• Self-inking stamp
• Stamps a standard 5-line staff

Product Description
Quick Note Standard Notation Stamps are great for neatly displaying music notation and theories. Just press this stamp onto any piece of paper to get an easily seen display of a 5-line music staff on which you can write your musical notation. The Quick Note Music Notation Stamp is great for documenting new musical ideas so you can refer to them again and again…….. More >>

Quick Note Standard Music Notation Stamp

One such approach is the Kodaly method, which stresses the benefits of physical instruction and response to music. It resides within a fun, educational framework built on a solid grasp of basic music theory and music notation in various verbal and written forms. Trademark methods include the use of solfege hand signals, musical shorthand notation (stick notation) and rhythm solmization (verbalization).

Another is the Orff Schulwerk, which begins with a student’s innate abilities to engage in music, using basic rhythms and melodies. It encourages improvisation and discourages adult pressures and mechanical drills. To accommodate the requirement of the approach, a special group of instruments was developed from modifications of the glockenspiel xylophone, metallophone, drum, and other percussion instruments.

The Suzuki method, meanwhile, uses music education to enrich the lives and moral character of its students by creating the same environment for learning music that a person has for learning their native language. Love, high quality examples, praise, and a timetable set by the student’s developmental readiness for learning a particular technique make up this said environment.

Swiss musician and educator Emile Jaques-Dalcroze also worked out a method divided into three fundamental concepts – the use of solfege, improvisation, and eurhythmics. The last, the method’s trademark, teaches concepts of rhythm, structure and musical expression using movement. It allows the student to gain physical awareness and experience of music through training utilizing all senses, particularly kinesthetic.

Other notable methods include Gordon Music Learning Theory, which provides the music teacher a comprehensive method and resources for teaching musicianship through audiation, the developer Edwin E. Gordon’s term for hearing music in the mind with understanding. Another is Conversational Solfege, which views music as an aural art with a literature based curriculum. The scheme consists of rhythm and tonal patterns and decoding the patterns using syllables and notation.

The Carabo-Cone or Sensory-Motor Approach to Music, on the other hand, involves using props, costumes, and toys for children to learn basic musical concepts of staff, note duration, and the piano keyboard. In Manhattanville Music Curriculum Project (MMCP), meanwhile, students are given freedom to create, perform, improvise, conduct research and investigate different facets of music in a spiral curriculum.

New methods for community music education in urban setting are Applied Groovology and Path Bands. It advocates parents encouraging their children to more freely experience the natural joys of improvised music and dance though “grooving and dandling”. Path Bands, in particular, use improvised multicultural brass bands for active lifelong participation in music.

New methodologies and strategies are sure to arise. These will be welcome addition to the accepted set. Yet, no matter how many choices there exist, any noble music teacher would choose only what he thinks is best.

The Basics

Ironically, the most absolute and basic element of being able to study music theory is actually not considered music theory. It’s called note reading. You will need to develop, at minimum, a basic to intermediate understanding of standard music notation in order to learn music theory on the internet. There are many options for studying basic note reading, and you can access software that will provide exercises on the internet, or just pick up a basic note reading book at a music shop. The best thing about using a computer to learn is that your mistakes will be identified right away, and the computer can show you how to fix them. Note reading will be the foundation upon which you build your music theory skills.

The Intermediate

Once you have gained an understanding of basic to intermediate note reading, then you’ll find that your quest to learn music theory on the internet will progress more smoothly. There are dozens of websites and program designed to help intermediate level learners understand music theory on the internet. Some are tailored to players of specific instruments or specific genres, and you’ll have to choose what you’d like to focus on.

After note reading, the next thing you’ll want to study is keys and key signatures. If you play an instrument, it might help you to learn some scales to help you understand and memorize the major and minor keys. Once you can understand keys and key signatures, you can move onto learning about chords, including their structure and what roles they play in music. You’ll want to learn how to build all types of chords including majors, minors, diminished, and seventh chords.

Believe it or not, there are some patterns in music that repeat themselves over and over again. Regardless of the genre, you will find certain chord patterns that appear across the board in every style of music. After you have mastered chord construction, then you will begin to study the order in which chords are commonly found. You can put this idea to practice by writing some songs of your own!

