Composer+Notes

General Information:

 * Title: Composer Notes
 * Author: No Specific Author Listed
 * Publisher: Originally Midiworks Interactive, however [|Sibelius] has since acquired the original publishing company and the program
 * Copyright Date: 2001
 * Platform: Wintel, Mac
 * Peripherals: None required, however several of the examples can be exported and worked with in a MIDI composition program
 * Grade/Age: Early Childhood through High School
 * Type of Class: General Music, Theory, Composition, MIDI Composition

Teacher Support (with version reviewed):

 * The teacher kit includes an audio CD and a CD-ROM, however there is not a specific lesson planner available as the program is designed to flow naturally from topic to topic, but individual topics may be addressed out of sequence.
 * Teachers are free to print and produce overheads of any page introduced in the program.

Instructional Content:

 * Specific musical content addressed: this program addresses compositional aspects ranging from specific characteristics of the instruments in all the main families (articulation techniques, mutes, special effects, tone color and timbre change in relation to range, range, etc.) to actual composing techniques beginning with an introduction to melody writing, motifs, arranging, tempo, texture, idioms, etc.
 * Topics are arranged in units that the student can complete at their own pace. The compositional unit ends with a project based on writing for an ensemble.
 * MENC standards addressed:
 * Standard 3: Improvising melodies, variations, and accompaniments
 * Standard 4: Composing and arranging music within specified guidelines.
 * Standard 5: Reading and notating music.
 * Standard 6: Listening to, analyzing, and describing music.
 * Standard 7: Evaluating music and music performances.

Instructional Design and Pedagogical Soundness:
This program is Discovery based. The program is designed so that a student can independently complete the units which are designed to flow logically from one to the next and enable the student to complete the project at the end of each unit. While the program has very little student interactivity (i.e, no games or challenges evaluated by the computer) and is more of an encyclopedia of the knowledge needed to produce a good composition, the demonstrations available are very sound and relevant to the material covered. Also, the lack of interesting interactive activities could lend itself to a lack of motivation for independent study students or younger students if used in a General Music class for self exploration.


 * Sequence of Materials: Excellent
 * Pace of Instruction: Excellent
 * Quality of Interaction: Fair
 * Motivation for Students: Fair

Record Keeping:
Records are not kept in this program.

Overall Evaluation:
Overall, I believe that, if used properly, this is a good program. The information is presented in a very clear and concise manner and the information presented is very good and students do not need any prior knowledge to use this program. I do, however, believe that a greater amount of interaction from the student would make this an even better program. I believe that it is particularly hard to address the compositional standard of this program. If this program was used in a independent study fashion, it could be beneficial for many different types of musical education and performing classes.

Rating: ***

Reviewer: Michael Pavlik (4/4/2007) Updated by Cindy Braun (6/16/2010)