Student:  ”I don’t have one.”

Teacher: “Why not?”

Student: “I don’t know where to get one and we don’t have the money to buy one!”

How many times has this conversation happened in band rooms across the country?  Today I asked this very question and the students were surprised to hear my response:  ”If you have a computer, cell phone, ipod, mp3 player or cd player you can have a metronome for FREE!”  Blank stares from students….one hand is raised “Mr. B, no one has cd players anymore….”

Here are some online resources that you can give your students- these are all FREE solutions.  While I realize that these may not be the best or latest apps out there, this post is merely meant to begin the journey for the perfect metronome (and dare I say….TUNER) apps/freeware.

So the next time your students say “I can’t afford a metronome!” hand them this list:

Windows Computer:

http://download.cnet.com/Weird-Metronome/3000-2133_4-10073673.html

Macintosh:

http://download.cnet.com/AquaGnome/3000-2025_4-40544.html

iphone/ipod touch/ipad

http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/simple-metronome/id350401073?mt=8

Android

mp3′s that can be burned onto cd:

http://www.reztronics.com/prod01.htm

Please feel free to post your favorites as well!

Just think of the possibilities that this opens up for guitar instruction!

Check out this video from CNET:

http://cnettv.cnet.com/rock-band-3-fender-mustang-pro-guitar-versus/9742-1_53-50094707.html?tag=nl.e404

Drill Book App for Iphone

As my daughter begins her high school band experience, I find myself remembering and sharing stories and it brings us closer together.  I am so proud to see her enjoy the experience so much! In anticipation of her beginning high school, knowing that she did not want to attend my school (again, looong story- don’t worry the reasons are really pragmatic), I could not bear the thought of not being able to share the moments that I know are sure to come for her.  I have been fortunate enough to be in a position this year- taking a leave of absence from my position to work on my doctoral dissertation- to be able to “be there” with her, taking her to band camp, band practice, football games, competitions, and all that comes with the experience.

I have to say that it was a bit surreal chaperoning a high school football game as a band parent and not the head band director!  She is in a fine band program headed by one of my oldest and dearest friends, so I know that she will have a wonderful education and I have of course volunteered to be at every event.  It really is proving to be an eye-opening experience being on the “other end” of the band experience!  I look forward to a season of hauling water, taking students back and forth to the restroom during away games, cheering like a proud papa at competitions (that’s my girl!!!!), and being the taxi for her and her friends to the pizza party after the big game.

I know that she will have experiences (just like I did) that she will remember for the rest of her life- I am also glad that I have the opportunity to just be “dad” and shower praise and affection liberally and often rather than having to worry about the perception of favoritism that would always be in the background if she was in my program.  So, here’s to a wonderful year of being…dad.

Ivor Novello Awards

When we hear music we enjoy, it is extremely easy to take for granted all the hard work that has gone into composition of the song. Instead, we tend to focus on the artist performing the work. Even most music awards celebrate the song or singing abilities, rather than the quality of the song-writing. Most of us do not realise that there are countless hours of background work involved in creating music. Sometimes it can take months, even years to create a song. Ivor Novello Awards aim to recognise this fact. Ivor Novello Awards are unique and prestigious awards which celebrate the work of outstanding British songwriters and composers in the music world. These awards recognize those individuals who have made a great contribution and positively influenced the music world through their song writing abilities. The Ivor Novello Awards are very highly respected throughout the music industry.

The Ivor Novello Awards began in 1955. Ceremonies have taken place in London, usually in the month of May, on a yearly basis ever since. The name of the awards was taken from popular British entertainer Ivor Novello, who was both a composer and singer. The bronze coloured awards are presented by the British Academy of Songwriters, Composers and Authors (BASCA) and are sponsored by PRS for Music (Performing Right Society), a community for publishers, composers and writers. The beauty of the Ivor Novello Awards is that unlike other award ceremonies, the winners are voted for by the writing community; those who can recognize raw talent.

