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This page contains pointers to educational software of interest to music teachers and students. The main focus is freely available software on the net that will help students master the basics of music--note reading, music theory, ear training, and music history. The page also has a list of instructional material available on the internet (text files and hypertext), a list of online sheet music and a selection of web sites related to music education.
Quicklinks to the information on the Music Instruction Software Page
(please wait for the page to load completely before selecting one of these quicklinks) |
Music Instruction Video of the Week |
One of the main ftp sites I link to, oak.oakland.edu, changed its directory structure around. This messed things up royally for me, but I think it is fixed now. Please let me know if any links are still not working. Anything that isn't working correctly, you may be able to find by poking around at ftp://oak.oakland.edu/pub/simtelnet or ftp://ftp.coast.net/SimTel/.
Some people have reported problems with the "Quicklinks" and other links that take you to places withing the Music Instruction Software Page. The problem seems to occur if you click on one of these links before the page is completely loaded. Just wait until the page loads, and you'll have no problems. The page is getting quite large, so it may take a few seconds to load (I know, I know, I should break it up into smaller parts, but on the other hand--the whole thing is still smaller than the fancy but useless graphics files at some sites).
I have compensated for a "feature" in the AOL and GNN WWW browsers that made the links on the page malfunction. The problem could also have occurred in some other browsers. I think the problem is fixed for good now, but if you are having trouble following the hotlinks, please let me know. If you are having this problem, it would be very helpful if you tell me which browser you are using. (I have tested the page with Netscape 2.0 and Lynx. It works fine with both of those.)
If you are having problems, you can still access the old version of the page at http://cctr.umkc.edu/userx/bhugh/musicold.html.
This page is updated often, as I become aware of new software and web sites. The last update was 8 May 1996.
New items since about 1 January 1996 have the a link named [NEW] next to them. Clicking on these will take you from one new item to the next. Click here to go to the first new item on the page: [NEW]
Most software on the page can be downloaded by just clicking on the program's hotlink. Most of these pointers to downloadable software are links to ftp sites. At busy times of day, you may have a difficult time connecting to these sites. If you have trouble connecting, just try again at a different time (all sites are in the U.S., so you can figure out which times might be busy and which not).
Note that many listings have two links for the same program. Each link is to a different site, so if one link doesn't work, try the other.
The author of this page is Brent Hugh (BHugh@CSTP.UMKC.EDU ). Feel free to email him with any questions about, problems with, complaints regarding, or--especially--suggestions for the page. He especially appreciates it if you send him a quick note (no need to chit-chat or spend extra time being polite) about any problems with the page, such as dead links or outdated information. If you're in a windowed environment, you could just copy the problem area of the page and paste it into your mail program, appending a very brief note explaining the problem.
[NEW] NoteTest version 1.1 is a set of computerized flashcards for the beginning to intermediate pianist. NoteTest displays the note, the student must respond by playing it on a MIDI keyboard. NoteTest has many different levels, ranging from "Middle C Position" through "All Notes Above, On, or Below the Grand Staff". Version 1.1 of NoteTest fixes some bugs in version 1.0. NoteTest requires an MPU-401 compatible MIDI card connected to a MIDI keyboard. (DOS freeware.)
[NEW] EarTest version 1.2 is an ear training program. It is loosely based on the method described in the David L. Burge Perfect Pitch ear training course that you may have seen advertised in music magazines. EarTest plays a note, you must respond by playing the same note on a MIDI keyboard. It has several levels, from very easy to incredibly difficult. If you don't believe in learning perfect pitch, you can use it to hone your relative pitch (you begin by learning the notes of the C major scale, so you can just think of do-re-mi and forget the perfect pitch stuff if you like). Version 1.2 fixes some bugs in EarTest, allows questions to be answered via mouse (your MIDI device need not have a keyboard now), provides limited compatibility with Windows enhanced mode, and will work with many more MIDI cards and configurations than version 1.0. Version 1.1 required a mathcoprocessor, and Version 1.2 removes this restriction. EarTest requires an MPU-401 compatible MIDI card hooked to a MIDI device. (DOS freeware.)
[NEW] KeyNote Music Drills for Windows95/NT is designed to help music students learn to identify the notes of the bass clef, treble clef, and grand staff, and to locate their positions on the keyboard or guitar fingerboard. KeyNote Music Drills also has drills for the alto and tenor clefs. (Shareware for Windows 95 or Windows NT. Will not work under Windows 3.x.)
Some information is available on Music Ace, a new music instruction program that has received some good reviews. Music Ace has really fun animated graphics and musical games that really draw the students into the musical skills they are learning. This is a great program for kids--and adults can play it, too, when nobody's looking . . .
A page about Neon Notes is available. Neon Notes is system of teaching piano based on a new notation system which can be learned with a few minutes of instruction. The page includes a freeware program that demonstrates the Neon Notes concept.
Winoye is a cool ear training program for windows. The program plays melodic intervals, harmonic intervals, short melodies, and two- and three-note chords, which you must play back by pointing to keys on a keyboard it displays. Winoye requires a MIDI interface or a sound card. (Windows shareware.)
[NEW] The Music Box (demo version) is a unique ear training program that helps music teachers and students improve their ability to identify intervals and triads, take melodic dictation and even sight sing. It generates melodies for sight singing and melodic dictation, allowing you to concentrate on specific intervals if you want. It is the perfect software for those who are taking undergraduate music fundamentals courses, or just for anyone who wants to improve their ear. The demo version has a f ew functions disabled, but the shareware fee is very reasonable--around $20. (Shareware, Windows 3.1 or Win95, file size 148K)
[NEW] The Easy Piano Tutor will show you how to play your favorite songs step-by-step on a 3D piano. Import MIDI file tracks, or enter your favorite sheet music using the powerful EZPNO Editor. Test your sight-reading skills with a MIDI keyboard as the Easy Piano Tutor tracks your progress and keeps score. Enter song lyrics for karaoke-style sing-alongs. Sound card or midi interface optional. (Dos shareware; Windows version available to registered users.)
