A Guide to Technology for Music Educators

As music educators in the 21st century, technology will be all around us. Everything we use to maintain our modern lifestyle is centered around one form of technology or another. The field of music is no exception. The instruments and notes we teach haven't changed, but with the advance in technology we have numerous new ways to present and capture our performances and lessons.

This guide is meant to be a reference for any music educator who either has never been exposed to these technologies, or was just too scared to try to incorporate them. It will cover basic concepts, equipment and programs that teachers should either know, or at least know of their existence. This is by no means a complete guide to everything out there, merely a starting point into the vast realm of music technology.

PA and basic sound reinforcement

Many schools use some type of public address (PA) system to help mic soloists, speakers, and sometimes the entire ensemble during concerts. The main components to any basic PA setup are: Microphone(s), mixer, (power amp if needed), and speakers.

Microphones

There are two main types of microphones used in live sound and recording. Dynamic microphones, and condenser microphones. The main difference between these mics is that condensers need power from as source such as the mixer, and dynamics do not. As a teacher, you will probably only come into contact with dynamic mics for vocal and instrumental use. The two most popular mics used today for vocal and instruments are both made by the Shure Company. They are the SM-57 and SM-58. The SM-57 is most commonly used for instruments and the SM-58 is designed with vocalists in mind. Both of these mics are dynamic and do not require power.

Mixers

Mixers come in various, shapes, sizes ranging from 2 channels to 48 or more. No matter what bells and whistles they may have, they all have the same purpose; to take multiple input sources (microphones, keyboards, CD players, etc) and combine them into one stereo output. This signal can be sent to a power amplifier, which will send it to the speakers. Common mixer manufacturers are Mackie, Behringer, Allen & Heath, Soundcraft, Yamaha, Alesis, Sound Tech, and Samson. Microphones are plugged into the microphone inputs on a mixer. Mic cables use a connector called an XLR connector. It is a 3-pin connection used for almost all microphones applications.

Some cheaper microphones might have a 1/4" plug on the end and need to be plugged into the corresponding input on the mixer. The mixer may have a button labeled mic/line. To use a microphone, make sure this switch is in the "mic" position. Another button you will encounter is one labeled +48, or "phantom". This turns on a feature called phantom power that is used to power condenser microphones. Phantom power will not harm dynamic mics if you leave it on, however, if you have the option to turn it off, do so. The mixer boosts the signal with a preamplifier. This brings the signal up to a useable level. There is usually a knob or pot, or panpot that allows you to adjust the level of amplification.

Most mixers that schools use are not very elaborate and don't have extensive equalization (EQ) or auxiliary sends sections, just the basics. As a teacher, don't worry about these features. They are for expanding the abilities of the mixer and aren't essential for basic use.

After the mic is plugged in, each channel should have a volume, or gain. This may either be a pot, or a fader. After each channel is adjusted, the main volume may be turned up to send your final "mix" out of the main outputs. The stereo output has many names such as the stereo bus, two mix, and main mix. They all are in reference to the main stereo output.

Speakers

There are two types of speakers used in PA applications, passive and active. Passive speakers require the use of external power amplifier. In this situation, the main output of the mixer would go to the power amp, and then from the amp to the speakers. Active monitors have amplifiers built into the speaker enclosure. There is no need for an external amp if you are using active or powered speakers. If you are not sure if you have passive or active speakers a good rule is to check if they need to be plugged in. If they have a power cord attached, or a place for one, they are powered.

Feedback Loops

The most common problem that happens in live sound is a feedback loop. It is that wonderfully piercing sound that comes from the speakers and deafens everyone. Feedback happens when a signal goes all the way through the system and comes back into the microphone, creating a loop. There are a few good ways to avoid this problem. Place your main speakers far enough out front where you won't be able to walk in front of them. This eliminates the possibility of the mic picking up its own signal. Keep the volume down. The stronger the signal, the easier a loop happens. Use only enough volume to make it sound good. The audience will thank you.

Use in the classroom

Although live sound will probably be used mostly for concert situations, vocal teachers may find it useful to have aspiring solo singers get used to singing with microphones.

If you are confronted with a concert that needs live sound, don't be afraid of all the knobs. Mixers are just one set of controls repeated 8, 12, 16 or more times, depending on your mixer, all leading to the main stereo output. If you are interested in learning more about mixers, microphones and audio gear I recommend going to www.theprojectstudiohandbook.com. This site has articles on every aspect of audio engineering and production. It is a great resource for beginners as well as experienced engineers. Other resources are magazines such as Mix, Home Recording, Recording, EQ, and Electronic Musician.

Notation Programs

Many times teachers need to write out parts for various reasons. Lost music, misprints, or re-writing a part for a different instrument. Handwriting music is both time consuming and can be hard for students to read. They are used to professionally published music, and some, especially younger students, can be confused by handwritten parts. There are a number of scoring programs out there, but the main two that are in use today are Finale and Sibelius. I have not had the chance to work with Sibelius, although it has become a popular program that has the same features as Finale. Since I own and use Finale, that is what I will concentrate on.

