Merchandise 1: New MacBook
I’m on my final day of Spring Break, and some minutes in the past, I ordered a brand new MacBook.
I’ll be getting the brand new MacBook Neo. I’m choosing the “upgraded” mannequin that comes with Contact ID and 512GB of reminiscence.
I don’t exchange expertise at a speedy tempo. My present MacBook Professional (my second) is a 2018 with a 2.3 GHz Quad-Core Intel i5, with 16GB of reminiscence and a 512GB Exhausting Drive.
I examined it with GeekBench this morning, and listed below are the outcomes:
Early testing exhibits scores of three,372/8,406 on the MacBook Neo.
That implies that the Neo, at $600 (training pricing) will likely be considerably quicker than my present MacBook Professional…which solely lasts about an hour on a cost and must be plugged in more often than not. And it has at all times been a HOT pc, even with its followers.
I’ll maintain on to the outdated MacBook Professional for a short time earlier than promoting it (presumably buying and selling it in in direction of getting my son a MacBook Neo for faculty), and simply to guarantee that I don’t want something from the pc that I might not have on the Neo.
If the Neo is practical for 5 years (or extra), it’ll have served its function. It does appear loopy to suppose that an iPhone chip will finally be a greater computing expertise than an Intel chip, however Apple moved away from Intel years in the past (beginning in 2020), and the A18 chip is designed in an identical means (related structure) to Apple’s a lot quicker M sequence chips. My solely concern is the small quantity of reminiscence (RAM), however all of the early reviews on the Neo say that it isn’t a difficulty—and the present RAM might be way more environment friendly than my 2018 MacBook Professional.
I additionally don’t intend to put in all of my present apps on the MacBook Neo…solely the principle apps I exploit, that are the Apple Suite of Productiveness Apps, Fender Notion, and MuseScore. I’ve used iCloud for almost all of my “storage” of information for years, so I don’t even need to switch information!
Merchandise 2: New(er) TCL NxtPaper 14 Pill
I’m nonetheless an iPad Consumer, proudly owning my 12.9” fifth Era iPad Professional from 2021. This fall, I’ll seemingly replace my iPad as effectively, more likely to an iPad Air ($1200), because the iPad Professional I might need could be at the very least $1900 (the Nano display screen expertise for performing is tempting). That might calculate to $160 a month—and fairly actually, we’ve a automobile fee on a used Chevy Bolt that we bought final summer time that’s solely $199. I’m undecided an iPad Professional is value most of a month-to-month fee for a automobile!
My iPad stays my workhorse for all of my video modifying and most of my music notation work (Fender Notion). This weblog put up is being written on my iPad.
Nevertheless, this previous November, I bought an Android pill (GASP!). I’ve been co-directing the Bavarian Musikmeisters, an genuine German Wind Band, within the Twin Cities for the previous two years. Lots of our gigs are exterior, and with one wet efficiency—in addition to my dependence on my iPad, I noticed I wanted a greater answer that might not enable my major computing system to be destroyed.
I wished a big Android pill, so I made a decision to purchase the TCL NxtPaper 14, which was promoting for below $300 on the time (presently $329). It does run an older model of Android, however for what I want it to do…it’s a nice answer, and features a powered stylus and (not nice) case.
As an iOS person, Android isn’t as simple to make use of—however I can handle with it—and MobileSheets is a superb possibility (see subsequent merchandise).
Merchandise 3: MobileSheets vs. forScore
If you happen to use Android, the perfect answer for a PDF Music Reader is MobileSheets. The interface isn’t as graphically as good as forScore, nevertheless it works, and it really works effectively. I discover that its integration with cloud storage is superb, and I feel that the precise annotation/handwriting itself (not the menu, essentially) seems to be higher in MobileSheets than on forScore.
