Using Technology in Music Education Spring 2012 Newsletter

It is hard to believe that we are coming to the end of another school year!

I’m sure that in addition to your plans for the summer, you are already thinking about next year. It is likely that you are going to be spending a lot of time on assessment, and you might even have a bit of “end of year” money to spend! For all of those reasons, I thought I would send you a quick note with some ideas to help you out.  We also have a special sale from Sibelius to share with you!

We are here to help - if you have questions about music and computers - we have answers! However, please don't reply to this e-mail, instead e-mail sales@kellysmusicandcomputers.com, or call us at 1-888-562-8822 in Canada or 1-800-510-4385 in the US. We've answered over 30,000 questions about music & computers - why not ask us yours!

We only send this newsletter two or three times a year. If you would rather not hear from us, please send the end of this message.  Be sure to join our monthly newsletter to find out about the latest new products and our special 15th anniversary sale coming up later this year.  As well, be sure to check out our blog and subscribe to updates while you are there.

 20% Off Sibelius Site License & Upgrades

From now until September 30th, Sibelius Site Licenses & Site License Upgrades are 20% off!  Contact us if you need a quote and we can also provide extra discounts on USB MIDI keyboards, audio interfaces and more!

Need Help?

As a music teacher myself, I understand the many benefits and challenges in using technology in music education.  That’s why I started Kelly’s Music & Computers – to provide technology solutions to music educators such as yourself.  Here are some examples of how we can assist:

• On-line and on-site training and workshops: I provide hands-on training across Canada, the US and Europe, as well as on-line.  Contact me for details if you are interested.
• Free resources including articles, lesson plans, proposals and more for music teachers on our website.
• Free proposals and quotes including complete music computer labs – software, keyboards, sound cards, and more!
• Many books and video tutorials covering a wide range of music education topics and software.  Contact me for specific recommendations.

Assessment Made Easy with Auralia & Musition

Providing meaningful assessment to students at the end of a term can be a challenge and very time consuming.  Offering ongoing feedback throughout the year and responding to students individual strengths and weaknesses can be difficult to accomplish.

Fortunately, software like Auralia & Musition can help.  With Auralia, students can practice ear training and receive immediate feedback and assistance.  Musition will help students with music theory, ranging from basic note reading to advanced concepts and everything in between!

Both programs allow you to use your own methodology and syllabus, or use one of the built in syllabi.  You can set up your own custom tests and easily print and export class reports detailing individual student achievement and progress. 

With Auralia & Musition, you can use your limited time to interact with your students, instead of marking and preparing report cards.

Ask me about the upcoming Cloud Edition of Auralia & Musition that will allow your students to work from home or any computer on campus.  All of their results are stored in the Cloud, so you can easily access class and student reports anytime, anywhere!

Composition: Sibelius 7 First now available

If the sale price of under $100 per license for Sibelius 7 is still outside of your budget, then consider the new Sibelius 7 First Lab Pack 5 which works out to be less than 1/2 of that!

Wondering if Sibelius 7 First will still meet your needs?  Download the demo from our website, or check out our comparison chart.

Recording & Creating Music

Steinberg recently released Sequel LE Unlimited Campus License which allows you to install Sequel LE for music production on all of your computers at school for one very low price!

Looking for an affordable, easy to use program for recording and creating music?  Need more features than Sequel LE, such as support for notation?  Check out Mixcraft 5, soon to be updated to Mixcraft 6.  Priced as low as $20 per computer, if you purchase Mixcraft 5 now, you will receive a free upgrade to 6.  Mixcraft supports notation, video clips, virtual instruments and much more.

Don't mind spending more for the best?  Contact us for a quote on Pro Tools 10 and we can provide special pricing on audio interfaces for recording into Pro Tools.

Looking for a really creative way to get students excited about music?  Check out Chromaphone, software for creating your own instrument.  At the turn of a few knobs, become an instrument maker, shaping metal, carving wood, and stretching skins. Craft and play expressive and responsive instruments that have a real-life presence. Chromaphone is a great way to teach sound design, acoustics, physics, and many other concepts while having a great time creating new and unique musical instruments.

Hardware

The very popular AudioLink has been updated to the AudioLink III and we expect them in from Germany sometime in June.  We hope to update our video overview soon after receiving them. 

We also expect more AudioFace II in June as well.  Check out our video on eliminating latency for more details on how the AudioFace can solve your Sibelius & Finale frustrations!

We will be ordering more directly from the factory later this year, so contact us if you are interested in purchasing enough for your computer lab and we can offer factory direct pricing on it, and any other popular MidiTech products including the i2 GarageKey 37 (check out the video to find out why this is the ideal keyboard for computer labs.)

Here's why the AudioLink III is so popular:

• Two combo inputs allow you to connect R or 1/4" devices including mics, guitars, keyboards, etc.
• Phantom power and mic pre-amps so you can record from any mic
• Class compliant, which means you don’t need to worry about drivers!
• Inexpensive – ideal for school labs
• Aluminum construction instead of plastic like most other audio interfaces – this means it can withstand traveling with your laptop or computer lab usage!

PianoBox General MIDI Sound Module Back In Stock!

The MidiTech PianoBox General MIDI Sound Module is now back in stock after we had a special shipment arrive from Germany.  The PianoBox General MIDI Sound Module includes 128 realistic sounding instruments, 9 drum sets, a sound effects set and 100 drum patterns. Ideal for use with keyboards, your computer, or as a stand alone drum machine, the PianoBox provides an easy way to get realistic playback with zero latency.

We've posted a short video on the PianoBox General MIDI Sound Module on YouTube.  It explains how the PianoBox can help get rid of the annoying latency or delay you may experience with controller keyboards.  As well, the PianoBox is ideal for adding sound to keyboards that rely on your computer for playback.

Long Term Planning & Proposal Kit

We have lots of great resources available in the education section of our website - be sure to check out all of the articles, guides and product reviews specifically for music teachers.

One of the most popular tools on our education page is the Proposal Kit for Using Technology in Music Education.  Combined with our article on Developing a Comprehensive, Integrated Long Term Music Technology Plan, you have everything you need to help you plan for the fall. 

Of course, in addition to the resources on our website, we are here to help!  Please don't reply to this message, instead e-mail or call us at 1-888-562-8822 and we can answer any questions you have, or help you customize a plan for your classroom.

Using an iPad in Music Education - update

There are lots of exciting ways that you can use your iPod Touch, iPhone or iPad in your classroom.  We have a buyer’s guide to give you a few ideas on how to use your iPod, iPhone or iPad for reading, making or recording music, but feel free to contact us if you have questions or want more ideas.

Playing/Recording Music

Need to connect an instrument to your iOS device for recording?  Check out the new iPface for $29.99 which allows you to connect any 1/4" input to your iPhone, iPod or iPad.  It even offers a 1/4" output for connecting to an amp or mixer, plus a headphone out.  Need something with a mic pre-amp, XLR inputs and more?  Consider the IU2 instead or check out the complete list of compatible audio interfaces in our buyer's guide. Contact us for more assistance!

Want to use a keyboard with your iPad to record into GarageBand or other MIDI enabled apps? The MidiTech MidiStart Music 25 and i2 Control 25 work great with the iPad! Just plug the USB cable into the Camera Connection Kit and the iPad will even power the keyboards as you can see in this video.

Already have a keyboard? The MidiFace II Thru will connect your existing keyboard to the Camera Connection Kit on your iPad. Want to connect a MIDI device to your iPhone or iPod Touch instead?  Check out the many options in our guide, or contact us for recommendations.

Sheet Music