A first episode of the MET Podcast

Music Education & Technology Podcast

In the inaugural episode of the ME&T Podcast, Paul Shimmons and Chris Russell introduce themselves and the purpose of the podcast. They then cover news items, and offer tips and tricks that can help music educators and musicians integrate technology into their lives.

Show Notes:

• Chris Russell’s blog: techinmusiced.com
• Paul Shimmon’s blog: ipadmusiced.wordpress.com
• forScore Version 10 (referral links from Paul, from Chris). ForScore has a wide variety of features and tools for music education.
• Drillbook Next Director Version (referral links from Paul, from Chris). Drillbook is a way that Paul can have his marching drill at hand during practice sessions with animation, details, and more.
• Drill Book Next Reader HD (referral links from Paul, from Chris). This version lets students see a director-created drill.
• Notion for iOS (referral links from Paul, from Chris). The most advanced music notation app on iOS.
• Notion for Mac or Windows. Chris is using this to make ukulele lead sheets for his students with inline fretboards. Paul is using this exclusively right now in his notation creation.
• Finale 25. Finale looks the same, but is completely different under the hood, and is now a 64-bit only program on Windows. Free 30 day trial.
• unrealBook (referral links from Paul, from Chris). The other full featured music PDF reader (like forScore) and highly recommended by Paul and Chris.
• Dorico. A new notation computer application from the former team that worked on Sibelius, and now employed at Steinberg. Coming Quarter 4 2016.
• MuseScore. Free music notation that works. Version 2 out now, Version 3 under development.
• Noteflight. Online music notation. Education packages available. Now owned by Hal Leonard. Noteflight Learn also available.
• Flat.io. Online music notation. Highly embedded with Google services, education packages available.
• NotateMe with PhotoScore IAP (referral links from Paul, from Chris). Scan from your phone or iPad to a notation app with incredible accuracy, even as scanning disappeared from Finale 25. Expensive ($70 total investment) but no scanner or other software needed–just your phone.
• NotateMe Now (iTunes link, free). Try PhotoScore Now with one staff for free (as well as the handwriting features of NotateMe Now)
• Symphony Pro (referral links from Paul, from Chris). Another decent music notation app on iPad.
• WIDI Bud by CME. (Link to B&H) A USB adapter to turn an non BLE MIDI device (Gen 2 iPad, Chromebook, Windows device) into a Bluetooth MIDI enabled device.

Key Thoughts:

• Every program has its own positives or negatives, strengths and weaknesses
• Some things are easier to do on a computer, and some things are easier to do on a tablet
• If you have a performance in the future, be careful about updating or running a beta.
• Paul and Chris are both people who like a purchase model versus a subscription model.
• What is the notation world going to look like with a new “major” program (Dorico), existing programs (Finale, Sibelius), lower price options (Notion), and online options (Noteflight, Flat.io)?
• Flash, as a programming tool, is finally dead. Steve Jobs was vindicated.
• With apps, companies are often small (sometimes an individual) companies. They make their apps for their own use, but want to hear about your feedback and suggestions. Do contact developers.
• Please e-mail us with questions, opinions, and suggestions for future topics.

Tip of the Podcast:

• Have a way to keep track of your passwords. For an easy solution, look at Apple’s Notes (synced in iCloud). Don’t use the same password everywhere.

“Ah Ha” Moment:

• NotateMe with the PhotoScore IAP is a mind-blowing app for many musicians. Available on all iOS devices and Android devices. Even as scanning is no longer a part of Finale, for $70 you can purchase this app and scan with great accuracy. Results can be exported to any music notation program. The only thing that doesn’t work well is scanning percussion parts, which are not standard from publisher to publisher or composer to composer.
• With NotateMe/PhotoScore. scan with a white background. Use good lighting. Use the flash. If possible, use it on your phone, as you have a better camera on your phone than on your iPad.

*Note: referral links, when used to purchase an app, send 7% of the purchase price to the person who refers the app. This comes out of the 30% that Apple collects from the app, not the 70% that goes back to the developer. When you use a referral app, it is the same price as if you search for it yourself on the App Store. We thank you in advance for using our referral links when possible.

Link to Audio: https://archive.org/download/METPodcast/MET%20Podcast%20001.m4a