Group items tagged

Wynn Literature is a site I found a few years ago as I was looking for music for my high school Intermediate Band to play for the Georgia Music Educators Association's Large Group Performance Evaluation (concert festival). The band I had one year was unprepared to play most Grade 4 Literature and I needed help choosing Grade 2 or 3 pieces. Wynn created this list of compositions that are on the GMEA LGPE required list. It is important to double check the most current LGPE list as the list is updated yearly. The compositions are written by composers whose works have been deemed to be "Contemporary Concert Band Standards" as they have the best mix of challenging the students as well as entertaining. Some of the composers include James Swearingen, Quincy Hilliard Robert W. Smith, David R. Holsinger, and James Curnow just to name a few. The site has changed a lot since I originally found it. You were able to click on the individual compositions to get more information about the piece such as key signature, meter, performance ranges for most of the instruments, technical issues that may occur (difficult rhythms or harmonies), background on the composer and historical perspective of the composition. Since the site's links do not work anymore, WynnLiterature is a great starting point to search for literature to play at the middle school level as well as the lower/developmental bands in high school.

Wynn Literature is a site I found a few years ago as I was looking for music for my high school Intermediate Band to play for the Georgia Music Educators Association's Large Group Performance Evaluation (concert festival). The band I had one year was unprepared to play most Grade 4 Literature and I needed help choosing Grade 2 or 3 pieces. Wynn created this list of compositions that are on the GMEA LGPE required list. It is important to double check the most current LGPE list as the list is updated yearly. The compositions are written by composers whose works have been deemed to be "Contemporary Concert Band Standards" as they have the best mix of challenging the students as well as entertaining. Some of the composers include James Swearingen, Quincy Hilliard Robert W. Smith, David R. Holsinger, and James Curnow just to name a few. The site has changed a lot since I originally found it. You were able to click on the individual compositions to get more information about the piece such as key signature, meter, performance ranges for most of the instruments, technical issues that may occur (difficult rhythms or harmonies), background on the composer and historical perspective of the composition. Since the site's links do not work anymore, WynnLiterature is a great starting point to search for literature to play at the middle school level as well as the lower/developmental bands in high school.

Wynn Literature is a site I found a few years ago as I was looking for music for my high school Intermediate Band to play for the Georgia Music Educators Association's Large Group Performance Evaluation (concert festival). The band I had one year was unprepared to play most Grade 4 Literature and I needed help choosing Grade 2 or 3 pieces. Wynn created this list of compositions that are on the GMEA LGPE required list. It is important to double check the most current LGPE list as the list is updated yearly. The compositions are written by composers whose works have been deemed to be "Contemporary Concert Band Standards" as they have the best mix of challenging the students as well as entertaining. Some of the composers include James Swearingen, Quincy Hilliard Robert W. Smith, David R. Holsinger, and James Curnow just to name a few. The site has changed a lot since I originally found it. You were able to click on the individual compositions to get more information about the piece such as key signature, meter, performance ranges for most of the instruments, technical issues that may occur (difficult rhythms or harmonies), background on the composer and historical perspective of the composition. Since the site's links do not work anymore, WynnLiterature is a great starting point to search for literature to play at the middle school level as well as the lower/developmental bands in high school.

This site includes scale sheets, rhythm charts and bowing examples for orchestra students and teachers.  I have used this site with my school students and private students.

This string specific website has lots of great resources for working on different skill-sets. I particularly like this for the finger pattern exercises and rhythmic reading tunes. This helps to work on rhythm, intonation, sight-reading, and scale work.

This website is a comprehensive resource for string teachers which includes etudes, scale sheets, bowing resources, and more. Many resources are available for printing and sharing directly with students.

Instrument Cleaning and Maintenance Regular cleaning and maintenance is essential to keeping your student's instrument in proper working order. It is recommended to have your instrument inspected and serviced by a repair technician during the Christmas holiday and over the Summer break. The inspection may not result in any work being needed. However, just like an automobile it is recommended that a repair technician perform a tune-up as necessary to keep your instrument in proper working order.

