | December 12, 2011

    Play-along recordings have been motivating student practice since the 1950s with everything from simple piano accompaniments to full orchestras. In their originally produced analog format, students could only rigidly follow along, much like practicing with a metronome. Thanks to new technology, those days are long gone.

    How would you like to be able to customize the tempo? Create practice loops of specific measures? Change the key? Or best of all, have a completely interactive accompaniment? All this is now available to students, teachers and professional performers alike with the latest digital play-along technology. Sherie Aguirre, principal oboist with the Virginia Symphony, used this software to prepare for a performance of the Strauss Oboe Concerto. She relates, "I was thrilled to be able to 'rehearse' with the virtual orchestra accompaniment. Its unique ability to follow me I while I play along is particularly important with the Strauss piece. The accompaniment software works beautifully." Mimi Zweig of the Jacobs School of Music agrees that this is a great learning tool and preparation for playing with a "real" orchestra. "It is the next best thing to the real thing making practice more productive!" she says.

    Read More...

  • Warning: Trying to access array offset on value of type bool in /home/sbomagazine/public_html/site/wp-content/themes/timeless2021/functions.php on line 437

    Warning: Trying to access array offset on value of type bool in /home/sbomagazine/public_html/site/wp-content/themes/timeless2021/functions.php on line 438

    Playing In Tune: More Than Following a Display

    Mike Lawson | November 16, 2011

    "A lawyer's relationship to justice and wisdom is on a par with a piano tuner's relationship to a concert. He neither composes the music, nor interprets it – he merely keeps the machinery running," says Lucille Kallen, a noted scriptwriter, lyricist, and novelist.  After all is said and done, success hinges on attention to the basics; and there's nothing more essential to music than good intonation.

    Intonation is a daily challenge, guiding students to play consistently in tune with each other and as an ensemble. This requires more than matching a single concert A-440 pitch. Playing different pitches relatively in tune is more demanding and more important than perfect (absolute) pitch. We've relied heavily on electronic tuners for more than 50 years without realizing, sometimes, that not all tuners are equal and there are factors affecting the best use of a good electronic tuner.

    Read More...

  • Warning: Trying to access array offset on value of type bool in /home/sbomagazine/public_html/site/wp-content/themes/timeless2021/functions.php on line 437

    Warning: Trying to access array offset on value of type bool in /home/sbomagazine/public_html/site/wp-content/themes/timeless2021/functions.php on line 438

    Music Tech Tutorials: Third-Party Solutions

    Mike Lawson | October 11, 2011

    Why does the latest and greatest software also seem to be so challenging to figure out, with a hundred new keystrokes and pull-down menus? Do these companies really think that three-inch-thick manuals of well-hidden information will help get people up and running? No wonder great technology goes under-utilized, especially in this era of budget crunching. But wait! The business world brings new software online all the time. What's missing in this picture for the music education world?Why does the latest and greatest software also seem to be so challenging to figure out, with a hundred new keystrokes and pull-down menus? Do these companies really think that three-inch-thick manuals of well-hidden information will help get people up and running? No wonder great technology goes under-utilized, especially in this era of budget crunching. But wait! The business world brings new software online all the time. What's missing in this picture for the music education world?

    The more I teach music technology, the more I realize the value of third-party tutorial resources. To answer my wife's question on this subject: the first party is the vendor manufacturer; the second party is you, the user; and the third party includes all of the incredible training materials and tutorials available in the form of books, eBooks, YouTube videos, blogs, CDs and DVDs. For this article, I have reviewed 14 new third-party music technology/tutorial resources that can speed up the software learning curve.

    Ace Martin, the instrumental music chairman at Douglas Anderson School of the Arts in Jacksonville, Florida, understands that sometimes you have to pick your battles when it comes to learning new software. He also notes that there is a wide array of resources designed to help bring educators up to speed. He says, "Over the years of teaching technology, I have learned you can't expect to be up to speed on every new upgrade or software used in my music technology classes. I rely heavily on clinics at music conferences, especially at TI:ME conferences, to get updates on new approaches. I have gone to YouTube to find a tutorial or lesson on Logic Pro. For example, sfSonicNinja does great tutorials on using Logic. Third party DVDs from ASK Video and macprovideo.com tutorials on MIDI are a sample of the wealth of information available. Tom Rudolph has done a wonderful job with his books on Sibelius and Finale to dovetail with the variety of online videos available to the users of these notation programs. With time and budget concerns, third-party tutorials are a must for all users and teachers teaching music technology. Most universities now have a component of music technology as a requirement before graduation; so it makes sense to use these tools to keep up with the every changing world of music technology. I certainly will continue to make use of every tutorial I access to help myself and my students keep up with those every streaming changes in software."

    Read More...

  • Warning: Trying to access array offset on value of type bool in /home/sbomagazine/public_html/site/wp-content/themes/timeless2021/functions.php on line 437

    Warning: Trying to access array offset on value of type bool in /home/sbomagazine/public_html/site/wp-content/themes/timeless2021/functions.php on line 438

    Technology: Building a Cutting-Edge Music Workstation

    Mike Lawson | September 20, 2011Whether building one's first student workstation or thinking of updating or adding to existing modules, it's a good idea to enlist the help of a solid music technology specialist. I recently talked with a few music tech experts who have offered great advice and suggestions for designing and building music workstations: Mike Klinger of The Synthesis Midi Workshop (midiworkshop.com); Kelly Demoline of Kelly's Music and Computers (kellysmusicandcomputers.com); Jim Frankel of SoundTree (www.soundtree.com); Chris Rutkowski of Sweetwater Sound, Inc. (www.sweetwater.com); and Peggy Morales of Romeo Music (www.romeomusic.net).

    Before making any concrete plans, Peggy Morales suggests first answering several questions to determine specific needs. Consider what the music workstation will be used for. Will it be used:

The Latest News and Gear in Your Inbox - Sign Up Today!