Technology Blog - Week 2

This week has offered an opportunity to explore two pieces of software with which I was not familiar at all.  Both of them have some pros and cons from a notation perspective.  They definitely seem geared towards users that do not have access to more powerful software.

I first worked with MuseScore on a simple notation input project.  I found the videos on the website to be very helpful.  Many of the input shortcuts were relatively intuitive and made entry without a MIDI keyboard quick and easy.  The palettes menu on the left-hand side of the screen offered immediate access to all of the possible options that one would need to add expression, which was very helpful.  My biggest problem with this program was the inability to move the scores around dynamically.  The only way to adjust the distance between staves or systems was to adjust them through a menu.  I much prefer the ability to click and drag them where I want them.  It made it very frustrating to get the layout I wanted.  With only 8 instrument staves available, it does not seem like a viable option for composition, but could be very usable in a music classroom.

The other program was a web-based notation system, Noteflight.  I found the note input system to be very easy to learn and master.  I was able to input notes and chords more quickly on Noteflight than I was with MuseScore (which was quick itself).  I really liked the chord-building shortcuts (using shift) and the simplicity of repeating notes and/or measures (using R).  The most impressive feature in the notation input was the use of [ and ] to change the value of the notes.  I found this to be much quicker than the use of numbers like in MuseScore and Finale.  The free version of this system seems to have some significant limitations and I found myself being prompted to upgrade to the "Crescendo" format.  I did enjoy the iPhone and iPad compatibility, though.

I shared with my classmates an incredible experience I had this week.  My wife was invited to attend the FIRST Robotics Regional Competition in Orlando this weekend.  The competition brought together students from all over Florida, the USA, and around the world in a celebration of robotics, creativity, and sportsmanship.  We got to tour the pit area and talk to some of the students about their robots.  The amount of creativity and hard work that was on display was astounding.  The students had their robots compete in an "aerial assist" competition much like basketball.  The finals felt like a major sporting event, with dancing, cheering, enthusiasm, and a "to the wire" finish.  This type of technology showcase just proves how much our students feel connected to developing technology.  It makes perfect sense to work to include exciting new technologies in our classrooms!