So What Ideas Do You Have For Summer Professional Development?

http://www.finaletraining.com/PERPICH.pdf

http://www.mbda.org

http://www.ties.k12.mn.us/Professional_development_workshops.html

http://www.smartmusic.com/Educators/Clinics.aspx

So what ideas do you have for summer professional development?

There are several good ideas available in my neighborhood.  And if you don't live in Minnesota, we are not a bad place to visit when it isn't -40 degrees!

There is Finale training with Mavis Kallestad.  If you want to learn Finale or get better at it, Mavis does an excellent workshop.  The Perpich Center is the arts high school in Minnesota and I have always thought they do a nice job of hosting events for teachers too.  If you use SmartMusic, Finale is pretty handy for making your own accompaniments.  Pretty handy, as in the ONLY way to make your own SmartMusic accompaniments.

The Minnesota Band Directors Association is offering a Instrumental Teaching Symposium  in Moorhead. With J.W. Pepper offering a new music reading session in Fargo the same dates, this could be an interesting two for the price of one... August 4th and 5th.

There are a bunch of workshops at TIES.  Check their workshop schedule.  If you want to get introduced to a new computer program, these folks are great.  Lots of one day intro sessions on a number of different softwares.  I am thinking about some advanced Interactive White Board training.

The SmartMusic workshop in Rochester looks good too.  June 17th is coming up fast though.  Similar workshops are available through out the country.  Check the SmartMusic web site if you need something closer.  Although, if you need some medical work done, Mayo is not a bad place to go... maybe you could work that out. !-)

What is happening in your neighborhood?

It's that time of year.

Busy, Busy, Busy.

I found out very late yesterday that my schedule is changing for the first day of school Tuesday (via a late day e-mail, no less.)  Heck of a way to spend your last day of vacation.

Anyway, there are a few things to do yet:

Check on the SmartMusic Order.  I'm going to need a purchase order number.  We have 233 band students that we purchase through a volume discount ( https://www.smartmusic.com/Store/Volume.aspx . )   I'm guessing we will need about 175 subscriptions when you edit out the siblings and the kids with no internet access.  Kids with siblings can share access at home.  We have SmartMusic equipped practice rooms for the others.

If you haven't seen SmartMusic for a while, take a minute and download it at http://www.smartmusic.com .  It has been made a lot easier to use with the new user interface.

I think there may be an offer for a Finale upgrade for school in my e-mail box.  It is the way to get custom made accompaniments into SmartMusic.  I wonder if this is a version to skip if Finale 2010 works with SM 2011. Will need to check to see if that combination works.  Otherwise, I had better do the upgrade.

Butch and Billie over at AABACA Music usually have a good price on Finale and it is nice to keep the business local if you can.  I guess online at MakeMusic is local for me too!

I have a new SmartBoard in my music rooms.  Really looking forward to getting that in play.  I have been making do with the Wiimote hack.  Johnny Lee was thinking of you when he created the software that does this trick.  Look here: http://johnnylee.net/projects/wii/ 

This hack would be good for me still, but what if you have a sub?  Are you going to give them permission or access to go in and fiddle with you preferences to set the Wiimote up?  Also, our district does sub training on the IWBs.  Not that I am ever sick...

Time to get to work.  Happy Labor Day.  May your supervisor be considerate and think more than a day ahead.

Finale 2011 is Coming to My House!

http://www.finalemusic.com/Finale/New.aspx

Finale 2011 is Coming to My House! 
Got the e-mail yesterday confirming that 
my copy of Finale is shipping. 
Since I live close to the Finale Mothership, 
I am hoping to see it this afternoon.

I am looking forward to the new staff features. 
I really like the ability to hide stave and re-order things 
after the project is set-up. I have had some projects 
that these features would have been handy.   
Especially handy when you need the project 
tomorrow morning and it is 11 pm.

More Garritan Sounds. 
For me the real benefit of using a computer for composition 
is the ability to hear what you have written. Why not use great 
sounds? 375 sounds is a great library to work with and 
I know "bad beginner band tone" isn't one of them.

I don't do tons of compositions. 
I don't have lots of time without lots of kids in my day.  

The real reason I keep up-to-date with Finale? It is SmartMusic.

Finale has the ability to create SmartMusic files. 
If I need a file that isn't in the SmartMusic library, 
I know I will be reaching for Finale. 
There are other great notation software programs out there. 
Finale is the one that will do this work.  

I know in the world of business that having two flagship 
products is a bit of a business "don't". 
These two products were made with each other in mind. 
I wouldn't use one without the other.

