[Smt-talk] Music Notation Software Alternative

[John Z McKay]

While I agree with Carson that music notation software provides certain
features from a pedagogical perspective (like instant and accurate audio
feedback for those who really struggle with piano), my experience also
suggests that some students come to rely on software as a way to avoid too
much thought or analysis.  It's very easy to keep trying out notes in
notation software until one "sounds right."  In cases of students with
well-developed aural skills, this process can be helpful and may allow them
to consider options they might not have when doing exercises by hand.  But
for students still trying to figure out how to avoid parallel motion or how
to resolve tendency tones, simply doing trial-and-error with music software
can sometimes be a kind of trap.

Keyboard skills can be helpful in this regard, by providing tactile as well
as auditory feedback.  While not true of every student, I've certainly had
quite a few cases where students with pretty poor piano skills were better
able to pick up on problematic voice-leading by trying to play it on a
keyboard -- one can literally "feel" the parallel fifths, for example.

Of course, I'm *not* suggesting that keyboard skills are essential for this
process.  As many others have pointed out, theory concepts can be picked up
from various instruments.  And ultimately another goal in music-writing
skills should be to develop one's "inner ear" to conceptualize the
realization of notation without necessarily having direct auditory
feedback.  (Once again, the ease with which notation software can do
playback may be an impediment at times.)

I think a very recent study on taking lecture notes by hand vs. on a laptop
may have some interesting connections to this thread:

http://www.theatlantic.com/technology/archive/2014/05/to-remember-a-lecture-better-take-notes-by-hand/361478/

Basically, the process of writing notes by hand requires a little more
"processing" of the lecture material, such as selecting what to write down
rather than simply transcribing what the lecturer says verbatim on a
laptop.  (I doubt any college students these days know shorthand.)
Choosing what is important enough to write down requires deeper
comprehension of what is being said than transcription.  Similarly, I think
for many students the process of writing out exercises might make them slow
down and consider their options when choosing a particular chord or set of
notes (What notes does the chord need?  How do I spell this note?  What
shouldn't be doubled?  etc.), rather than plugging something in on a
screen, and sliding the notes around if it doesn't sound quite right.  Even
if the student has good aural skills, once something "sounds right," does
the student necessarily go back and think "Why does this sound better?"  If
nothing else, the process of erasure is more laborious and time-consuming,
so trial-and-error by hand is more "costly."  Thus, planning ahead and
making proactive choices before writing them down is important.

However, I'll freely admit that this depends on the individual student's
personality, skills, and learning style.  Students who refuse to try
playing their exercises on a keyboard (or singing and playing or whatever)
and who are careless in doing written exercises may simply do poorly on
written work, without much aural or tactile benefit.  In some cases,
software may be helpful in giving them at least *some* auditory feedback.
On the other hand, I've also had numerous examples of poor students who
actually got worse and wrote more nonsensical things when they were allowed
to start using notation software after previously having to write things by
hand.

All best,
-John

--
John McKay
Assistant Professor of Music Theory
University of South Carolina School of Music




On Tue, May 6, 2014 at 9:10 PM, CARSON FARLEY <ccfarley at embarqmail.com>wrote:

>  I would like to add that music notation software is also an excellent
> tool for theory and composing.   Notation software like Sibelius and Finale
> give instant feedback of musical content and sound as well as direct access
> to orchestration.  The visual and auditory aspects of writing music or
> exercises with a software program also enhances understanding of musical
> notation and symbols.  Musicians who are not pianists may very well benefit
> from this alternative interface to music and new technology should not be
> overlooked or underestimated in education.
>
>  Carson Farley
> Composer/cellist/theorist
>



-- 
John Z. McKay, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor of Music Theory
University of South Carolina School of Music
813 Assembly Street
Columbia, SC  29208
jmckay at mozart.sc.edu
-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <http://lists.societymusictheory.org/pipermail/smt-talk-societymusictheory.org/attachments/20140507/ffc361e5/attachment-0003.htm>