Bicycle Built for Two

Noteflight is a free music notation program that allows individuals to create and share music online.  Not only does this browser-based program allow users to hear and print their own music, the free version also allows them to save up to ten documents on the cloud.  While this program proves to be a bit more cumbersome than some of the expensive notation software, such as Finale and Sibelius, it is definitely a viable alternative for use in music education.

As a band director, having access to music notation software is essential.  This technology is used for a multitude of reasons and in an unstable economy, Noteflight affords students, and teachers alike, the necessary tools to compose, recreate, and transpose parts as necessary.  This arrangement of “Bicycle Built for Two,” for voice and piano, is a perfect example of one of the many ways music educators may utilize this program.

As I have mentioned in previous posts, my school is in the process of implementing a one to one technology program and the possibility of being able to use Noteflight with my students is exciting!  Now that all of my high school Jazz Band students have personal computers, we will be able to practice improvisation skills by writing passages in Noteflight.  After students write ideas, they will be able to share with one another, as well as opening documents up for others to change.  This has the potential to exponentially increase improvisation ability in this group.

While this is one way to integrate Noteflight into the curriculum, there are still many possibilities to be explored and I look forward to introducing my students to the program.