Sound trap is an online Digital Audio Workstation (DAW) that one can use to create loops and tracks online. One doesn't need to download any software to install sound trap, it is typically online and is a very good resource for teaching creativity, collaboration, communication, and critical thinking (4 Cs). I like sound trap because it enables students and teachers to continue work anywhere any time (in and outside the classroom). Teachers can easily add projects and invite students to work on the project any time anywhere. The fact that one can invite another person to work on the same project and/or even record a track together is mesmerizing. With sound trap, it is easy to record any instrument, download a track, and best of all, you can record using a microphone and/or use the free loops, MIDI, and effects that come with the software. A school has to purchase the software and add students to start using it. However, the software has a one month free trial which teachers can try out with their students before purchasing.

This website has many resources to learn and practice theory. there are tutorials and exercises to practice/learn as well as references and articles to read about analysis.

Teoria is a Music Theory website (similar to musictheory.com) that offers step-by-step instructions on a wide variety of music theory concepts. The quizzes are helpful in assessing students in their understanding of theory concepts and allow the teacher to edit the types of questions on the quiz, the time limits, and the opportunity to correct the answers.

This website is a great tool for students to work on their music theory and ear training skills. Students can work individually on this website to complete different exercises and review music theory concepts.

Splice is a cloud platform for music creation, collaboration and sharing.

Splice is a cloud platform for music creation, collaboration and sharing.

This service creates a live back-up of work being completed in a digital audio workstation (or DAW). On the site it boasts ease of use, flexible collaboration (by allowing you to share work with other users), endless inspiration (in the form of a vast library of loops and sounds within its DAW), and most importantly, unlimited space! Sign up is free.

This website provides teachers with resources that include sample lesson plans, example student work, pre-made work sheets and interactive activities that students can use individually, in a group, or with the whole class.

Admittedly, I'm a total geek for the "old classics", but I find this website absolutely amazing! In about 3 minutes time I was able to locate about a half dozen pieces that I've been looking for at some point or another since I started teaching. I think there are resources that every band director could use here.

Public Domain town band music library. Would be great for so many things - especially playing marches at MPA that aren't overdone.

This is another invaluable resource of Public Domain compositions for the Band World. So many of the old marches and waltzes are out of print and difficult to come by, but this website has an extensive list of great works that are all public domain. A great resource not only for finding pieces to play, but also for doing some traditional score study.

TwistedWave is a browser-based audio editor. You only need a web browser to access it, and you can use it to record or edit any audio file. All the audio is stored and processed on the server, so you don't need to download anything, or save your work when you are done. Close your browser window and your work is saved. Open TwistedWave somewhere else, and all your audio files, with the complete undo history, are still available. With a free account, you can edit mono files up to 5 minutes in length. Once you have an account, you can purchase a subscription to increase this limit.

I have been using the Twisted Wave app for music editing for over a year now and have found it to be very user friendly and a wonderful resource.

This website has profiles for several baroque, classical, romantic and 20th century composers. Each page seems easy to ready, and has video links as well as links to sources.

This website works as a database for many famous composers. Students can use this website to complete music history projects as well as composer projects. Composers are organized by country or by period.

The purpose of this website is to portray the artwork of the creator. With the posted artwork are description of the composers available the site. This website would be a useful resource for history facts about composers form multiple musical periods. The website also offers information about prominent and lesser known composers from several countries. YouTube inks are often provided for a listening example of each composer's work.

A great resource for your last minute lesson plan needs!  There are plans, activities, and quizzes!

Resource for UF Masters in Music Education. I love this resource primarily for the fun and interactive nature that the games provide to my classroom. There are plenty of resources such as lessons, pre-made assessment, and videos. However, the games allow students to enjoy learning through assessment and interactive scenarios.