The Advanced

Depending on your instrument, there will be dozens of options for learning advanced theory. Guitar players will find that more advanced chord structures exist, and then study those structures and practice by using and finding these complex chords in music. All players will want to study modes as well, which is basically another way of forming scales outside of major and minor keys. If you are interested in writing music, you will also want to study more advanced uses of chords within music.

Music theory is a broad and dynamic concept to study. Some people spend their entire lives studying it, as there are PhD programs for music theory! You don’t have to dedicate all of your time and energy to music theory in order to understand it. The course offerings and materials that are found online make it possible to learn music theory on the internet.

The teaching of music in the American educational setting dates back 1838 when Lowell Mason introduced singing classes to Boston grammar schools. Instrumental music appeared in fits and starts over the next fifty years but was never included during the school day; rather, it was relegated to the ranks of extracurricular activities. Around the turn of the century, instrumental music began to see some acceptance into the classroom, though often was taught by those untrained in the area of music education. Moreover, little if any standardization of the instrumentation or music literature existed. (Rhodes, 2007)

Near the conclusion of World War I the quality of school music began to increase. This was due primarily to veterans who, after having been musically trained in the various service branches, began to fill music teaching positions in the schools. Band, however, was still regarded as an extracurricular activity. (Ibid)

In 1907, the Music Supervisors National Conference or MSNC, (now known as the Music Educators National Conference or MENC) was organized to support school music. In 1912 a proposal was made to include, as accredited subjects, a number of music activities including choruses and general music. Band was included – but at a much lower priority. Later, however, at the Cleveland MSNC conference in 1923, Edgar B. Gordon stated,

“The high school band is no longer an incidental school enterprise prompted largely by the volunteer services of a high school teacher who happens to have had some band experience, but rather an undertaking which is assigned to a definite place in the school schedule with a daily class period under a trained instructor and with credit allowed for satisfactory work done.” (Ibid)

In the same year, and likely due to the increase in both acceptance and importance, Carl Greenleaf (then head of C. G. Conn Ltd.) helped organize the first National Band Contest in Chicago. Later, in 1928, he directed the Conn company to contribute to the founding of the National Music Camp in Interlochen, Michigan and later supported publications designed to support band directors. While these endeavors may have appeared somewhat self-serving in light of his position with Conn, they nonetheless helped establish school band as a significant part of school curriculum. (Banks, 1997)

Despite a gradual, while still limited, acceptance of instrumental music within the school curriculum, budget cuts have often curtailed or even eliminated these programs. Further, with the recent increased emphasis upon “teaching to the test” due to the pressures of No Child Left Behind (NCLB) and similar state requirements, support for the inclusion of music in schools has begun to wane. Michelle R. Davis, in “Education Week,” stated “The federal No Child Left Behind Act is prompting many schools to cut back on subjects such as social studies, music, and art to make more time for reading and mathematics…” (Davis, 2006) This is most unfortunate considering that the study of music, especially instrumental music, has proved to be beneficial for all students – even increasing their ability to reason and problem-solve.

Many theorists have contributed to the elevation of music as central to education, or at the very least, demonstrated that limiting the school environment to the “Three R’s” is short-sighted. Howard Gardner postulated his “Multiple Intelligences” theory with the understanding that children do not possess identical propensities for learning. Not only do they have differing capacities for learning but have differing capacities for learning in many areas. These areas, as he explained, are the varying intelligences of which he speaks. Originally describing seven intelligences (of which music is highlighted) he identified two specifically (linguistic and logical-mathematical) as “the ones that have typically been valued in school.” (Gardner, 1999, p41) Obviously, Gardner recognized that the educational system was not reaching all students – only those that could “do school” well. Gardner did not limit his study, of course, to the mere existence of multiple intelligences but demonstrated that a given person can be strong in more than one, enabling those intelligences to interact one with the other. He explained that, “there are other ways in which different intelligences can affect each other…one intelligence can mediate and constrain the others; one intelligence can compensate for another; and one intelligence can catalyze another.” (Gardner 2, 2006, p219) He further extolled the advantages of a musical intelligence by explaining that “…a strong musical intelligence may lead a person engaged in a linguistic task to be more sensitive to the rhythmic properties of language as well as its meaning.” (Ibid, p223)

