Day 16 - 3/4/10

Finally there is a web-based notation program and it is easy to use!  The learning curve is very small.  Noteflight is a fantastic notation tool that is easy enough for a student to use, but has enough features that teachers will like using it too!  An email address is all that is required to sign-up and best of all it is FREE!

I have been using Noteflight for a couple of weeks now and was trying to think how I could incorporate this into my full band rehearsals.  Noteflight allows the user to create different instrument parts and be able to view them in concert pitch or in the instrument's key.  The music can be viewed in both page and strip view.  Lots of features like articulations, text, triplets, page breaks, time and key signature changes are all part of Noteflight.  (Man, I am giving these guys quite a promo!)  Best of all, the notation can be played back and the tempo can be changed as well.

I was able to use Noteflight in rehearsal on two occasions and definitely see the possibility of incorporating it more often.  Because it has so many options, there are a variety of uses.  I was able to create an effective articulation warm-up and two octave scales for flute, clarinet, and saxophone.  The scales were nice because I could show (visually and aurally) the students exactly how it should be played for their upcoming scale test.

Any music that is created in Noteflight can be shared with others with a link or embedded on a webpage.  If you choose, others can even comment on your piece.  The possibilities seem endless.  Teachers can assign composing and arranging projects, create custom warm-ups and worksheets, re-write parts, and more.  And, because it is web-based, your projects can be accessed from any computer.

Good luck and have fun!  Feel free to leave a comment about your experience with Noteflight.  Here's what others have been saying about Noteflight -  SBO magazine

Resources:  Noteflight.com, LCD projector