My students love new ways to use the iPad in our sessions. I like finding ways to keep them engaged while learning new things. That’s why I so many educational apps. One of the apps I have been using recently in Piano Monkey! Piano Monkey tests students’ knowledge of notes on both treble clef and bass clef, giving them three options to choose from. If you select the correct note, the note will be played and the monkey will smile, giving you the opportunity to move on to the next note. If you select the incorrect note, the option will be blacked out and you will be given a second chance to select the correct answer. The game only test you on 10 notes at a time. At the end of the ten notes you are given a score and a the time which to took you to complete the ten notes. You also have the option to test on bass or treble clef. If you touch the white “i” in the lower right corner of the screen, you will Read More
Category: Music Therapy & Lessons
My Favorite Apps – DoReMemory
I am always on the hunt for interactive, educational apps that will help my clients meet there goals. This simple, straight forward app focuses on learning notes on treble and bass clef as well as the difference between high and low. You can choose whether your student should work on bass clef or treble clef. The screen will prompt you with the note name. You then tap the correct placement on the note on the staff. If you select the correct placement, a green note will appear with a check mark in the upper right-hand corner. If you select incorrectly, a red not will appear in the correct placement with an “x” in the upper right-hand corner. The app will also ask to for high C, Middle C, and C so that the client has to know the difference between all three on both the keyboard and staff. Each round is only 12 notes long. At the end of the 12 notes the app will give you a score and ask if you want to keep practicing. If you have Read More
Happy Music Therapy Week!
This week is devoted to celebrating and advocating for Music Therapy in Illinois! Music therapists across the state are looking to get the word out about music therapy and its many benefits! If you haven’t checked it out yet, below is the AMTA definition of music therapy as well as a link to my page describing the many benefits of music therapy. What is music therapy? According to the American Music Therapy Association, “Music Therapy is the clinical and evidence-based use of music interventions to accomplish individualized goals within a therapeutic relationship by a credentialed professional who has completed an approved music therapy program.” Who can benefit? http://www.onagoodnote.net/who-can-benefit/ Looking for more information about music therapy in Illinois? Be sure to visit the website for the Illinois Association for Music Therapy and check out some of the great advocacy videos and links at the bottom of the page. Curious how you can promote music therapy this week? Share links for On A Good Note, AMTA, and IAMT as well as the the other resources below via email, facebook, and twitter. Start a conversation about music Read More
My Favorite Apps – Wunderlist
In a recent post (5 Quick Tips to Avoid Burnout) I mentioned that making lists and checking things off throughout the day helps keep me focused, organized, and on-task. Not only that, a completed list gives me a sense of accomplishment! Recently, I discovered a new app that has made my life much easier! No more paper lists or post-it reminders cluttering my desk, wasting paper, and getting shredded in the wash. Wunderlist is a free app that allows you to make multiple lists that sync to your phone, tablet, and computer effortlessly. Here’s a quick walk through. After creating an account using an email address, you are brought to a home screen where you can start building folders/categories for your lists. I have a lot of different things going on right now, so my home page has several list names. After you have created the title of your list you can begin adding items! For each item you can also add subtasks, set reminder alarms, due dates, and add notes. If you type a date or time within the Read More
A Music Therapist with No Voice
I love to talk and sing. I rely on my voice all day, every day to create live music, interact with families and clients, convey my thoughts, and give directions. SO, what happens when I lose that voice? When illness strips me of an essential tool! That is what I’ve been dealing with the past several days. Thank goodness there was a weekend in there to relax and regain a little, but my voice is still shaky! Here are a few things I’ve been doing to help myself function! 1. Music based interventions that don’t require singing. I have been using a lot of instrument playing, improvisation, and relaxation. Try thinking outside the box. Use ALL of your music skills. Also, you can encourage clients to sing! Focus on the clients strengths and goals instead of on your inability to use your voice! 2. Recorded music. I much prefer using live music when I can, but when I cannot sing or talk creating live music can turn distracting and obnoxious. The client focuses on how the song sounds different Read More