I have been playing with a piece of software call Alsa Modular Synthesiser(AMS) for a long time. AMS is an emulation of an Analog Synthesiser and this piece of software would allow someone to cover the contents of the A-level music Technology section on Analog Synthesis. The Analog Synthesiser of choice would be a Moog (pronounced to rhyme with Vogue). Unfortunately they are rather large and expensive. This piece of software is one example of two Analog Synth programmes that I have come across. The other one runs on Macs and I saw it at the RNCM. I believe it is fairly expensive. I put this tutorial together for a colleague who9 teaches A-level Music Tech and it was getting this software installed in the Music suite that drove me to implement the Active Directory link that I added to another Blog a few Months back. The Tutorial is here http://sciencensums.co.uk/lifetype/index.php?op=ViewArticle&articleId=2&...
Music
Sight reading software
I have come across a piece of OSS software for practising skills in keyboard playing. (well any midi instrument I suppose). It is written in java and I have dome tests on Openjava as well as on a Mac. I have done a review here http://sciencensums.co.uk/lifetype/. I suppose I could do a review of lifetype as well, quite nice blogging software. Jaimus allows you to practise skills and get some feedback without having to have a music teacher on your shoulder giving you feedback. I think that especially the Rhythm work is useful for someone wanting to practise skills on their own. You can practise sight reading, Intervals and Rhythms as well as have a go on a number of games that are built in. I have documented some issues about latency which is probably a programming issue but overall, I think this is something that fille a gap in multiplatform OSS.
TuxGuitar - guitar tablature editor and player
http://tuxguitar.herac.com.ar/
TuxGuitar is multitrack guitar tablature editor and player. You can use Tux Guitar to practice your compositions and record your own music. It allows you print off your compositions for others to play.
If you have never played the guitar before, you can use the fretboard to work out chords and notes.
For more details, visit http://tuxguitar.herac.com.ar/
MuseScore - a music notation program
OpenEducationDisc
http://www.theopendisc.com/education/
The OpenEducationDisc is a compendium of software produced with students from KS1-5 in mind. Now published on a DVD, there is something here for everyone. 600 were produced for the BETT show and went like hot-cakes.
Scratch - a graphical programming tool
Scratch is a programming language that makes it easy to create your own interactive stories, animations, games, music, and art -- and share your creations on the web.
As young people create and share Scratch projects, they learn important mathematical and computational ideas, while also learning to think creatively, reason systematically, and work collaboratively.
OpenEducationDisc
The OpenEducationDisc is currently undergoing development for its next version. We have a strong line up of software focused on the national curriculum and beyond. We are looking to add a few programs mentioned previously on opensourceschools such as Numpty Physics and Scratch. if you would like to suggest any other software that you think teachers and students in Key Stage 1-5 would find useful please drop a reply to this thread.
New Open Source Digital Music Library System
I came across this interesting release via Glyn Moody's excellent blog.
When we were exhibiting at BETT last month there was quite a bit of interest in open source music software and applications. So this sounds too good to go unmentioned.
Piano Booster - "guitar hero" for piano
An email from the developer:
Piano Booster is a new free Open Source Application that makes sight reading music fun. It takes elements of the game Guitar Hero but now it uses a real Piano Keyboard and the game has been turned sideways so the notes scroll along a musical stave. So instead of pressing buttons on a fake guitar you end up learning to play a real musical instrument -- the piano.
