Smartnotes in Music

So I'm trying to figure all this out. I've been reading blogs, checking twitter, asking around. I have realized that a lot of people have WAY more stuff than I do and have been using it A LOT. This grant is a huge step forward, but I had nothing before. Not even a sound system. So I am a bit overwhelmed with all of the boxes.

I see there are a lot of people who have a 10-15 step process for getting music on the iPad. I agree with many that it would be nice (essential?) for publishers to offer properly formatted files for the iDevices. This would cut out 8-9 steps.

I have been looking at the free Smartnotes application and trying to figure out if this is the best use of my time. It seems like a game changer. So--what can we do? We import a .pdf using dropbox, the internet, or iTunes. The program allows us to highlight, annotate, copy right on the iPad. Thats pretty cool. It also allows us to create voice memos attached to the document. That is even cooler. You can attach video to the document (alternate fingerings attached to specific spots?? marching band drill?). Then you can upload the document or email it to the teacher.

So I think this might be useful. Students could keep their music folder in DropBox and download it whenever we were singing. It should keep the annotations and voice memos right on it. With headphones in students could be recording/listening to rehearsals from today or two weeks ago. I could see students singing into the iPad and rehearsing again at home that night just by opening their dropbox account.

The trick is to get that set-up where I am not at school dealing with scanning and accounts all Saturday (yes, I'd like a grad student intern) and its easy enough for the kids so they want to use it.

Crazy? Let me know.

Creating a Band

The program here has been in cycles of moving from 10-15 kids in an ensemble to 30, then back down again. This has been happening for decades. This is my second year here.

I have seven members of my high school pep band. Five of them were beginners last year in "Developmental Band". I'm happy they stuck with it.

Last night was our first pep band performance. Knowing we couldn't quite handle the music load I hired four students from Western Ct. State University to fill the band out and act as mentors for our students. That part went really well. All the kids played so much better and they were on their game. The positive vibe the WCSU student gave off was very evident.

In one year we have increased the 4th-5th grade band membership by almost 70%. We have almost 170 kids down in the elementary schools playing music (yes, I am still learning their names...) The wave is coming, I hope, and I need some leaders that will define what the Wildcat Band should be. I'm hoping we started created those leaders last night.

First Music Theory Exam

Theory seems to be going well. We have worked this month on basic vocabulary, techniques, and listening skills. The students seem to be picking it up really quick. We have started to use the iPads to reinforce all this.

Much of what I am trying to do this month is to set the basic framework for the AP test or college entrance exam. I still believe I want to get to January with a chance to push for it. So, I need to set up some of the structures (dictation, sight-singing, analysis) that are the basis of any music theory program. I have found that many of my students hope to go to school for music (they are seniors), yet they have no background knowledge of theory (nore have they been in ensembles). We have some work to do....

The technology driven projects we are doing have already been changing. For example, I noticed a student using BeatWave yesterday on the iPad. We had a good discussion about melodic structure, using Level 1 vocabulary, that would have been impossible four weeks ago. The students had no idea how to express their ideas verbally and to have a discussion about music. Vocabulary is so powerful The virtual pianos, youTube, and easy access to Musictheory.net have been awesome on the iPad.

Here is the review sheet for the first music theory exam.

Theory Marking Period One Exam Review

Expectations --Written:

1. Identify pitches in treble, bass, alto, tenor clef.
2. Identify all major key signatures.
3. Do simple analysis of score (what key?, notes?, etc...).
4. Understand basic terms such as enharmonic, D.C., coda, repeat, time signature, clef, whole step, forte, etc....
5. Identify solfeg syllables.
6. Complete simple rhythmic and melodic dictation.

Expectations --Oral:
1. Sight-sing simple melody.

Expectations --Piano:
1. Sight-read very simple melody for piano.
2. Perform C, F, Bb, Eb, G, D major scales.

I will not try to trick you on any part of this exam. You will recognize every aspect of it. If you have made music theory a daily part of your schedule (even a small part) you will have no problems. Practice efficiently!

Tools to practice:
1. Musictheory.net and emusictheory.com
2. Use grouply to ask questions to the group.
3. Check your practice tests and worksheets.
4. Send me a question.
5. Find time on a piano! Have a partner quiz you.

Facebook

Why do I get so many hits from facebook?? Somebody help me.

Engagement?

They seemed engaged today. We used the iPads in both choir and theory. I am really taking myself out of the equation as much as possible. I have made clear expectations about what the assessment will be (test, performance exam, etc...) and asked them to use the tools to prepare. Tools include the teacher, classmates, worksheets, the macBook, and 15 iPads.

Now, some won't get it done. They are making progress but they are not working hard. They show up, they are pleasant, they breathe in and out. But they are not sweating. They are certainly not practicing. Yes, in the 5th week of working on it I expect you to know where a D is on the staff.

Everything is going well but there is definitely a fear of excelling, of working hard, of taking a risk. I need leaders to lead.

A few numbers:

1. I had 22 in the HS program last year. I'm over 40 this year.

2. I had 70 in the 4th/5th grade band last year. I think I will have over 100 this year.

Using the iPad in Music Class

I got the iPads yesterday. I am about to test them using the students. I hope it works.

Here is todays exploration:

iPad Checklist:

Put in your headphones.

1. Play a C Major scale on the virtual piano.
2. Play Mary Had a Little Lamb in the key of G.
3. Read the top story on the NY Times.
4. Play Angry Birds for 3 minutes.
5. Sing On My Own, Twinkle Twinkle, or Star Spangled Banner into Soundhound. See what happens.
6. Find your house in Google Earth.
7. Listen to Trombone Shorty and Orleans Ave. on youTube.
8. Draw a treble clef in Doodle Buddy. Make it pretty.
9. Check the weather in WeatherBug.
10. Look at the pictures of the day in Guardian Eyewitness.
11. Get the top score in Lets Do Math.
12. Get to Level 6 in Labyrinth.
13. Get a groove going with 2 layers in Beatwave.
14. Check out Groovemaker.
15. Read Toy Story

iPad deployment

I got the iPad cart today and the remaining 14 iPads. I have also received much of the sound system. Lots of installation to take care of.

I synced almost all the iPads today. I put all the apps I put on the test machine. We will spend some time over the next few days learning what works.

I need to figure out the following:

• How to use DropBox or other app to distribute and collect assignments.
• Best way to "personalize" the iPad for the kids. It seems cumbersome to log-in to each app.
• Stickers to label the iPads.
• Whether we need a case for the iPad. We need to be careful putting the iPads into the Spectrum cart.
• How to use a portfolio to collect music written in some of the sequencing apps.
• What, if any, apps I will spend $$ on.
• How to loan out the iPads to other classes.

That seems like enough.

My mom skyped into my 4th grade percussion lesson. That lesson has entirely too many kids in it (ten). They seemed to respond pretty well to it. Mom will follow along with the lessons as she bought sticks and a book.