MusiGenesis

Program: MusiGenesis (shareware) Authored by Kenneth Adams [|www.musigenesis.com] Copyright 2005 For Windows only No additional requirements Any age General Music
 * General Information**

Free technical support provided at support@musigenesis.com
 * Teacher Support**

This program has many instrument choices that students can choose from. This program a wide variety of non-western instruments that could aid in the instruction of a world music class. Students add a track and then are allowed to “mutate” the track (add or delete notes). Students can add as many tracks as they want and can change how often a track starts playing by changing the “triggers” setting.
 * Instructional Content**

Composing and arranging music within specified guidelines. Understanding music in relation to history and culture. Listening to, analyzing, and describing music.
 * Music standards that addressed**

This program is a discovery program geared towards composition and exploration of sounds. It is not meant for notational composing but by sounds. Each instrument has programmed sound which can be altered in pitch and rhythmic complexity. Moreover, each sound file has a predetermined sound that a student can manipulate by shortening the notes duration and the pitches in the sound clip. Sound clips can also be looped. The initial sound file functions as a framework for a student to gain initial exposure, explore the sound, and create a different melody. Different sound clips can be added to create multiple textures.
 * Instructional Design and Pedagogical Soundness**

Although the words would have to be explained, the way the program works is rather simple, so long as the few directions given are read. The graphics are very simple and colors are used to show differences in functions of both buttons and the music (e.g. keep versus delete and downbeats versus subdivisions). The program could be used for any age, though after elementary school students should be using programs that focus more on notation than this or that are more advanced. However, it can be fun to work with for any age group.

There is control of movement because it is a very simple program and everything is on the one screen. Exiting the program is not a problem at any point. There really is not a lot of sequencing of materials. What you see is what you get. The initial screen of explanation and help menu are the only instructional tools provided. The latter is self-guided so the pacing is determined by the individual. The potential for interaction lies in sharing compositions, working together on them and receiving feedback on them. The quality is determined by the teacher but can be motivational for students.

If you pay for the licensed version you can save and export the work, otherwise you cannot. There is no Hall of Fame or any other such method of record keeping for this program.
 * Record Keeping**

This program works very well as an introduction to music. The graphics are not distracting, yet colorful. The free technical support is helpful in case of emergencies. I think the national standards noted above can be effectively met through using this software. The program can be effective as a discovery program because it gives the student a framework to work from and is not notation based. This program might be used as a precursor to a notation software to give students a chance to immerse themselves in various sounds and textures before learning notation. Many sounds included in this software are not found in other programs and can be a great cultural immersion experience. The display on screen is confusing at first but after reading minimal instructions it is fairly simple.
 * Overall Evaluation**

Rating: ***

Reviewer: Sara Marshall 04/03/2006 Edited by: Aaron Ingley 10/25/2010