Introduction

Many years ago when I first heard the phrase “teaching with technology” I noticed two general camps form around the topic. There were many who jumped on the bandwagon and said it was the wave of the future. There were others who shied away from it and believed that the tried and true methods were fine. I must confess that I leaned towards the skeptical side at first. I thought that technology was just an overhyped buzzword and was not worth pursuing.

However, my stance on technology in the world of music education quickly changed when I realized how broad the topic is, and how effective it can be when used properly. I also came to understand that I had been practicing and learning with the aid of technology for many years -- by playing with a metronome. A relatively simple device that has been around for almost 200 years, it is one of the most useful practice tools we have. I had also learned a great deal through the use of play-along records. I had not heard of anyone refer to that process as “teaching with technology,” but that is exactly what it is. In all of those years of using the Jamey Aebersold recordings I was using music technology in one of its simplest forms.

Over the the last several years I have become more and more of a tech geek, and have learned many ways to help students through technology. I love working with Photoshop, Flash, and Cinema 4D, not to mention all the great music software that I’m using: Sibelius, Digital Performer, and many software synths, from Native Instruments, Applied Acoustic Systems, and MOTU, to name a few. All of these programs offer limitless opportunities for creativity -- the chance to take an idea and run with it and keep running.

I will use this blog to post my ideas on music education, and to link to the educational tools that I create. I will talk about technology, but will cover many other topics, too.
More soon.