While many may assume that music and the study thereof is associated primarily to that which is heard, it is also related quite closely to mathematics. Dahlhaus, reflecting Rameau stated that “music had its origins in the Pythagorean proportions; (i.e., music is a mathematics).” (Gargarian, 1996, p137, 138) Regardless of whether or not one agrees with the theory that music is mathematical in toto, there should be little dispute as to the relativity of music notation to mathematics. Indeed, introducing the coordinate, or Cartesian, plane appears to aid the new music student in understanding the horizontal (x), and vertical (y) axes of music notation. Simply stated, the horizontal (x) axis on the music staff relates to duration while the vertical (y) axis relates to pitch. This, of course is a reflection upon Gardner’s aforementioned theory of intelligence interaction.

There is further evidence that instrumental music study is advantageous for the student. In 1995, Gottfried Schlaug, et al, published a study, “Increased Corpus Callosum Size in Musicians” wherein they described an increase in neural fibers across the Corpus Callosum (CC), contributing to its enlargement. They further were able to determine that this increase in fibers/CC size was attributable to instrumental music study. (Schlaug, et al, 1995) Obviously, the supposition can easily be made that, if there is greater cross-talk between the two hemispheres of the brain (specifically, the left – thought to be the analytical, and the right – thought to be the creative) the result would be a person with a greater, more creative, problem-solving ability.

Reflecting upon Gardner’s theories, as well as those of Schlaug, et al, it should surprise no one that others have confirmed links between music and other skills. Bahr and Christiansen in their article “Inter-Domain Transfer Between Mathematical Skill and Musicianship” published findings demonstrating that students who had studied music demonstrated superior performance on mathematical tasks provided there was some structural overlap with music. (Bahr, Christiansen, 2000) This “structural overlap” could be nearly anything, including the relationship of dividing measures or notes into fractions, relating pitch to frequency, or, as aforementioned, establishing the link between the coordinate (Cartesian) plane and the music staff.

With this enhanced problem-solving ability; this increased awareness of mathematical concepts, it would not be a grand leap to assume that music students might perform well with classroom technology. Indeed, music students should be expected to do at least as well as other students with regard to technology. If that is true, then the next step would be to assume that they would do especially well with technology geared especially to them.

Somewhat recently, technologists, recognizing a dearth of technologically-based music applications began to develop computer programs for music education. Music theory websites began to appear, many having been produced by, and linked to, symphonic organizations. Others have been produced by teachers and graduate students either as part of coursework or perhaps for their own use (and anyone wishing to utilize the application). A quick search of the internet reveals that there are quite a number of available technological tools produced and published for the music student. There are interactive music games, in-class keyboard music theory applications, countless online pitch and rhythm websites, and, perhaps most powerful, applications known as “computer assisted instruction” (CAI)” specifically for the music classroom and student. In January 2005, Steven Estrella published the findings of a study demonstrating how music teachers in the U.S. used music technology. Among his findings, he discovered that approximately twenty percent of the survey participants used some form of CAI as part of their instruction. The survey further discovered that the predominant software application was “SmartMusic.” (Estrella, 2005)

SmartMusic is a teacher/student interactive application allowing students to practice, at home, with a synthesized band or orchestral accompaniment. The program can also, with an included microphone, record the student’s efforts and grade them using rhythm and pitch data. The student can immediately see their results and can retry if they wish. The recording and the accompanying grade are then emailed to the student’s teacher/director and automatically entered into the teacher’s database grade book. The program includes accompaniments for around thirty-thousand compositions including band and orchestra method book pieces. (Nagel, 2007) While early reviews of the program were mixed, the company that produces SmartMusic, “MakeMusic,” was apparently responsive to teacher/consumer complaints and suggestions. The program requires that the home version be installed on the students own computer and, in earlier versions, installation, setup, and microphone placement were problematic. In the latest version, SmartMusic 11, many of these issues were addressed either by simplifying the process or with enhanced user guides. (Whaley, 2008)

