[Smt-talk] Music Notation Software Alternative

[Paul Lombardi]

Dear Felicia,

I agree with you. I find that when people (students as well as composers with degrees) write directly into notation software, the results are often unmusical, awkward, or limited in musical depth. As was stated in the other active thread, the results are often better when the music is worked out at the keyboard. I don't know if this anecdote is true and I don't necessarily agree with it, but I once heard someone say that Stravinsky said, "There are two types of composers: those that use the keyboard and those that should."

Students in my online fundamentals class do two main types of problems: identification and writing. Identification is done electronically by multiple choice. Students get a random selection of problems from a bank of questions, and their scores are automatically emailed to me. For writing, students print PDFs, fill them out by hand, and then submit them by scan, fax, or photo image. Even though we are in a digital age, students don't learn some things without writing them by hand. I find that most students can't even write barlines correctly until they get feedback.

Best,
Pau

Paul Lombardi, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor of Music Theory and Composition, University of South Dakota
Lecturer III, University of New Mexico





From: smt-talk-bounces at lists.societymusictheory.org [mailto:smt-talk-bounces at lists.societymusictheory.org] On Behalf Of Felicia Sandler
Sent: Wednesday, May 07, 2014 4:29 AM
To: CARSON FARLEY; smt-talk at lists.societymusictheory.org
Subject: Re: [Smt-talk] Music Notation Software Alternative

Thanks for this post, Carson.  Although I use Finale every day, and find it indispensable for notating my music, I am cautious about generating music at the computer.  I just got a full crop of model compositions submitted during our finals period, and as usual, the software will organize the rhythms to fill the bar filling out whatever is left after the student inputs their music.  First, the student doesn't need to think of these things for themselves, and secondly the results are not always logical for performance.  Away from the computer, my younger students are not sure where to put their #'s or b's in the key signature, or if they come before or after the time signature because they rely on the computer to do this for them.  And then there is the issue for the young composers that I am experiencing where the technology actually affects their creative process.  One could say this is so in good ways because students can hear their work, but insofar as tone weight is a problem (a flute sounds as a tuba dynamically), and hall is not in the inner imagination, proportion is a major issue.  Further, because one can simply cut and paste, or just plug something in and test it out, I find time is wasted with trial and error, the music is shaped by what the computer allows, and learning does not come from imagining inside, singing, playing physically and fantasizing about the hall full of instruments, and writing down when decisions are made.  For simple part-writing exercises, if the student is conscious of how to notate without the software, I can see the value, but even my brighter students don't always check the ways the technology "fixes" things for them.  Only when we sit down to realize the scores do these issues become apparent for them.  My 2 cents. . .

All the best,

Felicia Sandler
Composer/Theorist @ NEC

From: CARSON FARLEY <ccfarley at embarqmail.com<mailto:ccfarley at embarqmail.com>>
Date: Tuesday, May 6, 2014 9:10 PM
To: "smt-talk at lists.societymusictheory.org<mailto:smt-talk at lists.societymusictheory.org>" <smt-talk at lists.societymusictheory.org<mailto:smt-talk at lists.societymusictheory.org>>
Subject: [Smt-talk] Music Notation Software Alternative

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
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