Finale has the ability to recreate almost any musical score or sheet of music you can think of. The most recent version of Finale is 2004, and although most references will be from 2001, basic navigation has not changed in the last couple versions. Along with the extensive scoring capabilities, recent versions have brought the ability to scan music right into the program and save as PDF files. Finale 2004 also lets you export your files as both MIDI and Smart music accompaniments. (Smart Music is addressed later in this document) Finale is a cross-platform program, meaning it can be purchased for both PC and Mac platforms.

When Finale opens, the document setup wizard starts up. In the first window, you can enter Title, Composer, and copyright information. The second window lets you choose your instrumentation and in what order to place them. The second to last window allows you to pick your starting key and time signature. One thing to remember about choosing your key signature in this window is that, by default, it is concert pitch. Any transposing instruments will show up with their respective, transposed key signature. For example, if you pick your starting key as Eb, all Bb instruments staves will show an F key signature. The last window allows you to pick an initial tempo and optional pickup measure. The tempo marking is only used for MIDI playback and recording.

Once you get to the score, you will have to decide how you want to start entering notes. There is a main toolbar that contains all the various tools that you need to create notes, articulations, lyrics, chords, dynamics, etc.

You can enter notes into Finale using simple entry, speedy entry, or the hyperscribe tool. When using simple entry, you select what duration of note from the simple entry palette and click on the line or space where you would like the note to go.

Simple entry is easy to use, but very slow and not very efficient. Speedy entry is much quicker and gives you two different methods of entry. By using a combination of the keypad numbers and the up and down arrows, notes may be quickly entered with no need to continually click on the toolbar.

A MIDI keyboard may be used with speedy entry as well. To enter notes with the MIDI keyboard you would hold down the note you want to enter on the keyboard and then press the number on the computer that corresponds to the desired duration. Which method works best will depend on your familiarity with the keyboard (or if you own one) and whatever is most efficient.

The last method for entering notes is to play them in real time using the hyperscribe tool. This function also requires a MIDI keyboard. When using the hyperscribe tool, you can set the tempo, hit record and play. Finale will notate exactly what you play. I emphasize the word exactly because many people run into the problem of not seeing on the staff what they play. To remedy this problem you must adjust your quantization settings. Quantization is a MIDI term that basically means that the program rounds what it hears to the nearest beat. You can choose values from double whole notes to sixty-fourth notes. When you play a note that is not 100% on the beat, Finale will round that note to the next eighth note, quarter note, or whatever you have designated.

When entering notes on a grand staff in four-part harmony, you may find that you cannot put two notes on the same beat with different stem directions. This is where Finale's layers come into play. Each project has up to four layers that are completely independent of each other, and each layer is represented by a different color. You will always be able to see all current layers, although you may only edit one layer at a time. This feature comes in very handy when you have complementary inside moving lines on piano scores or four-part scores.

After you have entered all the notes of your score or sheet of music, you will need to use a combination of the other tools to add dynamics, articulations, chords, lyrics, repeat signs, codas and any other musical symbols you may need. Scoring programs do have a definite learning curve just like any computer software, but the time spent becoming familiar with any of them will definitely pay off in time saved later.

Use in the classroom

Teachers are not the only ones who can benefit from using notation programs. If you are lucky enough to have one or more computers with Finale, encourage students to use the program. Composition projects and theory assignments will be easier to read for both the student and the teacher. Time and availability of the computer(s) must be taken into account before giving an entire class a Finale assignment. If your school doesn't have Finale on any computers, bring it up at the next budget meeting. It is a purchase that will pay for itself in a short time.

MIDI

MIDI is an acronym that stands for Musical Instrument Digital Interface. MIDI began in 1981 as a protocol named Universal Synthesizer Interface, designed by Dave Smith and Chet Wood. USI was presented to the Audio Engineering Society and over the next two years, a group of engineers and manufacturers finalized the MIDI 1.0 standard. Yamaha's DX-7 started a synth buying frenzy that was driven by the fact that any new synthesizers would now be compatible with each other. The amazing thing about MIDI is that the same specifications that were adopted in 1981 are still used today.

MIDI is a set of data messages that is used to tell a sound module, keyboard, or sequencer what notes to play, how long, and how loud. Other messages tell the modules what sound or "patch" to use or to change that sound at a certain place. All these messages travel down MIDI cables that end in 5 pin connectors.

One very important fact to remember throughout this discussion is that MIDI is only DATA. There is no audio in a MIDI signal at all. It is just data that tells sound producing machines or programs what to do. With that in mind let's see how MIDI works and how it is used.