For the classroom, SmartMusic holds a wealth of applications. The most basic functions of the program include a displayed tuner and metronome. (A music classroom with an interactive whiteboard can make excellent use of SmartMusic’s utilities.) The teacher can then play a pre-recorded version of a piece to be studied and, while the students are playing along, can instantly record them independent of the pre-recording for later playback. The program also includes fingering charts for all instruments so a quick check for the students perhaps needing additional instruction is easily accomplished. Keys and tempi can be changed easily, if necessary, and if a single performer wishes to play with a pre-recorded accompaniment, that accompaniment, “listening” to the performer via a microphone, can follow the performer’s changes in tempo – not unlike what the conductor of a symphony orchestra would do in a live performance.
As important and powerful as SmartMusic is in the classroom, its most powerful application – and the primary purpose for which it was intended – is that of a home practice and assessment tool. There are literally thousands of accompaniments and scales included in the software as well as thousands of music titles. Once the students have subscribed, downloaded (or installed from a CD), and set up the home version of the program, the teacher can design playing assignments which the student then accesses at home on their own computer.

Playing through a microphone to the program’s accompaniment gives an instant visual and aural response; while the recording of the student’s performance is played, their correct notes are displayed in green while mistakes are displayed in red. The student can decide upon and set their own tempo, then practice with the computer-generated accompaniment as many times as they wish prior to recording for a grade. In short, the student is in control while at home. Students having access to broadband internet and a reasonably up-to-date computer can fully realize the potential of the program – as well as their own. (Rudolph, 2006)
But what of those students not fortunate enough to have a computer at home – let alone internet access?

Obviously, the power of SmartMusic would be largely lost on those students without a home computer or internet access. The cost of the home version is small, and some districts have even provided the subscription free of charge for their students. (Nagel, 2007) However, can districts provide a workable computer and internet access or all of its students?

David Thomas stated that schools have made great progress in the introduction of computer and internet access. However, that access, for disadvantaged students, remains at school. (Thomas, 2003) Thomas further quoted then U. S. Secretary of Education, Rod Paige:

“We need to address the limited access to technology that many students have outside of school. There is much more we can do. Closing the digital divide will also help close the achievement gap that exists within our schools.” (Thomas, 2003)

A 2007 study in New York revealed that between seventy and eighty percent of students have computers at home. (Traber, 2007) One might suggest that the real numbers cross-country are actually much lower.

There are many music students dependant upon school-provided instruments, method books, and even instrument supplies such as reeds and valve oil (usually provided out the teacher’s own pocket). These students are already behind their more affluent counterparts and cannot afford private lessons, let alone a workable computer and internet access. These are the students who could benefit most from a program such SmartMusic. However, as useful and powerful as SmartMusic is, it cannot by itself bridge this “digital divide” that still exists.

Educational technology holds great promise for the student musician but until a method for equitable access is discovered, disproportionate achievement will persist.

Audiation is Gordon’s term for hearing music in the mind with understanding. It is the process of thinking music and comprehending music in the mind. Gordon describes audiation as the foundation of musicianship.

Audiation is the process of mentally hearing and comprehending music, even when no physical sound is present. It is a cognitive process by which the brain gives meaning to musical sounds. In essence, audiation of music is analogous to thinking in a language, as said by Edwin E. Gordon

Mary Ellen Pinzino states that audiation is a way of knowing in melody and rhythm. It is a unique human capacity outside the realm of words. To audiate is to “think” music, but in melody and rhythm rather than in words. Audiation is another way of knowing. Audiation is the musical imagination. It is the man-made music of the mind. It is the sound fantasy that provides the framework for understanding the music we listen to, the music we perform, and the music we read and write.

Audiation is a process. It is the construction of meaning in music. It is the process of making musical sense of the music we hear, perform, read, and write. Just as thinking is essential to speaking, listening, reading, and writing language, audiation is essential to tuneful and rhythmic performance, music listening, reading, and writing. Audiation is the whole of music literacy, as said by Mary Ellen Pinzino

Audiation or inner hearing takes place when we “silently hear” and give meaning to music without the sound, i.e., thinking a melody, clapping a rhythm pattern from a song while thinking the melody. The development of audiation is basic and invaluable in building all musical skills. We should always strive to cultivate the audiation of rhythm and tonal patterns, melodic lines, and phrases. Audiation must be the first step in one’s music experience prior to introducing notation, and other aspects of music theory.