Some of the recipients of the highly acclaimed award are Gary Barlow, David Bowie, Coldplay and Madonna. Gary Barlow is a singer, songwriter from the hugely successful boy-band, Take That, and has picked up the award on five occasions. He has also been voted as the greatest British songwriter of all time. British musician, David Bowie, picked up an Ivor Novello for originality in 1969; this was to be his first award amongst many. Coldplay received an Ivor Novello for Best Selling British Song in 2009. And with over 275 million album sales under her hat, Madonna also picked up an Ivor Novello for her hit single ‘Sorry’ in 2007. Other winners of the awards include Robbie Williams, Blur, Pet Shop Boys, Fran Healy and Bryan Adams.

This year, singer songwriter Lilly Allen scored a hat trick at the reputable ceremony, picking up three Ivor Novello Awards for her hit single, The Fear. It is thought that the recognition of receiving this award will even bring her out of early retirement. Other winners at the 55^th edition of the show were Paolo Nutini for his number one selling album ‘Sunny Side Up’ and Natasha Khan from Bat for Lashes who received an Ivor Novello for the song ‘Daniel.’

Ivor Novello awards are a great way of celebrating music talents who often go unrecognised in the industry. The list of winners, both past and present, consists of some of the most critically acclaimed and well-respected artists in music history, as well as many virtually unknown artists. This annual awards ceremony is set to continue recognising musical abilities for a long time to come.

Lyndsey McLaughlin is a content writer for www.onlineschools.org and www.onlinemba.com who gives advice on the pursuit of education and living a healthy life. She also is a contributing writer for a site that helps students determine the best nursing program for them. In her free time she enjoys socializing, writing and dancing.

There are many different sites that allow users to listen to and download free music online. Some sites even offer the ability to share music and playlists with friends through websites, blogs, and social media sites. Here are 15 great places to find free and legal music on the web.

Pandora – Based on the sophisticated taxonomy of the Music Genome Project, Pandora is an Internet Radio site that allows you to create personalized radio stations based on music you like. Simply type in the name of a singer, composer, band, or song you enjoy, and Pandora will create a free radio station that plays that music or music like it.

Playlist – Playlist is the world’s largest music community. Members can create their own personal playlists and share them through websites, blogs, and social media sites.

Qloud – Qloud is a free music library that can be used to play music online or share songs via Twitter. The site also shows songs that are being played by other Qloud users.

Songza – This site allows site visitors to browse for songs and artists or create a radio station that plays a mix of songs. Songza also offers featured mixes, such as pop hits, dance party, indie rap, and dinner party.

Live365.com – Live365.com is an Internet radio network that features more than 250 genres of music produced by over 6,000 radio stations in 150 different countries. You can search for radio stations by genre or artist.

MixPod – This social music playlist community lets users create free online playlists, browse playlists created by other people, and share playlists on social media sites.

Jango – Jango is a free social music service that allows users to play unlimited free music online. Simply type in what you want to hear, and Jango will create a personalized radio station for you. You can share your station with friends and tune into stations other people have created.

iLike – This MySpace site calls itself a “social music discovery service.”  After creating a profile, iLike users can share music, playlists, music recommendations, and personalized concert alerts.

Piano Society – Piano Society maintains the largest library of free classical piano recordings on the web. Site visitors can download free music and read about more than 200 different classical and contemporary artists and composers.

SkreemR – SkreemR is a free mp3 search engine that can be used to locate music, remixes, podcasts, recorded radio, and other audio files on the web. More than 12 million mp3 files from over 100,000 websites have been indexed by SkreemR so far.

FindSounds – Similar to SkreemR, FindSounds is an audio search engine that allows users to search the web for free music, sound effects, file formats, and more.

8notes – 8notes is a free sheet music database. The site also offers free riffs, lessons, and tools for musicians and music fans.

Mutopia – The goal of the Mutopia Project is to make sheet music and classical music freely available over the web. Mutopia visitors can download, print out, perform, and distribute nearly 1,700 pieces of music.

RoyaltyFreeMusic.com – This site offers a wide range of royalty free sounds and music. Many of these items on this site are free for everyone. Educators who sign up for RoyaltyFreeMusic.com’s classroom program can gain free access to additional tracks from the site’s stock music library.

BearShare – BearShare is free file sharing software. It can be used to legally download free music and share mp3 files with friends.

