The Amazing Slow Downer allows you to adjust the speed of an audio file so you can transcribe or practice along to an audio file at any speed you want. The pitch of the file does not change while you vary the speed. You can also export the audio file to be whatever tempo you wanted
SmartMusic has a lot of great resources built into the program to assist with assessment and feedback; however, it is also limited in that it is a computer determining pitch and rhythmic accuracy. While this feedback is better than none, I caution educators who use this as the only form of assessment and feedback. I personally think there is more to music than pitch and rhythm and I think that technology should encourage students to think as musicians rather than simply telling students when they are and are not musical based on two criteria.
From creator description: "Use the computer keyboard keys a,s,d,f,g,h,j,k to perform notes from the major scale. You can play multiple notes at a time!
Hold down the up and down arrow keys while playing a note to bend the pitch.
Use the left and right arrow keys to pan the sound left and right.
Use the 1 and 2 keys to lower and raise the channel volume.
This code requires running the experimental MIDI Scratch Java Server helper app (currently private).
The Scratch MIDI Extension adds new blocks for playing MIDI notes on the server:
note on
note off
controller
pitch bend
all notes off
set instrument
use java server?
The MIDI sounds in this program are not coming from Scratch... they are being synthesized on a Java server. This code can also be used to play and control other external synthesizers (e.g., Garage Band, Main Stage, Ableton Live, etc.)."
Notes and Credits: "MIDI Scratch Java Server - John Maloney (MIT Media Lab)
Prototype MIDI Scratch Blocks - Eric Rosenbaum (MIT Media Lab) & Alex Ruthmann (NYU)
Performamatics @ NYU
http://experiencingaudio.org/"