Using Technology in Beginning Band to Excel.

Learning an instrument can be daunting at first. When a new student arrives at ICS they need to join one of the instrumental groups. If they chose to play a band instrument, they first come into beginning band where they learn the fundamentals of their chosen instrument. We aim to accelerate them to the point where they can join in one of the performance bands. This can be tough, especially if they don’t already have a strong musical background.

Today's students have the advantage of technology to help them on their journey. It allows them to focus on weak areas, and get specific help where they need it most.

If a student is struggling with note identification or music theory, I found that http://www.musictheory.net/ is a great tool to help students learn the names of the notes and the basics of music.

Often students are able to read the music, but trying to make the connection from the music to the fingering proves difficult and at times frustrating. The website http://www.musicracer.com/ is a great tool, allowing students to practice identifying the fingering for their instrument.

Do not forget our ever present phone or other device, I encourage students to download a chromatic tuner app to help them practice with their pitch. This is especially helpful for trombones where they need to practice the accuracy of their slide positions. Another very helpful app they can download is a metronome app.

Last but not least is SmartMusic. Well-known to the students as part of their regular class assignments, SmartMusic allows the students get immediate feedback on their playing, including correct notes and timing. It is also very helpful for the beginning band students as it challenges them to play along with the music without stopping and with the correct timing.

If you would like to see for yourself the progress that they are making, you can have them log in and show you the results from the tests that they have done in the past as well as previous recordings of those tests.

Need to know more? Talk to the band teacher, they are excited about seeing the students be challenged, and grow as musicians!

Mr. Wilson