Try this exercise to experience audiation or inner hearing. Silently think the melody of “Mary Had a Little Lamb.” Did you think one note at a time? Or did you think groups of notes. Did you internally hear the notes as a pattern?

We do the same thing when we silently hear language. We hear words, not letters one at a time. The more words we have in our vocabularies, the better we hear and comprehend the meaning of what we are hearing. Just as we give meaning to language, we must give meaning to music through relevant patterns of tones and rhythms. Likewise, the more tonal and rhythm patterns we have in our music vocabularies, the better we will hear and comprehend the meaning of the music. To help your child or student develop music listening and speaking vocabularies, have the child listen and move to a variety of tunes. Invite them to sing many different melodies.

It is very important to develop audiation or inner hearing and listening skills in the early years of a child’s life. What a powerful gift and music foundation to give a child.

A strong program develops vocal skills, not just for vocal students but for its instrumental students, as well. Teaching instrumentalists the essence of singing music notation in both, the treble and bass clef using different note values and time signatures is significant because it promotes good ear training, sight singing and rhythm. Also, it prepares the student for other skills such as directing or accompanying choirs should he/she decide to enter that profession.

Learning Music Theory is important because it is the key to analyzing compositions and good musicians should have this ability. Understanding the structure of a song is laying the foundation of new songs to be created.

Lastly, learning world Music History allows students to appreciate different genres. This is really important for composition students. Coupled with their understanding of theory, they can draw from various styles of music to create their own original styles.

When looking for a strong Music Education program, make sure all of the above objectives are in place. They are necessary because a quality program that contains these objectives, builds strong cognitive skills, logical thought patterns, discipline, solid creative skills and music appreciation… the elements needed in developing a well-rounded musician.

For instance, if a musician is hired to perform at an event that has a specific theme (wedding, funeral, luncheon, etc.), chances are, if there no recordings for the music to be performed, sheet music can be followed in order to play or sing the songs. Also, if a musician chooses to audition for a position as a choir member, director, or accompanist, the music to be sung or played can be learned at a much faster pace when two senses (hearing and sight) are relied upon rather, only, one (hearing). Not to mention most professional choirs require its members, directors and accompanists to read music notation in order to accomplish the desired results.

The information stated above is not, by any means, an indictment on musicians who do not read music. In fact, there are some excellent accomplished musicians who choose not to learn music notation. However, the ones I’ve come in contact with are exceptional. They are very gifted individuals in their area of musical expertise who remained focused and driven to achieve the high goals they had set, and continue to set for themselves. Unless a budding musician is on this level, it is strongly suggested that music students embrace the art of reading music notation.

The improvement of one’s artistic intellect has proved the ability of being able to enhance the excellence of life equally throughout the school years and through the later years. Music’s significance as an opportunity to identity consciousness has been confirmed by experts such as Rogers and Maslow.

The second reason for which music is regarded to be an important part of the curriculum, is the role that it plays in understanding the culture. Music is a true demonstration of the traditions, community culture, aspirations and accomplishments of humankind. In music are embedded various custom values, and beliefs of the common man.

At the same time, communication with the help of music is sort of abstract; the learner must be educated to interpret this nonfigurative representation of music coordination in order to understand it.

Finally, for the reason that music edification is supported on the technique the brain understands music, it is capable of manipulating the expansion and growth of the superior cognitive procedures of the brain that are usually not possible in other fields. In recent times revealed study at the University of California has shown that prepared melody teaching improves student’s spatial aptitude, which holds a significant constituent in arithmetical way of thinking and judgment.

Supplementary investigation in this field have revealed that the brain ought to have loaded, sensory knowledge experiences if it wants to raise itself to a higher level of intellectual growth and ability. Students dispossessed of these sensory stimulation that are provided specially by music have been equated by enlightening experts to youths who at some point of time in their lives experienced brain inactivity or damage.

Lessons in music have shown their benefits by increasing the creativity and ability of the mind as well as decisive and contradictory philosophy. These are some essential skills that are needed by the brain to develop into a higher being for the present and future work place.

