Chromatic
Starting with the home screen, one can immediately see that Chromatik is aimed at the popular music consumer. The service uses a subscription model for payment but offers a free tier with a three piece limit per day. Three pieces would allow for some light browsing before committing to a solo, but note that if you leave a piece, you would have to use on of your three selections to return to that piece. This can be problematic for less experienced musicians because there are no practical indicators of difficulty other than a thumbnail preview.
It does have a favorite button so you can quickly find a piece you want to return to at a later time.
The desktop version is good for finding pieces, practicing along with a Youtube video, recording, and sharing your performance. However, the recording feature is limited to the Chrome browser. The iPad version also has a built-in metronome and allows you to mark up your music. The iPad version also allows you to upload your own sheet music using the iSight camera. This sounds like a good feature but accessing your file requires on of your free selections if you are on the free tier.
Generally, the program is intuitive and easy to use. The interface is simple and does not offer a lot of options. One the desktop you simply select a style, then a song, choose the desired instrument and practice along with the recording. When you are ready you can record your performance and post it to Chromatik's sharing service. The iPad version is also easy to use. I did have some trouble dining the music upload feature, and while easy to use, it was not as intuitive as other aspects of the program.
This program would be useful for students who are already proficient on their instrument, as the program does not offer to much of a sequential learning experience. I could seem myself using it a practice aide to add variety to the students' practice routines,a fun activity to work on right after a concert, or something constructive the day before a vacation starts. Chromatik has shut down the education version of the program so its classroom uses are limited when compared to programs like SmartMusic.
I do have some concerns about this program. Everything in the program works well but seems just short of being great. For example, playing along with the videos is fun but you cannot slow them down for work on problem areas. One major concern is that the company removed features like the education bundle. Another concern is that the content is not curated for school appropriateness, as the app is rated 12+ (Apple, 2016). I am also hesitant to commit to a subscription tier simply to remove ads and unlimited plays.
SmartMusic
SmartMusic is a comprehensive music education suite that is intended for the education environment. Its focus is to provide engaging and focused materials to aid students in daily practice. Some of the features can be used as a class if you have a projection screen. In many ways, SmartMusic is the ultimate solution for providing a technology-based music learning environment. SmartMusic is an interactive suite of practice and assessment tools that aims to "dramatically improve students’ skills by transforming the way they practice and learn" (SmartMusic, n.d.). SmartMusic is available as a download also uses a subscription model for billing. There is no free tier for this software but there are trial versions available.
Unlike Chromatik, SmartMusic goes beyond playing along with recorded tracks. SmartMusic supports many of the materials already in use in music classrooms such as method books and ensemble literature. SmartMusic also has a collection of solo material in every level of music development. When I used smart music, I found the sight-reading exercises to be particularly useful and well designed.
There are three basic components to the SmartMusic software. They are guided practice, assessment & documentation, and a repertoire library. Teachers can also upload their own lesson content using any notation program, but the program is designed to integrate with Finale as they are part of the same company. I use Sibelius and I could import my materials but they did not integrate into SmartMusic to the extent that Finale does.
A program as feature-rich as Smart music usually has some learning curve and this is no exception. A major benefit of using commercial software is customer support (Bazan, n.d.). Customer support is an area where SmartMusic excels. The SmartMusic website is full of resources and how-to's to help navigate through the interfaces.
Additionally, the interface is consistent throughout making features easy to use and navigate.
The classroom implications for SmartMusic are quite vast. It is truly an all in one solution for practice and assessments. This program makes it possible to give students one-on-one attention that they may not get in a large program. It is also a great component of accountability and grade justification. The program automates so much of the practice and assessment process that it could relegate a teacher to simply managing the software. Bazan (n.d.) warns that it is important that teachers do not let the technology do all the work.
This program is excellent for use in secondary school performance class and my be accessible for middle school students with a lot of structure and sequencing by the teacher. Managing such a program could also get overwhelming to some teachers and students. I would suggest that a teacher new to the software limit its implementation at first, and then add tasks as the teacher and students' comfort levels improve. Students tend to be naturally curious and will usually work beyond the class parameters, but they could get discouraged if given too much to do early in the process.
Additionally, the interface is consistent throughout making features easy to use and navigate.
The classroom implications for SmartMusic are quite vast. It is truly an all in one solution for practice and assessments. This program makes it possible to give students one-on-one attention that they may not get in a large program. It is also a great component of accountability and grade justification. The program automates so much of the practice and assessment process that it could relegate a teacher to simply managing the software. Bazan (n.d.) warns that it is important that teachers do not let the technology do all the work.
This program is excellent for use in secondary school performance class and my be accessible for middle school students with a lot of structure and sequencing by the teacher. Managing such a program could also get overwhelming to some teachers and students. I would suggest that a teacher new to the software limit its implementation at first, and then add tasks as the teacher and students' comfort levels improve. Students tend to be naturally curious and will usually work beyond the class parameters, but they could get discouraged if given too much to do early in the process.
References
Apple, Inc. (n.d.). Chromatik on the App Store. Retrieved July 29, 2016, from https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/chromatik/id664934663?mt=8
Bazan, D. (n.d.) Technology assisted music teaching & professional development [Powerpoint slides] Retrieved from https://learn.kent.edu/bbcswebdav/pid-5641931-dt-content-rid-52156352_1/courses/14924.201660/Week%201/Lecture/index.html
Bazan, D. (n.d.) Technology assisted music teaching & professional development [Powerpoint slides] Retrieved from https://learn.kent.edu/bbcswebdav/pid-5641931-dt-content-rid-52156352_1/courses/14924.201660/Week%201/Lecture/index.html
Chromatik, Inc. (n.d.). Chromatik - Explore free sheet music Collections and play more music. Retrieved July 29, 2016, from https://www.chromatik.com/
Raul,
ReplyDeleteYou have provided an excellent overview of both of this weeks options. I agree with you regarding the use of Chromatik. I think that the limits of the free version would be a large turn off for most students. Although, some would find the option to play popular music very rewarding. When I showed it to my 12 year old daughter who plays cello, she said "Yay Mom, I have already used that website." It seems as though students who are curious and want extra music to play will stumble upon it pretty easily on their own.
As far as SmartMusic, I know many music educators who would love to implement all the functions of the program. But, I don't know any educators who have done so yet. My department head is working to make it an functional option for the fall, so it will be interesting to see how that works out. Is this something that your district is already using, or hoping to implement soon? One of my concerns with the program is the socio economic differences within the district I teach in. I don't think that we can require students to purchase the at home subscription which limits the use of the program. Again, it will be interesting to see how my department plans to handle this in the fall.
Erin
The music teachers in my district have tried getting SmartMusic for some time but the district has not purchased as of yet. I have been fortunate to have been involved in several trials of the software sponsored by the company. One was for about 3 months so I got to know the software very well during that time. The biggest barrier to entry is cost. If equitable access is a priority it can get expensive. That is the main reason I have not subscribed to the service. If your department can find a way to make it work I would highly recommend it
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