http://www.reedmusic.com/
I have used this site so many times, I cannot even tell you how useful it has been.
ReedMusic is an Australian site that allows its users to listen to music before they buy it. It also allows it users to buy music.
As a saxophone player, this site has been really helpful in finding literature. I enjoy hearing some of the world's top players performing the top pieces. Please check this site out, it really comes in handy when you are serious about buying a piece to perform.
Thursday, November 19, 2009
Readings Week 13
This weeks readings were centered around "Assistive Technology" or AT for short.
AT is technology that has been mechanically enhanced for individuals with physical or mental impairments. AT can be anything homemade, purchased off the shelf, modified, or commercially available which is used to help an individual perform some task of daily living. AT includes a broad range of devices from "low tech" (e.g., pencil grips, splints, paper stabilizers) to "high tech" (e.g., computers, voice synthesizers, braille readers).
Musically, AT is starting to show an impact, especially with the "Soundbeam".
SoundBeam is a device that converts physical movement into sound. So people who are stationary, and confined to a wheelchair can make music. Without getting too scientific, the higher pitches are played when the person is farther away from the receiver and lower pitches are played when they are closer.
From the example video it appears that the sounds move in scale degrees, but I am sure that there are other programs that can change that. I can say in confidence that I am happy to see this program working out.
My views on special education aside, I think that AT can be very useful for disabled individuals. I like how simple AT can be; it does not need to be advanced or well planned. All AT has to be is a way to make technology easier to use.
In my future classroom, I think I will use AT all of the time. I like to solve problems in innovative ways, so I think that AT will become a staple in my curriculum. I know I can find interesting ways to utilize AT in many of my teaching strategies.
AT is technology that has been mechanically enhanced for individuals with physical or mental impairments. AT can be anything homemade, purchased off the shelf, modified, or commercially available which is used to help an individual perform some task of daily living. AT includes a broad range of devices from "low tech" (e.g., pencil grips, splints, paper stabilizers) to "high tech" (e.g., computers, voice synthesizers, braille readers).
Musically, AT is starting to show an impact, especially with the "Soundbeam".
SoundBeam is a device that converts physical movement into sound. So people who are stationary, and confined to a wheelchair can make music. Without getting too scientific, the higher pitches are played when the person is farther away from the receiver and lower pitches are played when they are closer.
From the example video it appears that the sounds move in scale degrees, but I am sure that there are other programs that can change that. I can say in confidence that I am happy to see this program working out.
My views on special education aside, I think that AT can be very useful for disabled individuals. I like how simple AT can be; it does not need to be advanced or well planned. All AT has to be is a way to make technology easier to use.
In my future classroom, I think I will use AT all of the time. I like to solve problems in innovative ways, so I think that AT will become a staple in my curriculum. I know I can find interesting ways to utilize AT in many of my teaching strategies.
Thursday, November 12, 2009
PLN 12
http://www.wfg.woodwind.org/
This is the infamous fingering guide for woodwinds. I am not sure how I stumbled upon this site, but wow! This site is really impressive.
The amount of instruments it covers is amazing as well as how many fingerings they have found for each instrument. This is such a good tool for both students and teachers. Curious students can access the site and learn a great deal. Teachers are able to refresh their memory on fingerings they may have forgotten.
This site is such a good tool for anyone that stumbles upon it like I did.
This is the infamous fingering guide for woodwinds. I am not sure how I stumbled upon this site, but wow! This site is really impressive.
The amount of instruments it covers is amazing as well as how many fingerings they have found for each instrument. This is such a good tool for both students and teachers. Curious students can access the site and learn a great deal. Teachers are able to refresh their memory on fingerings they may have forgotten.
This site is such a good tool for anyone that stumbles upon it like I did.
Readings Week 12
This week's readings were focused on digital photography. In class we went over the program GIMP, a free version of the better known PhotoShop.
I was not that interested in the actual concept of digital photography, I was more interested in the problems that can arise from using it. There are many copyright laws that must be taken into account as well as legal issues that come from doctoring photos.
As musicians we must be very careful about copyright laws. We are always under the mirror for using "illegal" music or recording illegally. I feel that it is very important to know when you can and cannot do things as a musician and an educator. One must know where they can step on some toes, and where they cannot.
For digital photography, the doctoring of images is always a problem. Programs such as Gimp and Photoshop are very easy to use and can cause many issues. I really enjoyed the reading on copyright and fair use. I understand that there are many laws in place that put restrictions on what you can and cannot copy or doctor. I was very happy that I had an article to read that dealt with this issue.
I cannot stress enough how important it is as music educators that we do things by the book. We cannot afford to be in trouble with the law. No shortcuts should be taken and help should be given when needed. This is a very serious issue that needs to be addressed more often.
I was not that interested in the actual concept of digital photography, I was more interested in the problems that can arise from using it. There are many copyright laws that must be taken into account as well as legal issues that come from doctoring photos.
As musicians we must be very careful about copyright laws. We are always under the mirror for using "illegal" music or recording illegally. I feel that it is very important to know when you can and cannot do things as a musician and an educator. One must know where they can step on some toes, and where they cannot.
For digital photography, the doctoring of images is always a problem. Programs such as Gimp and Photoshop are very easy to use and can cause many issues. I really enjoyed the reading on copyright and fair use. I understand that there are many laws in place that put restrictions on what you can and cannot copy or doctor. I was very happy that I had an article to read that dealt with this issue.