MobileSheets is offered for iPad, so I’ve it on each units (quickly to be on my new MacBook Neo as effectively). It additionally does an amazing job with syncing (however it’ll do what you inform it to do, so just remember to are choosing the proper choices in any other case you’ll be able to by chance overwrite a tool’s music library). MobileSheet’s buyer help has been high notch…I solely ask a query once I want a method which I can’t discover a solution to (e.g. I used to be making an attempt to make “bookmarks” like forScore, in order that I might bundle some ukulele chord melody books that I promote pre formatted in MobileSheets in order that customers might purchase it and simply set up them to their app), and the developer responded in a short time.
As for forScore, it nonetheless works because it at all times has, although there was a large interface change with the final replace of Pad OS, leading to a number of confusion for customers. They’ve supplied an in-app buy to help the app, which was $10, which I paid fortunately for years. That stated, you have been presupposed to get “elevated help” and sadly, forScore has been TERRIBLE with buyer help (as in: none). The forScore Fb group (not run by forScore) is at all times full of irritated prospects who can’t get a solution when issues don’t work. For instance, syncing is a multitude—and there’s no obvious answer. It could be higher to simply rethink syncing (maybe to a folder that completely different units might entry, like MobileSheets). That in-app buy is rising to $15 and whereas it consists of another options (facial gestures), I don’t use them…and I’m not upgrading to forScore Professional for the 12 months.
Will I maintain utilizing forScore? Sure. Will I begin utilizing MobileSheets extra? I already am!
Merchandise 4: Cantai and AI
AI is a present “sizzling subject” in music, each by way of precise choices and other people’s emotions on the matter. I’ve been utilizing AI plenty of methods: when I’ve a tricky e-mail to ship to a mother or father a couple of youngster’s habits, I exploit AI to draft a response. I’ve used AI in different “proof studying” methods as effectively (you’ll be able to most likely inform that this weblog put up was NOT AI generated).
I’ve additionally used AI to sing songs into Suno, and to have Suno “Reimagine” them for use within the classroom or on my Ukulele Play Alongside YouTube Channel. The outcomes are spectacular, and better of all, I can exchange my male voice with a feminine voice, in order that my college students have a neater time of matching pitch (I nonetheless sing with them from time to time, and we do loads of dwell music). I’ve additionally used AI (Gemini, particularly) to create illustrations and pictures for my Ukulele Chord Melody books.
My “latest” AI expertise was buying a month of Cantai, a plug-in for MuseScore, that permits the appliance to “sing” your vocal components. I needed to generate follow information for my elementary choir, and did my finest (the songs have been in Spanish) to get Cantai to sing these songs (Cantai in the mean time appears to be centered on English pronunciations). I want that I had Cantai once I taught highschool choirs. Cantai does cease and suppose each time you make a change, because the processing is finished on-line—however over time that can transfer to the system and grow to be a lot quicker. There are different apps that may sing for you, however the fee is exponentially higher (e.g. ACE Studio) or much less practical in a music notation setting (e.g. Synthesizer V). My hope is that this performance will come to all notation applications sooner or later, together with Fender Notion.
I feel again to the terrifying choral sounds that existed for years with the vocal possibility of PDFtoMusicPro by Myriad. Cantai’s voices are mild years forward—and it is going to be nice to listen to when different voices (e.g. youngsters, adolescent) are added.
[An observation as both a band and choir teacher: there is no such thing as a “infant” tuba sound. Instruments, from the first days of playing, are desired to sound like the instrument (unless you are using a specific style, such as a plunger mute or pizzicato). Singers, however, have changing voices which modify with age and style. You may not want to generate a practice file for an elementary choir with an operatic voice as an rehearsal track.]
Merchandise 5: MuseScore Has Turn out to be a Nice Choice
We all know that MuseGroup has purchased plenty of firms (together with Hal Leonard!), and you may’t use MuseScore with out being bombarded by requests to “subscribe.” Nevertheless, the essential model of MuseScore continues to be free and simple to make use of, creates respectable wanting music, and sounds good. Sure, Dorico is a professional instrument and does extra in all classes. I purchased the crossgrade model of Dorico upon the dying of Finale, after which realized that each main improve goes to price extra—so I haven’t upgraded and even began really utilizing it (on my MacBook or my iPad). If MuseScore existed on iPad, I’d transfer absolutely to it as a music notation app.