Clearly, all of these profits that are listed above are unswervingly connected to one’s mastery of the customs of thoughts and meaning in music and to one’s aptitude to understand writing and appreciate the fine distinction of denotation which it encloses. This is the explanation that states the importance and necessity of music in the elementary education.

With these benefits of music come to light, the focus and stress on inclusion of music has increased by many folds. With the media paying more attention to the needs of education, and the proposed budget cut reductions, the schools are now forced to cut some corners in their facilities and curriculum. However, the schools have kept intact the basic elementary classes of physical and musical training that help the students develop into a better human being at all levels.
The music classes that have been an integral part of some school curriculums classes have shown excellent results. The following explains the various benefits that have been shown by the application of music on children aged between four years to fifteen years.

Arithmetic ability: Music and melody compositions that had been included in the curriculum for children aged between four to fifteen years of age have shown positive results in deciding the mathematical ability of the children. Music has shown itself to help the child’s brain develop in an enhanced manner, thereby resulting in a better aptitude and skill to understand arithmetic as soon as they get older.

Since math’s is an integral part of our lives at every stage of life, it is essential to develop good mathematical skills. In order to survive in the technology driven world of today, it is very important for the children to develop their arithmetic and logical abilities from childhood.
Especially with our global economy, By refusing to expose our children to music at an early age we may be robbing them of an essential skill to compete with other countries.

Science Skills: These skills are also a benefit of music classes for many of the same reasons as before. Music enhances our children’s reasoning skills, which is important to understand how science works. Again, these skills are required for our children to be competitive in the future.

Reading Skills: Music classes teach the students on how to concentrate on small things. In order to efficiently understand what is being read and written, music is an essential element for its success. It also enhances memory and recall skills. This is helpful in all areas of our children’s education. With illiteracy rate going up in our country, we must begin to try to enhance these skills.

Community Skills: Music permits our kids to make effort in groups to generate music as a whole. By putting your child’s name down in the music programs in school, you actually consent your youngster to become skilled at how to lend a hand and work together with others for a universal goal.

These classes allow children how normally wouldn’t associate with each other to cooperate and promote unity. A sense of belonging is very important in our culture today. Especially important to those who grow up in environment which constantly plague on their emotions. Studies show that music classes enhance self-esteem in their students. Music education may also be an important step in reducing the incidence of violence in our school by bringing the students together.
Moreover, other than these skills, music classes also help the children to increase their Intelligence quotient levels. At times, children who are dealing wit hearing and speech problems since childhood cope up with these inhibitions during a music class.

It also helps children who experience inhalation and verbal communication intricacies and learning disabilities. They may be many other things that have not been discovered.

By do away with these classes from our child’s schools, in reality we are stealing from our children the essential abilities that are required by them to build a better future for themselves. These kids are going to be the ones who run everything in now a few years. Do you want that your child gets incomplete education in any form? Or do you want to hand your own future in such hands which do not possess sufficient skills to carve a better future for themselves?

Some of the examples of doing these are listed below:

1. Singing which is pure form of complete musical expression in all cultures across the globe. It helps the child to open up and improve his communication skills. It helps them to express their ideas and thoughts in a better manner.

2. Instruments also play an important role as a means to enhance interpersonal behavior and expression. Also playing of musical instruments in a group helps the child to learn about team spirit.

3. Composing and writing lyrics for melodies, is a very creative activity that is again an important method to improve communication skills and learn to effectively express one’s thoughts.

Music classes are indispensable. Do not allow your ignorance position in the system of our children’s opportunity. Inform yourself on the reimbursements of these lessons. If you have a different opinion that is okay, but try to understand the other side of the debate before making your decision.

If in case, the local school in your city is planning to do away with the music classes after heeding to some parents, step forward and be vocal. Raise your concern and try to advise the ignorant. Endeavor to bring to an end your neighboring school organization from taking from our children the essential skills.

In case, you stand unproductive in your endeavors to stop the school administration from barring music classes, try to get them reinstalled by some way. Show them examples and results that have been researched.

If you know some children who have taken benefits from these music classes, ask them to help the children of the school in knowing the benefits of music. That will greatly help as children tend to listen to their own age groups better. One or two lessons per week or enough to get the benefits of music classes.