Teaching Music with AS2

[Margaret Allen]

It would be good to have some feedback as to how people use AS2 and/or the ACTIVboard to teach music.

I suppose the obvious is to use it in conjunction with third party software and the 'net... but if anybody has any good ideas or experiences.

[clap]

[DG]

I'm testing a couple of freeware options for AS2 or AP2.

A freeware Midi Keyboard at:

http://www.xs4all.nl/~vanbeekw/vmk.html

This is mouse controllable, unlike several others. Use Settings button to select the internal Microsoft Synth, or you'll not hear anything, but it will also work with midi devices.

Another great fun freeware option is the Van Basco Karaoke Player and Midi Search Engine at:

http://www.vanbasco.com/

This displays the lyrics, the instruments (which you can switch on and off), a keyboard showing the notes being played, and a simple mixer.

There is a midi search engine there as well. You can find a midi version of everything from classic Beatles to Video Killed the Radio Star!

I'll work on a Developer Flipchart to exploit these, and anything else I can find.

Have a look at the Card Game and Jigsaw I've just posted on the Developer Forum, as well. They work in AS2 and AP2.

[DG]

This is a Shareware Program, but only costs about £10.00. It is mouse driven and so ideal for the interactive whiteboard. Much more sophisticated than the freeware I posted above.

There is a free trial download.
http://www.tanseon.com/products/pianofx.htm

[Peter Lee]

Jon Self and I both use music sequencers available as free downloads from the BBC. The address is www.bbc.co.uk/onion street.

There is a very advanced sequencer which is quite hard to use, both also some very basic world sound bites which are nice. I think they are aimed at KS3 but find that my primary aged kids love them as well as they are simple to use.

[Daniel Bunker]

I 've always liked the music looper

http://www.musiclooper.com

Other useful online composing tools for the non-muscian can be found at:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio3/makingtracks/makeatune.shtml

The full address to download the Onion Street sequencer is

http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/communities/onionstreet/music/download.shtml

Sample flipchart linked to the music looper attached. Beware the large file size!!!

Dan

[Bill Noce]

It would be good to have some feedback as to how people use AS2 and/or the ACTIVboard to teach music. [clap]

Hi There--

I am just really getting started with the board, but in the few weeks I've had it, I've found MUSIC ACE to really work well with with Grades 2 and 4 (that would be british year 3 and 5, KS2...I think). I have the children come up to a wireless mouse and keyboard in turns to do a task, ask a question, etc.

When I begin to learn what I am doing, I want to design Kodály-Style charts and music manipulatives.

ARE THERE ANY GRAPHICS FOR MUSIC NOTES OUT THERE? I've found the staff paper flip charts, but I've not had much joy writing notes on them.

Thanks, Bill

[Cliff Farrand]

Take a look here for music symbol graphics - I don't think there would be a copyright issue in just using these within your flipcharts.

http://www.dolmetsch.com/musicalsymbols.htm

[John Fearn]

We've just started to use an ACTIVboard in the music room. Our Head of Music is very impressed with the San Francisco Symphony Orchestra website which is listed in the Resources section of the Promethean website.

[John Fearn]

The product blurb for the new release of Sibelius (v4) claims that it includes some 1700 worksheets and resources.

We are going to a demonstration on October 15th to see if the new features justify the cost of upgrading.

[davidlloyd]

Thanks for all that. I've got to train a secondary music department in November.
re the musical symbold graphics they will drag from the web page straight onto a flipchart page. After a fidddle I made the background transparent and inverted them so they would work for higher up the stave. If I were a musci department I'd sit afor an hour and set up all the symbols in AS2 and save them into the image library.

david

[John Fearn]

If I were a musci department I'd sit afor an hour and set up all the symbols in AS2 and save them into the image library.

david

If I were a Promethean Teaching and Learning Advisor I'd do exactly that and have them added to the Resource CD and post the collection on the website!

Now that is about as subtle as I get with my hints!!

[davidlloyd]

Your wish is my command. sorry it's taken me a while. But I've just posted a fliphart up with the notation on. Just drag them to you Resource Library.

[daverosthorn]

David,

They're very small images..

Dave

[Peter Lambert]

I would think that David has sized them in order that they fit on the music stave backgrounds.
By the way, I know nothing about music, but these don't represent the full set do they?

[daverosthorn]

I would think that David has sized them in order that they fit on the music stave backgrounds.
By the way, I know nothing about music, but these don't represent the full set do they?

Just not big enough to see from the back of the class, in my opinion.

[sartley]

Sorry to seem stupid, but if you go into the Resource Library > Primary > Music > Notes -aren't all the notes, rests, etc which you might need all there? I agree they are small, but as Pete says, they are intended to fit onto a music stave background. If you don't want to use a background, you could resize them appropriately for your situation.

[davidlloyd]

Now let's not argue. But Sharon and Pete are right. I took the existing notes out of the library and just inverted and reflected them so they would dangle (hope you're impressed with that technical term :D ). If I can find a minute I'll try those from the website listed above.

[davidlloyd]

Well I've fiddled about with notes. The ones on the dolmetsch site are fine as long as they'r not enlarged. Then they lose resolution. So I've used the pen and fill tools to create them. Now here's the rub: I can save the semi-breve to my Line Library but not to the Image Library, but I can't save any of the others to either! I hope someone can help. And if you know the technical term for dangly notes, so let me know. :o I'll also put it on the main resource page too.

10.11.05 I've deleted the flipchart. Go to my later message for the new improved version!

[daverosthorn]

Hi,

Converted them to .gif's for you. Backgrounds should be transparent.

Dave.

[davidlloyd]

Thanks for that Dave. Last night I was at a Bury high school supporting a music department and they told me that the tails on my flipchart were all pointing the wrong way, and in any case, the notes often appeared in pairs. So I've done a new flipchart with a complete set (I think!) apart from the breves.

But I still can't save them into my Resource library either as an image or an annotation! ????

Cliff how do I remove the previous flipchart?

David

[davidlloyd]

Cliff how do I remove the previous flipchart?

David[/QUOTE]

Cliff don't worry I've found out how!

David