UPDATE: It was here waiting for me after my 
son got out of school. Going to install mode STAT!

Modbook and Finale

http://www.axiotron.com/index.php?id=home

I don't play keyboards well enough to do a really good job of playing my work directly into Finale.

I know you can set the quantization to cover for the lack of organ lessons, but that is usually more work than I want to do two minutes before class starts. I also can get around in speedy note, but that isn't all that speedy for me.

I have found a solution that I like better. The stylus-based Mac put together by the people at Axiotron is a nice solution for those of use that have mouse intensive projects to do. Put the point of the stylus where you want it and the cursor shows up there in an instant. No more picking up the mouse to cover a lot of screen real estate. This is more natural for the people who want to go back to the pen, but really shouldn't.

You will still want to use a keyboard if you have typing to do. Bluetooth or USB works for that.

I haven't played with the handwriting recognition yet, but will keep you posted when I do.

It can be pricey, but I think I got a good deal on eBay.

The other way to go after the stylus approach to Finale would be a special monitor with the same features built in. Which is just as costly or more so. Or, the Interactive White Board may be the solution (I'll have to try that sometime...when I need a large muscle work-out.) Make the tools work for you and not you for the tools. I'm pleased with my Modbook.

August in the Twin Cities

http://www.aabaca.com/msmts.html

If you are looking for some ideas on how to use technology in the music classroom, the Minnesota Summer Music Technology Symposium may be just what you need.

Check out the link above. It takes you to AABACA Music's web site for more information.  Finale, SmartMusic, Band In A Box and Garage Band are all going to be covered.

Opportunities to Learn Finale

I spent some time installing Finale 2009 this morning.  It seems to be working great right away.  I did run into small hitch and that was Finale asked for the location of my Garritan sounds.  There are a number of them included on the install DVD and  I forgot to install them.  Not much of a problem.

Garritan still hasn't come up with sounds that match my ensembles.  They are more than welcome to come out and sample my beginning band if they ever get tired of listening to fine instruments.  Human Playback may need a little tweaking to sound like my band as well!  

I love the ease that registering the upgrade is, just a couple of clicks and you are current.

I have been following my own advice and I am working my way through the included QuickStart videos.  The manuals are all electronic as well.  It never hurts to study how a program is supposed to be used.  It can save tons of time later. 

I am a book guy, so I miss the bound paper manuals that most current softwares are leaving out.  David Pogue hasn't published one of his Missing Manuals for Finale.  Writing that may be my next project...If you don't beat me to it!

If books and screens won't do it for you and learning Finale, I would like to point out a great upcoming  opportunity. The Minnesota Summer Music Technology Symposium will be here in August.  If you can't make it there, I would look for any workshop that features Mavis Kallestad.  Her workshops are well thought-out and hands-on.  Very few people know more about using and explaining Finale.  A session with her is worth your time.  You can reach her at workshops@makemusic.com or 952 475-2894 or look for her workshops at MakeMusic.com.

These short naps are wonderful. There is some news for Finale Users.

Wow.  I haven't written since last Thursday?  Really?

Last Thursday, Finale 2009 was released by MakeMusic.

I'm planning on upgrading, not so much because I like to stay current, but because there will be improved SmartMusic support.

You see, Finale is the key to getting what you want in SmartMusic.  If you can't find  what you need in the 50 bazillion exercises, etudes, band arrangements that are built in/available, your next step is to open a new Finale document and create it.

They say that linked part support will save a lot of time for educators.  I believe they are right.  I will love to verify that for you when I get my copy of '09 and the latest version of SmartMusic (10.3?)   That's gotta be coming in soon as well. 

Only only 41 days left to the end of the "seasonal summer lay-off."  It is good to have a couple of projects.

What are you doing to get ready for the next year?

I have yet to meet the truly lazy teacher. Doing nothing just isn't in the teacher DNA. So I chuckle when I hear someone ask what a teacher is going to do with their "summer off." If you are teaching, my question for you is what are you doing to get ready for the next year? I have a couple of projects in addition to getting my kids to their activities. I want to sit down and really play around with Garage Band. I can record with GB. I want to see what I can compose with that program. Should be fun. Finale and SmartMusic need some attention too. Whatever isn't in the SmartMusic library that I use with my students needs to be entered into SmartMusic. This year, I learned that SmartMusic does make a difference in rehearsals. The tunes that have SmartMusic support are better prepared for the concert. So what are you doing to get ready for the next year?