That doesn’t imply I’m a grasp of MuseScore, however it’s surprising how each query I’ve is just a really fast Google search away. I’ve by no means left MuseScore with out having the ability to discover a solution to a difficulty.
Surprisingly, I don’t miss Finale in any respect. I by no means thought I might say that.
Merchandise 6: What Occurred to StaffPad?
StaffPad was acquired by MuseGroup, and when you can nonetheless purchase it, it has not been up to date for 2 years. There’s a Fb group for StaffPad as effectively, and other people there are MAD. The phrase “abandonware” is used continuously. I left the group, because the anger was so intense.
You may’t get technical help for StaffPad, and I’ve even requested another bloggers who’ve contact with the StaffPad and/or MuseScore “larger ups” to achieve out to the businesses in regards to the points—however there isn’t any information obtainable at this level.
I hoped that StaffPad could be integrated right into a pill MuseScore app (possibly that’s nonetheless coming).
I might, nevertheless, advise MuseGroup to take away the app from the varied app shops if this system isn’t going to be up to date and there’s no buyer help.
Merchandise 7: My Expertise Use and This Web site/Weblog
I often obtain advertising e-mails for brand spanking new music expertise objects, despite the fact that I seldom put up to this weblog. That makes me understand that there are usually not many Music Schooling Expertise and Music Tech Blogs which might be left and lively. Kudos to Robby Burns, who continues to make content material frequently!
I nonetheless use expertise for music training on daily basis. I discover new options with new choices (e.g. utilizing Suno or Cantai). It’s how I’m wired and the way I educate.
That stated, on the planet of Music Schooling Expertise, three issues are true,
- Music training expertise is evolutionary today, not revolutionary
- A lot of the music training expertise innovation today is tied to AI functions and implications for music training.
- Many educations and musicians are STILL recovering from the over-reliance on expertise through the COVID lockdowns six years in the past.
All that stated, I do know that if I current at a music convention and show forScore, or StaffPad, or a music scanning app like PlayScore 2, folks will STILL be shocked. Within the ukulele world, I present my computerized tuner and other people lose their minds. None of these items are new—however nonetheless so many music educators don’t know about them. How can we transfer folks additional forward after they don’t know what already exists?
I’m positive that future classes on AI will end in huge disbelief, resembling my very own makes use of of AI, which aren’t ethically problematic!
We’ve got a number of work to do to proceed to maneuver this occupation to a degree the place it may comfortably and ethically work with the expertise that’s obtainable and that’s coming.
As for my work on this channel, based mostly on the low fee of revolutionary advances, there hasn’t been loads to put in writing about. I’m nonetheless right here, and can proceed to put in writing once I really feel the necessity .
As I’ve talked about earlier than, two different issues have occurred in my life which have modified my very own path. One was leaving highschool choral music to show center faculty choir, after which being reassigned to an elementary place (I’m in 12 months seven of educating elementary already!). Whereas I nonetheless use expertise as I did for my highschool and center faculty choirs (notably with my elementary choir), I exploit expertise for therefore many different issues in the present day—and it’s simply part of what I do.
And the opposite change was educating the ukulele on the center faculty degree. That instrument has impacted my life—permitting me to make music and educate music otherwise than I ever anticipated, and reaching tons of of hundreds of individuals. On account of that affect, most of my passion work today goes into the ukulele assets that I make for my YouTube channels and my ukulele web site—all influenced by the expertise that I exploit in my “major” job as a music educator.
So, I’m right here, nonetheless utilizing expertise, and nonetheless concerned with music as a profession and passion—in some methods greater than ever earlier than. You probably have a query, or wish to work collectively to ponder a subject or strategy, please attain out. I hope you, as a reader, are doing effectively, and in case you are a music educator in a college that follows the overall American instructional calendar, that you’re prepared for the ultimate three months of the tutorial 12 months!
