The Importance of Using a Tuner: Finding Your Perfect Pitch
The Importance of Using a Tuner: Finding Your Perfect Pitch

Music is a beautiful language, but like any language, it relies on clear communication.  Just like people speaking the same language can do so with different accents to their voice so too can musicians play the same note but with slight changes in the way it sounds.  The pitch may be a bit high or a bit low, and over the centuries musicians have come up with ways to analyze these differences so that multiple musicians can better "play in tune."  Just as proper grammar and pronunciation are essential for understanding spoken words, playing in tune is paramount for creating harmonious music. This is where the tuner comes in.  For the beginner (or even the more advanced musician) it can be a vital tool for developing accuracy of pitch.

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Low Cost MusicTechnology Options For The Music Education Classroom
Low Cost MusicTechnology Options For The Music Education Classroom

Finding ways to stretch your budget in a music classroom is always important and even more so when trying to purchase high tech electronics, software, and other materials.  This article provides an updated list of dozens of different low cost or free alternatives to expensive music education products.  It includes such categories as music notation software, drill design software, special needs hardware, and many more.

 

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The Star Spangled Banner- Free Sheet Music For Band Inst.
The Star Spangled Banner- Free Sheet Music For Band Inst.

This document contains sheet music for all common instruments to play The Star Spangled Banner, also known as the sheet music to the National Anthem of the United States of America. You can view the sheet music online or download the individual parts arranged for all common concert band instruments.  If you do not see your instrument listed please scroll to the bottom of the page and try one of the the other instruments.  Most musicians will be able to find at least one instrumental part that matches their range and preferred key signature.  If you are seeking a simple piano version of the song please select from the voice, trumpet, or alto saxophone versions.

 

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Using Plickers as an Assessment Tool in the Music Education Classroom
Using Plickers as an Assessment Tool in the Music Education Classroom

Music, band, choir, and orchestra classrooms can be huge and assessing the knowledge and retention of individual students in such a large class can be daunting.  Plickers are one of several solutions that can be adapted to work in large groups, making the act of assessing a student’s understanding a little easier and a whole lot faster.  

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Is Marching Band A Sport? Pros, Cons, and a Reality Check
Is Marching Band A Sport? Pros, Cons, and a Reality Check

In recent years the question of whether or not marching band is a sport has been brought up time and time again for various reasons and by various groups.  On one side you have the YES crowd who says that marching band is competitive, physically demanding, and every bit as much a team event as any traditional sporting event.  On the other side of the coin are those who say no, that marching band is NOT a sport and it is a musical pursuit that happens to involve coordinated movements.  Both sides are right, but to make a final decision we need to look deeper into the facts.  Read on to find out what they are!

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Portable Digital Audio Recorder Buying Guide With Reviews
Portable Digital Audio Recorder Buying Guide With Reviews

Scroll down to view the comparison chart of over a dozen different portable digital audio recorders.

Buying a portable digital audio recorder is a major decision.  The balance between price, features, and quality is a fine line that has many different options to choose from.  There are dozens of different models of portable digital audio recorders, some of which have drastically different sets of features yet sell for roughly the same price.  This easy to read head to head comparison chart and guide to many of the more popular portable digital audio recorders is intended to help potential buyers more easily see these differences and make an educated buying decision.

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Apps and More for the Choral Classroom
Apps and More for the Choral Classroom

The number of apps, software, and gadgets available for use in the music classroom continues to grow each year but finding things that can actually be beneficial to your classes grows more and more difficult as well.  We spoke with Dr. Christopher Russell, Director of Choirs at Oltman Middle School in St. Paul Park, Minnesota to get his must-have list of apps.

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Yamaha PocketTrak C24 Review

The Yamaha PockeTrak C24 Digital Audio RecorderSeveral years ago when Yamaha first introduced the PockeTrak series of digital audio recorders I was both impressed and dissapointed.  The PockeTrak 2G was a very innovative product with lots of great features but at the same time it seemed rather cheaply made.  Fast forward to 2010 and Yamaha has learned well from their mistakes of models past.  The new Yamaha PockeTrak C24 is a grown up sibling to the 2G that fixes most of the complaints and adds new features to make it even more appealing to musicians and educators alike while still remaining an ultra-portable hand held digital audio recorder that is easy to use.

Features of the Yamaha PockeTrak C24

One of the first things that a user notices when they pick up the Yamaha PockeTrak C24 is that it feels and looks like a usable device.  While not perfect the layout and size of the buttons on the PockeTrak C24 make it easy to select and control all aspects of the recording mechanisms. The addition of a MicroSD card slot allows the user to expand the 2GB of built in internal memory.  Other improvements include a substantially beefed up stereo microphone that is recessed into the housing of the unit.  The audio recording quality far surpasses that of the older 2G, especially in the bass ranges.  Recording modes go up to 320Kbps MP3 as well as 96Khz 24 bit WAV.

Other nice features of the Yamaha PockeTrak C24 include a peak limiter that flashes the record button when the source volume is getting too loud.  When attached to a microphone stand using the included microphone clip this makes it incredibly handy to help the user monitor the recording levels and adjust as needed during a performance or recording session.  The unit also features a built in speaker as well as headphone and external microphone jacks.

Integrated Metronome and Tuner Add Versatility to the PockeTrak C24

Navigating the menus of the PockeTrak C24 is easy, and additional software features such as the ability to split recordings manually or automatically and the ability to add fade in and fade out effects to recordings is a nice touch.  Also built into the software is a chromatic tuner and metronome.  Both are fairly straightforward and easy to use with the only drawback being that the metronome functionality is rather limited in terms of meter selection.

Missing from the C24 is the rechargable Eneloop battery that in earlier models could be recharged via the USB connection.  Also missing from the package is a USB extension cable.  While the slide out USB connection of the C24 is a wonderful convenience, it still is a rather heavy unit to have sticking out from the front of a computer.  Users will probably benefit from investing in a short extension cable so that when downloading recordings the unit can be laid flat on a table rather than sticking out and potentially weakening the computer's USB port.

Overall the Yamaha PockeTrak C24 is a vast improvement over earlier designs and should be considered as a potential buy for anyone in the market for a small yet powerful stereo portable recording device.  While there are a few minor issues they are fully outweighed by the positive changes and features that Yamaha has incorporated into the product.

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