I cannot stress enough how important it is as music educators that we do things by the book. We cannot afford to be in trouble with the law. No shortcuts should be taken and help should be given when needed. This is a very serious issue that needs to be addressed more often.
Friday, November 6, 2009
PLN Week 11
Krumping. Or Krump. This is actually an acronym for Kingdom Radically Uplifted Mighty Praise. It is a dance craze that has kept many teens out of trouble and turning their anger into a positive art form.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Krumping
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v-kSNy0yAGY
http://www.rickey.org/?p=25649 at about 45 sec.
Krumping was invented in Compton as a way for young men to express themselves without resorting to violence. The movement of krump is very large, arms and hands flail about, feet move in every direction, and the style is intense.
I am so fascinated by this style. There are many ways to keep kids out of trouble, i.e. music, but this dance style has done something that is innovative. It has used the rage of young teens and lets them express it through dance. They can still punch, but now the punch has a meaning because it is done with musicality and technique.
I am so happy that I found this style of dance. Dance has always fascinated me because it is one of the only things that I know of where someone is trying to outdo music. I hope this style grows into something special.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Krumping
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v-kSNy0yAGY
http://www.rickey.org/?p=25649 at about 45 sec.
Krumping was invented in Compton as a way for young men to express themselves without resorting to violence. The movement of krump is very large, arms and hands flail about, feet move in every direction, and the style is intense.
I am so fascinated by this style. There are many ways to keep kids out of trouble, i.e. music, but this dance style has done something that is innovative. It has used the rage of young teens and lets them express it through dance. They can still punch, but now the punch has a meaning because it is done with musicality and technique.
I am so happy that I found this style of dance. Dance has always fascinated me because it is one of the only things that I know of where someone is trying to outdo music. I hope this style grows into something special.
Readings Week 11
I thoroughly enjoyed the readings for this week. Every one of them was easy to understand and gave many insightful tips. The readings this week focused on technology and how educators may use it in a more modern classroom.
The first article was a very simple one written by Marcy P. Driscoll. Titled "How People Learn (and What Technology Might Have to do With It)" it describes how learning works and operates. Driscoll then adds in ways that technology aids in learning.
I do see the benefits of technology in learning. However I also wonder how our ancestors learned and functioned without technology. Yes, having electricity and an Internet is a huge benefit to us now, but learning would take place whether we had technology or not. But as long as we have it, I think we should use it to its fullest advantage.
The next article by Marc Prensky is about "digital natives", or people that have grown up surrounded by technology as an integral part of their lives. Prensky also covers those of us who have had to accommodate technology, which he calls "digital immigrants". This was such an interesting article due to the fact that I am on the border of the two.
As a 90's child I grew up playing Nintendo, and Sega, I used compact discs as well as MP3's and cassette players. I feel like accommodating to technology is not that hard at all, like all learning you need to do it slowly and constantly build on previous knowledge. I do not believe that children today are born with the knowledge of how to use the Internet. But they definitely know how to navigate the technology maze. Even though it may take a bit longer, older adults can do the same as their youth. They just need to take their time.
The last article is by Dr. Bauer himself and discusses web quests. I can honestly say I am very fascinated by this concept and would enjoy very much to do one. If anyone one knows what Geocaching is, it is like that but online. I think that this idea is so cool.
What I got from the article is that students have one website that they visit to see what they must accomplish. The site outlines what must be done and what should be achieved. Then students are put on a quest for information via the world wide web. Wow, it is like a treasure hunt. I can easily use this in my classroom.
I feel as though technology is not that hard to understand or use. All you need is to take your time and build upon what you already know. There are so many exciting things that you are able to do in technology and music that knowing a bit about it will make you life easier.
The first article was a very simple one written by Marcy P. Driscoll. Titled "How People Learn (and What Technology Might Have to do With It)" it describes how learning works and operates. Driscoll then adds in ways that technology aids in learning.
I do see the benefits of technology in learning. However I also wonder how our ancestors learned and functioned without technology. Yes, having electricity and an Internet is a huge benefit to us now, but learning would take place whether we had technology or not. But as long as we have it, I think we should use it to its fullest advantage.
The next article by Marc Prensky is about "digital natives", or people that have grown up surrounded by technology as an integral part of their lives. Prensky also covers those of us who have had to accommodate technology, which he calls "digital immigrants". This was such an interesting article due to the fact that I am on the border of the two.
As a 90's child I grew up playing Nintendo, and Sega, I used compact discs as well as MP3's and cassette players. I feel like accommodating to technology is not that hard at all, like all learning you need to do it slowly and constantly build on previous knowledge. I do not believe that children today are born with the knowledge of how to use the Internet. But they definitely know how to navigate the technology maze. Even though it may take a bit longer, older adults can do the same as their youth. They just need to take their time.
The last article is by Dr. Bauer himself and discusses web quests. I can honestly say I am very fascinated by this concept and would enjoy very much to do one. If anyone one knows what Geocaching is, it is like that but online. I think that this idea is so cool.
What I got from the article is that students have one website that they visit to see what they must accomplish. The site outlines what must be done and what should be achieved. Then students are put on a quest for information via the world wide web. Wow, it is like a treasure hunt. I can easily use this in my classroom.
I feel as though technology is not that hard to understand or use. All you need is to take your time and build upon what you already know. There are so many exciting things that you are able to do in technology and music that knowing a bit about it will make you life easier.
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