Week 4: Chromatik and SmartMusic

            This week I examined two forms of music technology: Chromatik and SmartMusic. While both of these programs are intriguing to me as a middle school band director, I believe one program (SmartMusic) has a stricter educational purpose than the other (Chromatik); however, I think each program could easily be implemented into the band classroom.

            Chromatik is a web-based application that allows users to play along to a chosen piece of music. Though the basic program is free, users are only allowed to choose three songs per day. Subscribers have access to an unlimited number of daily songs. Users of this program select a song from a wide range of repertoire, including scales, classical pieces, and hit singles. Instrumentation can be changed to meet the needs of the user, but as far as I could tell, instruments may not be grouped into small ensembles. Chromatik is easy to navigate through, as the icons and lists are clear and logical. It is also easy to follow along to the music because the program automatically turns the pages. In my classroom, I would not use this program as my main educational tool because the program does not provide feedback to the students, and many of the songs are too difficult for beginners. Instead, I would use it to supplement other programs, such as SmartMusic, by encouraging students to play songs of their choice at home. If I were to use it during a lesson, I might ask students to pick a song to sight-read. Chromatik includes YouTube clips with the songs, so students could play along to a song while playing it, which could help them make sense of confusing rhythms.

            SmartMusic is a subscription-based program that allows students to receive instant feedback while practicing. Like Chromatik, users of this program have access to a wide-range of repertoire, but SmartMusic includes more scholarly pieces instead of popular songs. Some lesson books, solo selections, and pieces of concert repertoire can be found in the program’s database. This program, like Chromatik, is simple to use, but new users, such as young students, may benefit from a short demonstration on how to navigate through the program before using it for the first time. I plan to use SmartMusic on a regular basis in my classroom because I think it is an excellent educational resource. Students will become familiar with navigating the program and using the functions (metronome, recording, etc.) through use in rehearsals and lessons, which should make it simpler to use it at home. When my students practice with SmartMusic, they will be able to see their strengths and weaknesses within a song, because the program labels correct notes and rhythms green and incorrect ones red. 

My beginning band students participate in Band Karate, and I may ask students to test for their belts on SmartMusic to keep any bias out of the process. I think the scoring tool in this program will help motivate the students, because they will want to achieve as close to 100% as they can, resulting in a new “belt” in Band Karate.