Full Pitcher Forums

Creative Classroom Projects

Audrey — Wed, 03 Jun 2009 23:08:09 GMT

Have you discovered The Full Pitcher's creative music projects for Key Stages 1,2 and 3? See here

Audrey

Forum: Class Music Teaching

learn how to play top guitar riffs on video

magriang — Tue, 02 Jun 2009 18:57:17 GMT

learn how to play top guitar riffs on video

riffmaster

Forum: Instrumental Teaching

Sustain Pedal Solution for Digital Piano

Audrey — Sat, 11 Apr 2009 17:13:00 GMT

Many thanks to Winford Clark for this information about a pedalling solution for disabled pianists. Winford writes:

"Most digital (i.e. electric) pianos or synthesizers can be used quite easily by players who can't activate the sustain pedal with their feet. All that is required is a mercury tilt switch worn on a headband, which is attached to a 1/4 inch phone plug at the other end of a 5 or 6 foot wire. This plugs into the existing sustain pedal jack on the back of the piano. more....

Forum: Music & Disability

Resources for Family Sing-Songs

Audrey — Fri, 10 Apr 2009 23:00:15 GMT

Want songs and ideas for family singing? Well, here's a great site with all you need to get started: http://www.singup.org/ Here, you'll find lots of songs for various age groups, with lyrics, audio tracks, printable songsheets and activities.

Forum: Family Music

MIDIgrid for accordion bass

jjj — Sun, 23 Nov 2008 00:41:50 GMT

With MIDIgrid one can build a pentatonic accompaniment, just like the ones used in the Stradella accordion bass.
Electronically very much harder to realize.

A cheap Midi controller can be made from 5 octave Chinese rollup rubber pianos with MIDI OUT terminal.
Yet, its only recommended for creating a pentatonic accompaniment, because there only one or two control keys will be activated.
Pressing 3-4 fingered chords on the rollup piano causes to distort certain notes; but no distortion with single key/notes.

Forum: Improvisation

Music Together at Christmas

Audrey — Thur, 20 Nov 2008 23:18:13 GMT

For online activities to share with family or friends, supported by Flash audio and lyrics, see:
http://www.fullpitcher.co.uk/xmas_fun.htm

These carols and activities are also available as a CD ROM, "Making Music Together at Christmas". This is an ebook, set out like a normal illustrated songbook, with lyrics and audio. See the software section of the

Full Pitcher store

Have fun!

Audrey

Forum: Family Music

Impro for flute, guitar and piano

Audrey — Thur, 20 Nov 2008 23:00:24 GMT

One doesn't come across many examples of non-jazz improvisation, so I was very interested to watch the videos here:

http://uk.youtube.com/user/reloadsanear

Can anybody recommend other links?

Audrey

Forum: Improvisation

Call for Entries: VSA arts International Young Soloists Award

VSAarts — Tue, 21 Oct 2008 15:32:09 GMT

Call for Entries

VSA arts International Young Soloists Award

Calling all rock stars & divasjazz bands and blues brothersmusicians of all styles! The VSA arts International Young Soloists Program is looking for talented musicians who have a disability.

Selected musicians from the United States and the international arena will receive $5,000 and will perform in Washington, DC. Any musician (instrumental or vocal) from the United States who has a disability and is age 25 or under is eligible to apply. Any musician from outside the United States who has a disability and is age 30 and under is eligible to apply.

Ensembles of 2-8 people that meet the above age requirements and have at least one member with a disability are also eligible to apply. Download guidelines and an application at http://www.vsarts.org. Deadline: November 15, 2008 for U.S. applicants and December 1, 2008 for applicants outside the United States.

Forum: Music & Disability

Instrument for a cerebral-palsied player?

summersong — Fri, 17 Oct 2008 10:32:30 GMT

Hi!

I need to find an instrument for a child with cerebral pasy - spastic quadriplegia. Are there any adapted instruments she could play?

Summersong

Forum: Music & Disability

Does anyone teach theremin?

Audrey — Tue, 14 Oct 2008 18:20:45 GMT

Hi,

I just got asked if I knew anyone who taught theremin. The questioner wondered if it might be a good instrument for someone with a mild left-hemiplegia. This is what I said:

"Because a theremin is a more portable instrument, it would allow you
to play in a wider range of situations. It isn't easier to play than
a piano, though, just different. I'd be surprised if anyone teaches
it because it is an instrument that is played by those who want to
experiment and do 'their own thing'. There is an instrument called a
Soundbeam (see: http://www.soundbeam.co.uk) that was invented to enable
dancers to create their own music. This is now used by many teachers
and therapists worldwide, so there is a good chance that you might
find someone experienced in the principles of using this instrument,
which is very similar to a theremin. Soundbeam is an instrument which is
accessible to even the most disabled of people. It creates a level
playing field: anyone can make music with it BUT to play well demands
creativity, intense emotional involvement and lots of practice."