Almost every keyboard manufactured today has MIDI capabilities. MIDI ports will be found on the back of the keyboard. There will be two or three ports on most keyboards. The three options for ports are IN, OUT, and THRU. IN is MIDI input to the unit. OUT is the MIDI output of the unit. THRU is an exact copy of what is coming into the MIDI IN port. The THRU port is used to link, or "daisy-chain" more than one MIDI capable device together. Since one signal may be used to control a number of different devices, keyboards, sound modules and drum machines may all be controlled by the same MIDI source.

Each MIDI cable is capable of transmitting 16 channels of MIDI messages simultaneously. Depending on the capabilities of your keyboard or module, you can have multiple instruments playing independent parts, each on a different channel.

The heart of any MIDI system is a sequencer. A sequencer is a computer program or stand alone unit that records all the data and allows you to edit different parameters. Most MIDI work today is computer based, although many keyboards and drum machines have built in sequencers. Finale is a very basic sequencer since it accepts MIDI data and records it for playback. There are many different sequencing programs currently available. Some of the most popular and widely used are Cakewalk's Sonar and Home studio (PC only), Digidesign's ProTools, Mark of the Unicorn's (MOTU for short) Digital Performer (Mac only), Steinberg's Cubase and Emagic's Logic (Mac only). All of these programs can record and edit audio as well as MIDI. The competitive nature of the software industry has forced manufacturers to quit making software that only dealt with MIDI or only audio. To do anything with the sequencer, it must first have data to work with. Using the MIDI keyboard, you can either enter the data in real time by playing, or use step recording. Entering real time data is just like using the hyperscribe feature in Finale. Hit record...and play. Once again, you have to adjust your quantization settings so the notes you play are accurately recorded. If you just don't have the piano skills to accurately enter the data in real time, use the step record option. Step recording is the process of entering one note or chord at a time. Even the most intricate run of notes can be entered one at a time. Since we are only dealing with data, MIDI is able to change tempos without changing pitch, as happens many times with audio. This makes entering real time data even easier. You can slow the tempo way down to play the part and then just type in the real tempo and you are up to speed.

Use in the classroom

I believe MIDI is an invaluable tool that has not enjoyed the success in public schools that it deserves. Vocal teachers can make MIDI accompaniments for warm-ups, sequence piano parts for songs. Instrumentalists can also make accompaniments or additional parts to songs.

One of the greatest strengths of MIDI and all electronic music involve composition. MIDI programs such as Propellerheads' Reason, that use samplers, synthesizers, drum machines, and loop players, are an open music canvas that begs for the creative side of every student. Pop and hip hop music use these technologies as everyday tools and because of that, people don't think jazz or classical music can be done in this way. That is a myth. There are many collections of professional level orchestral sounds and samples to be used in any MIDI setup. Students today need to have music presented to them in different ways to keep them inspired. MIDI combines the technical and creative and forces students to think on both levels simultaneously. MIDI technology can be cheap and easy to use, and the benefits will always justify the time spent learning something new.

Recording

Recording your ensembles is a valuable teaching tool for both vocal and instrumental groups. After hearing themselves, ensembles will many times identify what they need to fix without the director's input. Recording performances gives the students an added bonus to the hard work they have put in during rehearsals.

Recording can be a very time consuming and expensive endeavor, but it doesn't have to be. A couple microphones, a small mixer and a tape, CD or DAT recorder can produce quite surprising results. As technology has become easier to make, the quality of budget priced gear has risen sharply. A semi-pro quality based computer recording system can easily be put together for around $2000.00. Considering the millions of dollars used to make national albums, that total is very small. If you want quality recording of your ensembles or are fortunate enough to have a large budget to buy equipment, I would recommend contacting a professional. Find somebody who can give you unbiased advice on how to spend your money. Even though you may be the teacher........do your homework.
Smart Music

Smart Music is a computer based practice system made by Coda music, the creator or Finale. When smart music first came out it was named Vivace. The concept of smart music is using a computer to be your accompanist instead having to find someone to practice with. Smart Music is sold by monthly or yearly subscriptions. The subscription gives you access to Smart Music's online library of pieces. Even though the system is advertised for use with beginning students, the online library has pieces at every level from beginning to very advanced for all woodwinds, brass, strings, and vocalists.

Smart music's software has the ability to follow the performer through tempo changes. Unlike playing with a metronome, smart music will let the player use expressive tempo changes. The software also contains a tuner, music dictionary and fingering charts. It is a very inexpensive way to get kids to practice and have fun at the same time.

References
www.theprojectstudiohandbook.com
www.audioforums.com
www.mixonline.com
www.sweetwater.com
www.musiciansfriend.com
www.finalemusic.com
www.smartmusic.com
www.digidesign.com
www.cakewalk.com
www.motu.com
www.steinberg.net
www.emagic.de
www.propellerheads.se
www.apple.com

Huber, David Miles. "The MIDI Manual" Prentice Hall Publishing 1991
Huber, David Miles. "Modern Recording Techniques" Focal Press 2001
Anderton, Craig. "Home Recording for Musicians" Amsco Publishing 1996
Stark, Scott Hunter. "Live Sound Reinforcement. " Mix Books 2000