SmartMusic

MuseScore3 is full-featured, open-source music notation software. This software is installed directly on a computer, and has compatible versions for PC, Mac, and Linux operating systems. There is no online or "cloud" version of this software. Although MuseScore is free, it is a professional music notation alternative to Finale and Sibelius and is capable of producing high-quality musical scores in a variety of formats. MuseScore also has full capability to produce audio playback, export to audio, and generate MIDI files.

Music Ace is general music education software that comes in commercial and education editions. The software is installed on a computer (not online/cloud), and includes a variety of games and activities which focus on general music theory. There is also doodle pad feature which allows the user to compose using a variety of instruments and sounds. This software title is generally appropriate for elementary grades, but may have usability for other age groups too.

This is the website for the popular Tonal Energy tuner and metronome application for Android and Apple devices. The tuner has a variety of features and settings for different instruments and ensembles. It is particularly useful for tracking sustained pitch accuracy using a variety of graphing options and its distinctive growing smiley face. The website also has a section of educational resources for brass, woodwind, and orchestral instruments.

One of the original titles of music notation software. Finale was first available in the late 1980's and has been in constant development ever since. The software is available in 3 service levels: Finale, Printmusic, and Notepad. Notepad is a free version and only offers limited features. The full version of Finale has full capability to produce professional-looking scores and is also capable of exporting audio and MIDI files. Finale also comes bundled with Garritan Aria player VST and a decent-sounding instrument pack. Finale also features educational worksheets and templates which are very useful for teachers.

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.

Digital audio products including Cubase, VSTs, and USB audio interfaces.

New Horizons is a network of music education programs for adults. New Horizons advocates for participatory music opportunities for adults who either had little or no music education in their younger years or have had little connection to music making since their school years. New Horizons groups are independently run organizations in the United States and many foreign countries. The first New Horizons group was started by Dr. Roy Ernst at the Eastman School of Music, University of Rochester.

Digital audio workstation software for PC (or Mac with Bootcamp). The software comes in three versions: Home Studio, Recording Studio, and Pro Studio, each with increasing features. The DAW supports MIDI, digital audio and video, and has integrated VST and loop libraries. These products are highly rated in online reviews and comparisons, mainly for their combination of low cost, full features, and ease of use. The website also features a library of training videos for Mixcarft. Topics cover topics including basic software and hardware setup, virtual instruments and plugins, and software functions.

Flat is a full-featured online music notation tool. The product has commercial and educational versions. The educational version has teacher administrative controls and allows an educator to integrate Flat into common learning management services including Google Classroom and Canvas. Students and teachers can collaborate on the same notation projects, and have the ability to integrate and link to external content (e.g. YouTube). Flat also has a plugin for Google Documents which allows users to create and embed short selections of music notation into their work.

Class recorder method by Texas music educator, Jo Lynn Cookus. The method is based on common American folk songs that are commonly taught in elementary settings, and therefore integrates well with common curricular models including Kodaly and Orff. It is a lesser-known alternative to common recorder methods including Recorder Express, Recorder Karate, etc. The author is a seasoned music educator with 30+ years of music education experience teaching elementary education, choir, and band.

Pro Tools is a professional level digital audio workstation. It is used in many professional recording studios and music production facilities. Pro Tools is often praised for its near-limitless capabilities, but its high cost and memory and processing requirements may make it difficult to use for teachers or hobbyists with lesser computer systems. Avid offers different versions of the software that ranges from the free, limited capability Pro Tools "First" to the full-featured Pro Tools Ultimate, which is designed for professional recording and processing. The free version, Pro Tools First is an excellent way for new users to try out professional DAW software without making a large financial commitment.

Landr offers digital audio mastering and distribution services. Their affordable subscription model allows both large and small music producers and artists to have their finished products professionally mastered using their artificial intelligence technology. They also provide formatting and submission services for popular distribution centers including Spotify, iTunes, etc. They also have useful resources including digital audio sample recommendations and a blog which covers many digital audio production topics.

Sight Reading Factory is a comprehensive online sight reading tool which provides on-demand computer-generated music examples which are customizable by instrument, playing level, length, key, and time signature. The service provides pre-programmed levels or can be fully customized by the user. Sight Reading Factory covers all major instruments (including voices and piano) and ensembles. Rhythm-only examples are also available. Once configured, the service provides unlimited, computer-generated sight reading examples based on the settings. Although randomly generated, the algorithm delivers rather authentic, musical selections. The user has two choices for participation: timed review period or free play. Settings can also be adjusted to toggle metronome click and cursor, as well as making measures disappear before or after playing.

I discovered this article when reading Kerstetter (2010) article about music education blogging. It is considered one of the longest-running music education blogs in existence. This blog site was founded in 2006 and is now a multi-author blog covering topics about music education. music technology, and music advocacy. Authors are music professors at various smaller universities.