Guest post from education writer Karen Schweitzer. Karen is the About.com Guide to Business School. She also writes about pharmacy technician training for PharmacyTechnicianCertification.com.

What a great conversation starter for any general music class or as an answer to the ever present question- why do I need to study music when I have my own “band”?

Check out this great article!

MusTech.net – Created by Dr. Prof. Joseph Pisano, this music technology site is a good place for elementary teachers to read about music education, music technology, and music advocacy. Other site features include links to music-related hardware, software, and freeware.

The Lesson Plans Page – HotChalk’s Lesson Plans Page provides hundreds of detailed lesson plans for music teachers. Lessons are available for elementary, middle school, and high schools students.

Teachers.net – More than 100 music-related lesson plans are available for elementary school students at Teachers.net. Lessons are also available for middle school students.

We the Teachers – This social networking site was not created specifically for music teachers, but it is still a good resource for lesson plans and other classroom tools. Teachers can share lesson plans, ideas, and philosophies in the forum and meet other teachers from around the world.

The Children’s Music Network – Created by teachers, musical performers, and parents in the U.S. and Canada, The Children’s Music Network (CMN) is a non-profit organization that shares songs and ideas about children’s music. Teachers can use the CMN site to find classroom resources, view upcoming events, and learn more about organizations that promote children’s music.

NNCC Fingerplays Plus – The NNCC (National Network for Child Care) offers a large selection of fingerplays and rhymes for elementary school children. Suggestions for related activities are also provided.

Judy and David’s Online Songbook – This no-frills website is a good place to find songs for children to sing in the classroom. Hundreds of songs are available on almost every topic imaginable.

Soundpiper – Soundpiper provides free children’s song lyrics and activity suggestions for the classroom. Teachers can also learn more about methods of music instruction and get tips on making homemade instruments.

Music from Across America – Created for grades K-5, this EDSITEment music learning unit introduces students to different instruments and sounds from various cultures and geographic regions. The unit includes multiple lessons, suggested activities, and other materials for the classroom.

Essentials of Music – Essentials of Music is a classical music site with a large glossary, biographies of famous composers, and information about various eras of music. The site also provides audio excerpts of some of the most famous classical music pieces.

Naxos – Naxos, one of the world’s leading classical music labels, offers an enormous glossary of music terminology as well as a basic introduction to classical music and instruments.

Free Kids Music – This site provides free music downloads from independent children’s music artists. There are songs for learning and education and songs for fun and play.

Free Songs for Kids – Sponsored by Songs for Teaching, this music site provides free kids’ music (lyrics and audio), children’s song videos, printable sheet music, and other useful elementary classroom materials.

Music Teachers Blog – The Fun Music Company offers a Music Teachers Blog with free lesson plans, teaching strategies, and other useful resources for elementary music teachers.

Music Teacher’s Helper – This web-based computer program for music teachers tracks lesson schedules, invoices, payments, and more. It is free to use for teachers who have three students or less.

Guest post from education writer Karen Schweitzer. Karen is the About.com Guide to Business School. She also writes about online degree programs for OnlineDegreePrograms.org.

Playlist and Lala are social music sites that allow anyone to upload and share music. It’s a great way for you to “get hip” to what your kids are listening to. Not that we get out of touch as we get older Try it out by asking your kids to do a journal of what they listen to in a week (journal exercise).  Type the titles into Playlist or Lala and you will get a window into their world- and realize why they swing like a rusty gate in jazz band…

Now- direct them to the “Jazz” category in Lala and do some listening assignments!

Anyway, on to the compliment…

As you can imagine, I have a WIDE variety of students in this class, but I am basically teaching EVERYONE AP (not “dumbing it down”) there are some VERY CHALLENGING STUDENTS in the class- ones that really couldn’t care less about the finer points of theory…

After class today- one of these “challenging” students came up to me and said:  ”You know, you are like that teacher in the movie Dangerous Minds- you are not happy until everyone learns even us dumb kids” I looked him straight in the eye (tearing up a bit) and thanked him.  I told him that that is one of the biggest compliments I could EVER get as a teacher.  He just looked at me like I had two heads.

What a great day!!!!!!!!!