This website is a great resource for beginning to integrate technology into your classroom. There are ready-made lesson plans, as well as fun activities to do with your students. There are worksheets on theory, lessons on piano, and so much more.

Garritan is a virtual instrument provider often bundled with Finale Notation Software. The virtual instrument player is called Aria, and various sound collections are available for purchase. In my experience, the VST works well with Finale, however, does not work well by itself or with other DAWs. This may be due to the low memory and processing speed of my computer.

A cloud-based DAW, free and easy to use. It is very similar to GarageBand, and users with little music knowledge can easily create quality compositions by dragging and dropping loops. Users can compose music, record live instruments and voice tracks, use MIDI controllers, and export projects to many known file types.

Soundtrap is a browser-based DAW that allows users to create and collaborate compositions or podcasts. Soundtrap offers a paid subscription allowing teachers to setup a private classroom and monitor/grade/comment on their students work. This DAW can be used for a plethora of creative tasks in music. It's primary affordance is that it is browser-based and compositions are saved via cloud storage.

Soundtrap is a free, cloud-based DAW, with a library of looped sounds and the ability to enter new audio. Users can also easily collaborate with others, and the program can be accessed via computer, tablet, or cell phone. It provides a user-friendly experience that music students can work with to express creativity through composition.

Simple tool to help my students hear the steady beat when we are working with rhythms!  It could also be a great tool to help them see the different tempi.

This is a great, free metronome tool to use with students in the classroom or for them to use in their own practice at home. It allows students to work on rhythm, tempo, beat, and time signature.

This an online metronome that teachers and students can use to help reinforce good timing and tempo skills. The content is a musical tool.

This podcast is hosted by three middle school band directors in Texas. They conduct their podcast in between classes, and they discuss the ins and outs of band in their middle school classes. They provide several resources to use in sectional classes in middle school band and offer advice.

This website is for a podcast I have been listening to for a few years. The podcast is very interesting an informative. It give a different perspective on teaching band. Though I don't teach in a similar situation, things can be applied to my situation.

This podcast covers three band directors that all work in the same middle school. This discuss all different types of things but it is interesting to listen to how the three work together with their different classes. I have listen to this podcast in the past and their are even times she records her lessons with her students.

This site contains lessons, worksheets, and quizzes for young music students. In addition, there are links to other music tech related resources and suggested reading materials and other supplies

Amazing resource for lesson plans, worksheets, and games to teach students about a wide variety of music topics. This website would be great for creating lesson plans for subs and would also be a great resource if you can't find printed worksheets that address theory. The games are also fun and educational, asking students to identify instruments, tempos, etc. and can act as quizzes that can be scored and printed out. Great resource!

Music Tech Teacher is an open resource offered by Karen Garrett as an extension of her own music classes she had previously been teaching. Ms. Garrett offers free lessons, worksheets and assessments that can be downloaded as .pdfs and used by any teachers looking for materials that could be used within their own classrooms. Ms. Garrett's resources also have a strong focus on teachers looking to specifically make use of technology in their classes.

This site was created to provide inner-city student in New York an opportunity to create music while working with resident composers. The curriculum is a result of that work, and is now accessible to anyone who wants to take part. Noteflight is the principle tool for composition.

This article is about works finally becoming public domain after 20 years

Best Practices for Children's Choir is a podcast with Matthew Parker discussing his best practices when working with a children's choir. The discussion content ranges from choosing music to engaging in warm-ups. Matthew also shares his favorite octavos, composers/arrangers, warm-ups, and tips when choosing music. This is very useful information and a great resource to use when working with your elementary and/or middle school choir.

Podcast and synopsis of best practices for children's choir. I want to reference this if the world works my way and places me in an elementary school next year.

Offers a good variety of lessons, for both beginners and advanced students, from notes' duration to Neapolitan chords. Also tools such as chord calculator, metronome, pop up piano window etc., are available for free.

A great free cite for notation practice exercises and lessons.

Music Theory Learning to read music