Anyone else got any thoughts on this, or know of a theremin player/teacher?

Audrey

Forum: Instrumental Teaching

playing piano with one hand

arleneh — Fri, 04 Jul 2008 19:30:54 GMT

Hello. I've got MS & can't use my left hand anymore. I've just had my piano tuned after 25 years & am looking for music, but most 'one-hand' searches yield left-handed sheet music. The right-hand music I do see looks too easy. Not that I was a great player ever but I'm looking for something more challenging, like Beethoven's Sonatas arranged for the right hand only. Thanks for any suggestions or comments. -- Arlene in B'klyn, NY USA

Forum: Music & Disability

Integrating Technology in the Curriculum

Audrey — Wed, 09 Apr 2008 11:07:47 GMT

I have recently had several requests for help and advice that are at least partly answered by my publication, "Music Technology & Curriculum Access", so it seems appropriate to save myself some time and post a little plug for it here.

This study was published in 2001, so it clearly does not describe the lastest software and hardware. It does, however, deal with principles of learning and classroom teaching which are the same whatever equipment is being used. It considers two important questions:

1) Does the technology necessary to address each and every area of the music curriculum exist?
2) Can the relevant technology be incorporated into normal classroom practice?

I conducted several investigations, in order to find answers to these two questions, including:
a) bringing together components to form computer-based systems for the use of particular individuals/groups with severe physical disabilities
b) using identical equipment with groups of varying levels of physical/intellectual ability.
c) creating 'virtual instruments' to facilitate live performance and documenting their use
d) analysis of class performances to identify the points at which technology was contributing to differentiation
e) individual case studies
f) identifying a number of software packages suitable for class teaching and analysing them, in terms of physical and intellectual access
g) authoring original, computer based, teaching materials and 'test-driving' them in the classroom
h) initiating both individual and group music sessions in a nursing home for young people with profound and multiple learning difficulties, entering observations of the sessions into a keyword database and analysing them in terms of the National Curriculum.

In the book you will find sections on composition, performance, concept development and the role of the classroom computer.

See also the website at http://www.musicedutech.com

Best wishes,
Audrey

Forum: Music Technology in Education

Simple Audio Recording

Audrey — Thur, 03 Apr 2008 19:00:11 GMT

A subject which seems to crop up frequently on teachers' mailing lists is the need to find a simple and convenient way of making recordings in the instrumental lesson. There isn't time for the fiddling with microphones, monitors and feedback, etc. that usually accompanies a recording project. Well, for this teacher, the problem has just been solved by the CD-2e portable recorder. This portable device records, at the touch of a button, to CD or an SD card. It also has other features very useful in the instrumental lesson or practice situation. See my blog for a description:

http://fullpitcher.wordpress.com/2008/04/03/useful-machine-for-teachers-and-community-musicians/

Anyone got an equally simple solution?

Audrey

Forum: Instrumental Teaching

Music Tech Teachers for Disabled in Sussex

ulrichburke — Sat, 29 Mar 2008 09:25:35 GMT

Dear Anyone.

I have Cerebral Palsy. I am a classically trained musician, which means I know harmony, sight-reading, notation and am not bad on theory.

I have Reason 3.0 and Kontakt, but I can't get the hang of using either of them, even though I've studied their textbooks ad nauseam.

Does anyone know of anybody who could give me a few lessons in either Reason or Kontakt. I'm in Sussex but I can travel via train and bus (don't drive) to anywhere where there's a reasonable amount of accessibility. I don't honestly think I need masses of lessons, just a few to pull together all the bits I HAVE worked out into an overall knowledge of how the software thinks/works.

I'm trying to write New Age music - gentle piano'n'strings or flute'n'strings, maybe a few gentle pads. I've an M-Audio Audiophile 2496 Soundcard, 1 gig RAM, 200 gig hard drive spare. I have to use a notation package because of the disability, so the master plan is to create MIDI files with the notation package, import the files into Reason or Kontakt and use their beautiful sounds to play the music on. Except everything sounds like it's had a mike shoved up its (censored) and is then played full blast, and I'm out of ideas as to why. Right now, I'd LOVE one hands on lesson, rather than a 'Had you thought of trying this' type answer, though I'll try anything anyone says, as I've been batting my head against this one now for years and it's beginning to really seriously annoy me!!

Yours in hope

Chris.

Forum: Instrumental Teaching

Spring Fun

Audrey — Tue, 12 Feb 2008 23:40:19 GMT

Want some music with a "Spring" theme? Check out the Spring Fun page on the Full Pitcher site. There you will find Flash music, lyrics and ideas for sharing the songs in mixed ability groups, at home or in the classroom.

http://www.fullpitcher.co.uk/spring_fun.htm

Forum: Class Music Teaching