Tuesday, December 15, 2009

Web 2.0 Applications for the Musically Inclined

Recently, a reader commented that her daughter is very interested in music and technology. There are a number of online applications for music creation that students will enjoy. Piano and music teachers will find these programs innovative and useful, too!

NoteFlight is an online music notation system which enables users to compose, create, view, and hear music notation, collaborate with others, and share their music. The application is free for individual users and does not require you to download anything. Music teachers may be interested in Noteflight Learning Edition which works with the Haiku Learning Management System. With this fully web-based system, music teachers can post assignments, assess student work, lead class discussions, engage in online music composition and more. Noteflight Learning Edition does have a fee schedule based on number of classes and students, but does not require any downloads. I am definitely not a musician (as you will be able to tell from this demo I made):

Thounds is an online music platform and social network where you can record your original music just by using a microphone or plugging your instrument into your computer. Once you post your sample, other users from all around the world can add to or contribute to your basic recording. The idea is to share musical ideas and inspiration and to collaborate with others to create original music. Again, it's free and there's no downloading! Watch this demo from the Thounds web site.



Kisstunes enables users to create and record tunes online using their qwerty keyboard. Easy-Peasy! You can store your work online and share with family and friends. Again, it's free, free, free, and no downloads!

JamStudio The Online Music Studio allows you to create and mix your own music, add instrumentation,and experiment with different styles and sounds. Accounts are free; however, with an inexpensive 6 month all access pass*, you own the rights to the songs you create and can have MP3 mixes mailed to you for unlimited use. Educational grants are available for classroom use. I have emailed JamStudio about grants for homebschoolers, and will post an update when I receive a reply.

* Always, always, always read the Terms of Use, Privacy Policy, and Policies and Procedures for Copyright violation (all may be included in one statement or they may be in separate statements). Some of these sites retain the right to use your creation on their web site or in their network of services. Before you share or allow others to edit, add to, or change your music, make sure you understand your rights to the content you create and how it may be used by others.

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