Virtuax v1.0 is a guitar reference and instruction utility designed to assist advancing guitarists with their practicing. This demo includes a configurable and playable on-screen virtual guitar, a digital metronome, and a tuner. Virtuax also displays chords, scales, and arpeggio patterns using color-coded and numbered fingerings to facilitate easy learning. All charts can be played at various tempos for play-along practice. Includes a Windows based installer and complete help file. (Windows shareware. File size is around 700,000 bytes.)
NoFret is a guitar chord instruction program complete with special help sections to help you tune your guitar and read chord charts. Barre and open chord forms are presented for A,B,C,D,E,F, and G chords in minor, minor 7th, 7th, major, major 7th, 6th, 9th, and 13th forms. Sound support is included for SoundBlaster users so the user can hear how each chord sounds when played correctly. (DOS shareware.)
[NEW] Softech Multimedia has recently released a new version of their Piano Professor for Windows. Piano Professor has a variety of activities to help in learning music (note learning, ear training, chords, key signatures). Softech Multimedia's WWW Page has information about the Piano Professor; you can also download the program directly from the page. The new version has many improvements--the MIDI interface or sound card is now optional and the interface is somewhat faster, among other things. (Windows shareware.)
PC Piano Tutor also has a variety of activities (note learning, ear training, rhythmic dictation, reading intervals, steps and skips). It doesn't require MIDI--sounds are played through the PC's built in speaker and the student must respond through the normal PC keyboard (MIDI support is promised in the registered version). (DOS shareware.) (This link may be difficult to access--keep trying.)
Musicware Piano (demo version) is a full blown piano teaching program. I believe Musicware Piano is intended to be used alone, without a teacher at all (it certainly could be used that way), but it would be a nice complement to regular piano lessons as well. It looks well-designed, with lessons grouped into units and each lesson and each unit seeming to have a well-defined teaching objective. It can handle multiple students easily. This is a demo version, which means you can try a few things and see how it works, but basically it won't do anything usefule unless you register. It is large (over one megabyte, compressed). Requires soundcard with synth drivers or a MIDI keyboard and interface. (Windows demo.)
Musicware, Inc. also has a home page with information about and demos of Musicware Piano and other products for Windows and Macintosh.
MusiCalc II, by Robert Dobbins at the University of Idaho, calculates and displays chords and scales in all keys, major and minor. It displays the roman numeral chords (I, II, III, etc.) as well as secondary dominants, borrowed chords, seventh, ninth, and eleventh chords, and so on. It also has a self-test mode, so you can see if you know all these chords in all these keys. It displays the chords in functional notation (i.e., ii, V7), staff notation, and on a piano keyboard or guitar frets. It seems to be designed as a review or self-study help for a first year college theory class. (DOS Freeware.)
[NEW] Rising Software has developed an aural training program for Windows called Auralia. (Windows commercial program.)
[NEW] CS is a nifty scale and chord utility for guitar.
MiBAC Music Software has released its Music Lessons software for Windows. Music Lessons is a recipient of the 1994-1995 Technology and Learning Software Award of Excellence. (Windows Demo.)
[NEW] Big Note Music Speller helps students learn the notes. Big Note Music Speller works with all midi keyboards and systems. (File size 475K.)
[NEW] The Talking Note Picker teaches students how notes on the keyboard correspond to the notes on the grand staff. The Talking Note Picker plays a note on the piano; the student responds by clicking the matching note on the grand staff. (File size 796K.)
[NEW] The Talking Piano Teacher is a powerful and complete music note teaching program for children and adults. The Talking Piano Teacher shows how good the Macintosh can be for teaching music! (File size 370K.)
Imaja Software has a WWW homepage. The WWW page explains their ear training software (as well as other software they offer) and has instructions for ordering.
[NEW] Trimbelle Software has a series of five disks designed to help students master the rudiments of music. Click here for a brief explanation of them.
[NEW] MiBAC Music Software has released its Music Lessons and MiBAC Jazz software for Macintosh. Their page has further information and demos you can download.
[NEW] Ars Nova's page describes their software products for Macintosh, including Practica Musica 3 (music theory and ear training) and Songworks (composition).
Musicware, Inc. has a home page with information about and demos of products for Windows and Macintosh. The demo for Inner Hearing looked particularly interesting.
Information on the Cochlear Consciousness ear training program is available. (Sorry, this program isn't available on the net. However, it looks very interesting, so I have included some info about it.)
A link to a page about the Guitar Reference, a GEM guitar tool for the Atari ST. This page fully explains the Guitar Reference and has a link to download it.
Here you will find textfiles and hypertext documents that allow you to study music history, theory, and even ear training online.
The number of music education-related sites has exploded in the past year or so. When I first started looking for music education-related pages to put here, I couldn't find a single site. Now there are so many I couldn't possibly list them all. Here are a few good ones to get you started:
Return to the first [NEW] item on the page
The author of this page is Brent Hugh (BHugh@CSTP.UMKC.EDU ). Feel free to email him with any questions about, problems with, complaints regarding, or--especially--suggestions for the page. He especially appreciates it if you send him a quick note (no need to chit-chat or spend extra time being polite) about any problems with the page, such as dead links or outdated information.
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