Tech Guide

Apps that are on my iPad

Here is a list of my current favorites. This is by no means a list of every app available, just a few I like to use during iPad lab time. Let me know if you find a great app for your home use!

SIGHT READING

Piano Maestro $60/yr - This is by far the most meaty, comprehensive app I own. It's a wonderful tool for learning to sightread in time, and learning a new song using a well-designed sequence of practice. The graphics are vibrant and fun, the music selection covers everything from classical and jazz to movie and pop songs. Wonderful for beginners through late intermediate students.

Treble Cat & Bass Cat $4.99 - Quizzes notes on the Treble or Bass staff.

RHYTHM
Rhythm Cat $4.99 - Gives rhythms while playing well-recorded music. It's quick, so you really have to keep up!

Rhythm Lab $2.99 - Great tool for learning to sightread rhythms. Students can tap rhythms using one or both hands and get immediate feedback on which notes they get and what is missed. No flashy graphics, but very solid app for learning more advanced rhythm patterns!

CREATIVITY
Garage Band $4.99 - Create, Record, and Send your own tunes!

iReal Pro $7.99 - Provides the "backup band" while you learn to play chords from charts!

INTERVALS
Interval Hang Man $


EAR TRAINING

COMPOSITION
Notion

Other App Resources

• 88 Piano Keys has an amazing "Music App Directory" if you are looking for iPad apps to spark interest and keep piano fun!

Websites for Games, Drills, Lessons, and Exercises

• TONIC TUTOR - Have fun playing these short games that sharpen your skills in note recognition, pitch identification, scales, chords, and other theory elements. One of my top recommended sites!  Headwaters Music has a subscription to this site, please speak with Emily for your individual login information!
• TEORIA - This comprehensive site is a wonderful resource to help drill notes, intervals, and other music theory skills. It gets quite advanced, but is also good for beginners as you can set your parameters for drills.
• MUSICTHEORY.NET - A very practical site to help you learn the building blocks of music. There are Lessons for learning new concepts, exercises to drill your skills, and tools to help you translate your skills. This is a great resource for older kids and adults, but a little dry for the younger kids!
• PBS MUSIC GAMES - These fun games are on the PBS website for younger kids, and explore musical concepts using characters from popular PBS TV Shows!
• MUSIC LEARNING COMMUNITY - This is a paid monthly subscription site that offers a ton of really great games for your music skills. Currently our studio does not have a subscription, but there is an option for a free trail week and parents to purchase one if you'd like!  
• MUSIC TECH TEACHER -This site contains an assortment of quizzes, lessons, simple games, and information on different Composers. Put together by a music technology teacher, there are activities to brush up on key points made in your lessons. Lot's to do!
• MUSICARDS This website is a straightforward way to drill note names, key signatures, intervals, notes on the keyboard, and more! You can customize your drills to focus on those areas you really need work on.

Websites for Listening

• Hennepin Co Library - This is the best free resource for listening to and downloading music for free!  If you go to the HCLIB homepage and look on the left side menu, click on "music".  There are several resources listed. My favorite is "Freegal" where you can download up to 3 songs a week for free using your library card number and pin.  Or try the "Classical Music Library" and see Headwaters Music Playlists!

Pianos, Books and Staff Paper

• "Piano Adventures" Lesson Books : For many of my piano students, I use the "Piano Adventures" series by Nancy and Randall Faber. This wonderful series has a mix of interesting pieces, beautiful illustrations, and a fully developed graded curriculum to develop the whole pianist. Looking for an extra "fun" book? Check out their popular, jazz, rock 'n roll, and classical books that compliment each level.

• Buy Music Online at Pepper : If you're like me and shop online, here is a great resource for buying that next level of piano books. J W Pepper is a national music supplier but they also have a store in Hopkins if you need to return/exchange.

• Free Printable Staff Paper : Piano Students - If you'd like some of your own staff paper for use at home, here is a great site to print your own! Please think about the settings you choose. "Piano" gives you a grand staff for both hands, and younger students may want a larger scale so the staff is larger and easier to see. Advanced students - you can even add a key and time signature in the advanced mode. Cool.

• Find a Piano Tuner near Mound : Here is a listing of local piano tuners that are registered with the National Piano Tuners Guild. Remember, tune your piano regularly for the best sound. Better sound = more practice!

Is there another website, app, or other software that you would like to recommend? Post a comment and I will make sure it gets on the list!