General

More Music Apps for iPad/iPhone

Joy Morin

Over the past week, I’ve been gradually reviewing more music apps!  It’s nice to be able to recommend these to students and their parents.  I am surprised at how many of my students own either an iPad or an iPhone.

Below, I’ve copy and pasted my latest additions to the Music Apps page.  You can view the complete list here.

I apologize to those who do not own an iPad or iPhone — I know a lot of my posts recently have been about that!  Next week is my Music History camp, so I’ll be blogging about non-tech things soon.  🙂

THE LATEST MUSIC APPS I HAVE REVIEWED: 

Screen shot 2013-07-07 at 4.52.53 PMTenuto ($3.99)

Tenuto is made by the developers behind the fantastic musictheory.net website and is also one of the best music apps you can buy for your iPhone/iPad.  The app contains a variety of modules for practicing identification of notes, key signatures, intervals, chords, piano keys — both by sight as well as by ear.  The graphics are attractive and the app is easy-to-use.  The modules can be adjusted to adjust the difficulty of the activity.  Tenuto is an excellent tool for beginner students through advanced students.  Continue reading “More Music Apps for iPad/iPhone” →

Words of Wisdom

Wednesday’s Words of Wisdom

Joy Morin

“I know that the twelve notes in each octave and the variety of rhythm offer me opportunities that all of human genius will never exhaust.”

— Igor Stravinsky

Every Wednesday brings Words of Wisdom here at the Color in my Piano blog in the form of a musical quote or joke, intended to bring inspiration or humor to the middle of your week. Have suggestions? Send me a message here.

Reading Notation, Technology

App Review & Giveaway: SightReadPlus

Joy Morin

bg-1-273140SightReadPlus — $7.99 *for iPad only*

Update: also check out my short review of SightReadMinor ($4.99).

SightReadPlus is an app for iPad for piano students.  The app not only contains thousands of sight-reading exercises, but it also “listens” to the student play on their piano and evaluates their performance based on accuracy of pitch and rhythm.  I love this technology!  SightReadPlus is a great tool to improve students’ sight-reading abilities, especially in preparation for examinations or adjudications that require sight-reading.

The 4800 sight-reading examples in this app are appropriate for beginning and elementary students.  The range of notes in each exercise is limited to major five-finger patterns, and all exercises are either for RH or LH (never together).

The exercises are divided into 10 levels.  Level 1 begins with half note and whole note rhythms in 4/4 time, with intervals limited to 2nds.  The more advanced levels contain intervals up to a 5th, rhythm values such as dotted quarter notes and eighth rests, and a variety of time signatures (2/4, 3/4, 4/4, and 6/8).  The exercises can be played in any key.  Continue reading “App Review & Giveaway: SightReadPlus” →

Conferences

NCKP 2013 Meet-Up with Wendy Stevens

Joy Morin

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The 2013 NCKP is only about 2 weeks away!  The sessions on the schedule look fantastic as usual, and I am looking forward to connecting with friends and colleagues.  Do you plan to attend the NCKP?

Wendy Stevens from the ComposeCreate blog is holding a dinner meet-up during the conference.  I’m sure many of you are already familiar with Wendy’s blog (I love her rhythm resource, Rhythm Menagerie!), but if you aren’t, you should go check it out!

I plan to attend Wendy’s meet-up, and Wendy has graciously agreed to allow me to invite additional guests to her event.  I would love to see you there!

Here are the details:

  • Wendy’s meet-up will be Thursday, July 25 at 6:15pm at the Brio Italian Restaurant.  Brio is located 1/2 mile from the conference hotel.  You can walk there or take the conference hotel’s shuttle.
  • The restaurant has kindly agreed to allow everyone to pay via separate checks (with gratuity included), but you must submit your dinner order in advance.  You can take a peek at the menu here.  Please email your dinner order to Wendy by July 20 at the latest.  It would be helpful if you could let her know you are coming as soon as possible.
  • Read more about Wendy’s meet-up here, and then send her an email here.

I hope to see you there!

Technology

iPad Staff Paper Background

Joy Morin

Remember the music whiteboard I created using a plexiglass frame from IKEA?  Here is my new digital version.  🙂

IPadminiWhite staff paper

In the photo above, the staff paper is being used in the GoodNotes app.  You can download a multi-page pdf containing the various types of staff paper by visiting the Printables > For iPad page.

These files will probably work just as well on non-iPad tablet devices with a similar app.  If anyone tries it, please let me know!

Technology

Annotation Apps for iPad / GoodNotes Pro Review

Joy Morin

IPadminiWhite screenshotOne of the cool teaching tools the iPad provides the piano teacher is the possibility of completing worksheets digitally during the lesson — or using the iPad like a music whiteboard with a custom background.  A few of my favorite piano teaching blogs have shared some great resources for using the iPad in this way:

  • Anne Crosby — Check out her colorful whiteboard backgrounds by searching “iPad” on her blog, and be sure to see her Music Discoveries digital method book, too (pictured at right).
  • Wendy’s Piano Escapades offers a few different types of colorful whiteboard backgrounds.
  • Susan Paradis has a variety of colorful worksheets/games that would work well on the iPad. 
  • Jennifer Fink from Pianimation has some sight-reading cards (sets of jpg files) that are fantastic.

To use these wonderful resources on your iPad, you will need some kind of whiteboard or annotator app that allows you to upload custom “papers” or “backgrounds” upon which you can draw and erase.  There are many different options available.  Over the weekend, I spent some time researching and testing apps until I found my favorite.  Here are the features I was looking for:  Continue reading “Annotation Apps for iPad / GoodNotes Pro Review” →

Studio Business

Fun Little Drawers

Joy Morin

For a while now, I’ve been looking for something with more drawers to put in my studio.  I have lots of drawers across the room, but I wanted something small enough for the spot next to my chair when I teach.

I recently found this fun little filing cabinet for $30 at a thrift store:

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I just had to share a photo with some fellow teachers who would understand my excitement!  🙂  I can’t wait to fill it up with my games pieces, flashcards, music dice, etc.

Words of Wisdom

Wednesday’s Words of Wisdom

Joy Morin

“Where I come from we say that rhythm is the soul of life, because the whole universe revolves around rhythm, and when we get out of rhythm, that’s when we get into trouble.”

— Babatunde Olatunji

Every Wednesday brings Words of Wisdom here at the Color in my Piano blog in the form of a musical quote or joke, intended to bring inspiration or humor to the middle of your week. Have suggestions? Send me a message here.

Music Camps, Rhythm

2013 “I Got Rhythm” Summer Camp – Sneak Peek

Joy Morin

This week, my students and I are in the middle of rhythm camp!

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My blogging might be a bit sporadic for the rest of the week as I continue preparing and teaching this camp.  We’ve been busy working in our workbook…

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…and playing games and making crafts, too!

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I will be blogging more details about our “I Got Rhythm” camp pretty soon.  Stay tuned!