Websites and Resources
Useful websites
KS3:
Interactive Keyboard
http://www.primaryresources.co.uk/music/piano.html
KS4/5:
The Sound Exchange (some useful dictation exercises)
http://www.philharmonia.co.uk/thesoundexchange/
Dolmetsch Music Theory (A whole back of aural exercises)
http://www.dolmetsch.com/musictheory43.htm
Sibelius Homepage
http://www.sibelius.com/home/index_flash.html
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New Musical Express (NME) |
RESOURCES
The music department is housed in excellent accommodation, which includes three teaching rooms, eight practice rooms, two music computer suites and a fully equipped recording studio.
All music classrooms are very well equipped, offering performance opportunities of the highest standards, with equipment ranging from full size-keyboards, electric and acoustic guitars, drum kits and a wide variety of tuned and unturned percussion instruments. All teachers use interactive whiteboards, and digital recording equipment to support their music teaching.
The use and application of IT within the department
The increasing use of information technology and electronic equipment in the classroom has made a significant contribution to music education, and the music department provides many opportunities for the reinforcement and consolidation of IT skills.
Many of those barriers to effective music making often encountered by pupils who lack advanced traditional music making skills have been removed! Appropriate and imaginative use of information technology and allied equipment can enable pupils to learn by participating in practical activities, and concentrate on the creative aspects of music making. Equipment such as high-tech multi-timbral keyboards, synthesizers, sound processors, sequencers and multi track recording is available. When these are used as an aid or tool for composing, arranging or performing, the facilities will help pupils to further enjoy their musical activities.
Each music classroom holds a variety of musical keyboards, used on a regular basis. These include a basic sequencing facility. There is also a recording studio housed in the music department (specialist recording workshops are held after school on Wednesdays, Thursdays and Fridays 4.00 - 5.00 pm). In addition, there are two fully equipped computer suites which provide individual workstations for 26 pupils to work at any one time. While this facility is available to KS3 pupils, it particularly provides valuable extra facilities for GCSE, AS and AL composition pupils.
AS and AL students are also allowed access to computers for research and presentation of all written work.. The main school network room is also available at selected times by arrangement with the IT department. Homework research tasks may be set throughout the age ranges so that pupils can attempt to search for required musical information on the school network, or the Internet, or complete a set task using the computer. This may include research on a composer, piece of music, idea, or any related topic which encourages pupils to use the computer and present their work using Word. The music programmes used within the department are: Cubase 5, Reason 5 and Sibelius 6.
Opportunities for many aspects of ICT are included on a regular basis throughout the units for every year group, to be incorporated at the teacher's discretion. All of these are noted in the music department's full scheme of work, along with opportunities to use ICT to improve presentation of essay work and record research of examination topics.
Composition software is a powerful tool - Sibelius in particular is becoming a significant resource in music education. There are alternatives, and sequencers such as Cubase and Reason offer a completely different composition experience. With the updating of the computers in the department (September 2009), it has been the intention to ensure that all KS3 classes are able to complete at least one unit of work using ICT in this way.
