Using Finale and SmartMusic to Differentiate my Classroom
Beginner music students struggle to see their progress and feel accomplished when they are working on such complex music and skills. Why not set them up for success using technology!? This year, the Holiday Pops director in Juneau, asked Juneau Alaska Music Matters (J.A.M.M.) to accompany Pachelbel’s Canon in D for their concert, but the accompaniment is written for piano and is very complicated. I also have a beginner viola class who would like to play Dragonhunter with their peers, but the music is very challenging for their ability level. To create developmentally appropriate arrangements and practice habits for my string students on these pieces, I decided to teach myself to work with Finale and SmartMusic softwares.
The first step to creating an arrangement for elementary school level students is to understand the skills and techniques in a scope and sequence. The American String Teacher’s Association and SHAR has compiled a sequence of skills for each grade of orchestral playing. For Level 1, the guidelines suggest simple rhythms and meter, staying in first position, keeping bow strokes separate, and writing limited finger alterations (see image 1 below). After studying the existing parts for Pachelbel’s Canon in D and Dragonhunter, I talked with my cello, bass, and violin colleagues for advice on the range of notes and rhythms appropriate for specific students in our chamber group. The arrangement isn’t just for a generic ability level but for a specific group of students with a specific timeline. The value of knowing softwares like Finale and SmartMusic, therefore, is that any teacher can differentiate a piece of music for a specfic group of their students.
Next, I went to Finale and quickly picked up simple note entry, simple rest entry, and adding expressive signs. The hard part was making decisions about how to cover the essential parts of the music without writing something too arduous. Here are a few decisions I made through this process.
Ex. 1: (left) excerpt of original Pachelbel accompaniment; (right) corresponding part of my arrangement
Ex. 2: (left) excerpt of original Dragonhunter viola part (right) corresponding excerpt of my arrangement
Notice that, in general, I took parts that were too rhythmically complicated and either simplified them to longer values or divided them among different parts. If there were too many finger alterations, I made changed a note to be the same note consecutively. I learned that Finale also has a feature that allows you to make the note-heads bigger and to put note names inside the note heads to make note-reading easier. Here are sound files for the two arrangements I made. I’ve also created full PDF versions of the final arrangements for Canon in D and Dragonhunter.
mp3 of Pachelbel's Canon in D
original accompaniment by Michael Clawson
arr. by Sophia Butler
mp3 of Dragonhunter by Richard Meyer
arr. by Sophia Butler
To enter the music into SmartMusic, I first had to create a class including all the students who would receive the assignment. To upload Finale files, the music document must be exported to SmartMusic which transforms it into an “.smp” file. SmartMusic then asks what kind of instruments and accompaniment should play during practice and assessment of the piece. In SmartMusic, the “.smp” file can then be uploaded into a playlist and assigned to the desired class. SmartMusic has instructional videos, which walked me through the export process and how to create the assignment for my students. Next step, actually teaching the music!
To teach these pieces, the process was the same as any other piece. The difference was, my students and I were supported by technology to help them feel more successful. When first looking at the piece, we always look for patterns. Where are rhythms or notes repeated? In Canon in D, frequent repetition made students feel very accomplished after learning 4 measures and realizing they had really learned half the piece. Next, we sing just the rhythm with syllables that are specific to different rhythmic values, and separately just note names. In Dragonhunter, my violists needed this differentiation because they are new to note reading. Lesson plans I used for teaching Canon in D and Dragonhunter can be found by clicking on the links.
As indicated in those lesson plans, during JAMM club, there is time set aside for students to work with SmartMusic either in small groups or with a teaching assistant. Because performances of these pieces are coming soon and highly exposed, we are able to use SmartMusic to keep students accountable for their notes and rhythms. They must turn in an assessment of Canon in D in order to perform with the group. Likewise, in order for my violists to be able to play with their orchestra peers in the spring, I am going to ask that they pass off on SmartMusic so I know they are able to read music before they get frustrated with the pace of an advanced orchestra.
In sum, Finale helps to make rehearsals smoother and scaffolding more successful. SmartMusic helps to keep students accountable, motivate them to practice, and assess their progress. Practicing with Finale and SmartMusic has given me a fluency with music related technology that enhances my ability to cater to my students needs. I am excited to be able to transpose, transcribe, arrange, and compose music with Finale in addition to knowing some extra features, like writing note names inside the notes. Most of all, through this project, I have valued getting to know my students' ability levels and researching developmentally appropriate music charactersitics. I feel more knowledgable in selecting repertoire for various student ability levels and making favorite pieces of music accessible to all ability levels. I value these skills because they allow me to boost confidence and self-efficacy in my students. As a teacher from an El Sistema program in Caracas, Venezuela said
"Because they are beginners, we have made them a very simple part. But they will be able to play in an orchestra along with the more advanced players when we have our concert. Because what we are really working on is their self-esteem. And when they play together with everyone, they feel they have a place. They feel valuable." -Rafael Elster
Appendix 1: ASTA/SHAR Chart of Scope and Sequence Skills for Orchestral Instruments
Violin & Viola:
1 Remains primarily in first position, with few alterations of finger placement. Bowings include detached strokes and short slurs. Rhythmic patterns are simple.
2 Employs full use of first position without rapid changes in finger placement. May contain some passages in third position. Includes more varied rhythmic patterns.
3 Builds fluency with the first three positions, occasionally up to fifth position. Requires greater skill in string crossing and bow strokes.
4 Employs full use of the first five positions with double-stops and chords appearing more frequently. Passages may include spiccato, sautille, and staccato bowings.
5 Employs the higher positions on all four strings. Large leaps and extended passages in double-stops are also used. Requires advanced bowing techniques.
6 Requires all essential techniques have been mastered.
Cello:
1 Remains exclusively in first position, most often in the keys of D, G, or C. Rhythms are simple with meters in 4/4, 3/4, or 2/4.
2 Increased use of the first through fourth positions. Increased difficulty in rhythms and bowings.
3 Builds fluency with the tenor clef and expands range to seventh position. Bowing styles include lengthier slurring, staccato, and spiccato. May use double-stops.
4 Continues the use of thumb position and the treble clef. Contains advanced bow strokes such as sautille.
5 Employs all positions, double-stops, and varieties of bowings.
6 Requires extremely advanced technique to interpret and perform repertoire.
Double Bass:
1 Remains primarily in half and first position. Bowing techniques include detached and staccato strokes and short slurs.
2 Explores through third position as well as some higher positions. Rhythmic patterns include irregular grouping.
3 Explores third and higher positions, including thumb position. Employs more advanced bowing techniques.
4 Includes the use of the first seven positions and some thumb position in tenor and treble clef. May use advanced bowing techniques such as spiccato, ricochet, and broken chords.
5 Makes use of all positions, including thumb position. Requires wide variety of bowing techniques.
6 Requires all essential techniques have been mastered.
Ensemble:
1/2 Requires simple, basic techniques. Most use only first position and are in easy keys.
3/4 Requires simple shifting and/or more complex keys, rhythms, articulations, and forms. More emphasis is placed on ensemble techniques and bow development.
5/6 Requires multiple positions, all keys, modulations, and perhaps more than one clef. Complex rhythms and meter relationships are commonplace.