Noteflight

Noteflight Assignment (A Bicycle Built for Two)
Link to A Bicycle Built for Two Assignment: http://www.noteflight.com/scores/view/565e542422db255ec1404c2180cc9ec633d69f6d

It is always interesting to discover new opportunities in music. As I explored the “Noteflight” program I was able learn about another music notation program that could provide valuable opportunities in music and music education. I was very impressed with the capabilities of this free, web-based music notation program. Despite some drawbacks, such as not having a full pallet of instruments, and some other features such as the inability to alter the page layout for the music, the program has a great deal to offer. I have experimented with various music notation programs, and this program seemed as user friendly as any of the other programs and it had similar capabilities. The program allows for easy music input, with various means for inputting the notation. I liked the fact that there were keyboard commands to help increase the fluidity of the music input. Although it is nice to have the option of using the mouse, I found it easier to utilize the keyboard commands in addition to the mouse for inputting the music. In addition, the program offers music sensitive playback capabilities. The program accounts for articulations in addition to just the playback of notes. It was also nice to hear that the program had quality, lifelike instrument sounds for the music playback. I also believe the fact that the program is web-based is a valuable asset to the program. It allows you to use the program on any computer with internet capabilities. This is much easier to access than a program that must be downloaded to a computer because you can then only utilize the program on certain computers. In addition, it allows you to send and share your work with others. This ability to share allows for feedback as well as for collaborative efforts. I think these features, and the many other features that the program offers, make it a valuable tool for music education.

Having valuable capabilities, I believe that the “Noteflight” program can be a useful tool for music education. I think that it can provide teachers and students with fairly easy access to a quality music notation program. This allows students to be exposed to and experiment with music composition, arranging, and input for practical application. The program is web-based so students could have access to the program at school as well as use it at home, which provides flexibility for everyone involved in the educational process. I think with these possibilities, the program can be used for teaching and learning about music theory and music composition. If students are learning about music theory concepts, the program can give them an opportunity to input a particular concept such as part writing into the program and then hear the results of their work. This may then lead into experimentation with composition. Students could take a concept they have learned about music theory and then try to create their own piece of music. That piece of music may then be shared with others via the sharing capability of the program. By sharing, the students could receive feedback about compositions that they have created as well as collaboratively work with others on their piece. For example, one student may begin by creating a melody, and then s/he could share his/her work with another student who may add to the melody or who may add an accompaniment. In addition, the program could allow younger students to have the opportunity to experiment with the various instruments and note possibilities available to them in the program to get exposed to music composition. This is a valuable opportunity for the students because even if they do not have a full understanding of what they are doing compositionally, they can hear their work and see what sounds appealing and what does not. The program could also be setup to provide examples of the musical concepts for the students. For example, a teacher may want to teach his/her students about key, time signature, and form in music. If a teacher wanted to demonstrate various meters and key signatures s/he could allow the students to try inputting simple tunes in various time signatures and various key centers and see how the pieces work. A teacher may also be able to demonstrate form in music by utilizing the repeat and copy and paste functions in the program. For example, a teacher may input a piece into the program, and then ask the students to utilize the cut and paste features of the program to put the piece into ABA form. The program could also aid a teacher in the demonstration of the concept of transposition and transposing instruments. By using the transposing and non-transposing score features of the program, a teacher may show students how music would look if it were all written in concert pitch, and then how it would look when it was transposed for the different instruments to read. This concept may help students to understand why they are being asked to play a “concert” B-flat Major scale instead of their scale that begins on the note B-flat. The program may also be used to provide performance experience for students. For example, students may have to create a chord progression or accompaniment that they can use to play along with when trying to create a jazz solo or even just to keep a steady beat for their warm-ups. Even if the students may not be able to create these types of patterns, a teacher may input them into the program, and then allow the students to utilize the playback capabilities of the program for performance. In addition, the program could be used for a task such as creating a part for a specific instrument whose part has been lost over time and the piece is no longer in print. Also, the program may be used to transpose a part for a different instrument to help have all the parts in a piece of music get covered. With its many capabilities, I believe that the “Noteflight” program can provide many opportunities in music education, as well as be a valuable tool for music education.