J. B. Smith Music
Instructional Software and Books
|
First Flash: Band Together Music Sight Reading Software for Wind Bands First Flash: Band Together tests a young ensemble's ability to quickly recognize, process and store notated music and encourages accurate execution of rhythm and melody.
The program alternately displays measure-length rhythms or melodies and blank screens. Six unison musical examples are displayed simultaneously (four treble clef in the keys of C, B-Flat, F and E-Flat, a high register bass clef in C and a low register bass clef in C). Upon clicking the START button, a metronome click is heard while the musical fragments are displayed. When the screen goes blank the rhythm or melody is played in unison by the group. The process continues until the STOP button on the screen or the <RETURN> key on the computer keyboard is depressed. Included with the program and accompanying files is a detailed user manual. Features
·Exercises are chosen from pull-down menus on the home screen. Included are 4 levels of pitch lessons in 5 keys. ·Tempo of exercises is variable using an on-screen slider control. ·The metronome click can be sent to the computer's speakers or headphone output. ·Can be used by treble and bass clef instruments in the keys of C, B-flat, E-flat and F. ·Sync Flash mode displays musical fragments continually. The player must play the previous measure while reading the current measure (as would be employed when "looking ahead" when reading sheet music). ·So a student can hear a precise performance of each exercise, a DEMO mode is offered. Sounds can be generated from an external MIDI module or from the computer's internal sound card. ·Should a student want to retry an exercise a reset option is available. |
Mac Download $29.95
|
|
First Flash: Strings Together Music Sight Reading Software for String Orchestras First Flash: Band Together tests a young ensemble's ability to quickly recognize, process and store notated music and encourages accurate execution of rhythm and melody.
The program alternately displays measure-length rhythms or melodies and blank screens. Four unison musical examples are displayed simultaneously (one treble clef for violins, alto clef for viola and bass clefs for cello and string bass). Upon clicking the START button, a metronome click is heard while the musical fragments are displayed. When the screen goes blank the rhythm or melody is played in unison by the group. The process continues until the STOP button on the screen or the <RETURN> key on the computer keyboard is depressed. Included with the program and accompanying files is a detailed user manual. Features
·Exercises are chosen from pull-down menus on the home screen. Included are 4 levels of pitch lessons in 5 keys. ·Tempo of exercises is variable using an on-screen slider control. ·The metronome click can be sent to the computer's speakers or headphone output. ·Can be used by treble and bass clef instruments in the keys of C, B-flat, E-flat and F. ·Sync Flash mode displays musical fragments continually. The player must play the previous measure while reading the current measure (as would be employed when "looking ahead" when reading sheet music). ·So a student can hear a precise performance of each exercise, a DEMO mode is offered. Sounds can be generated from an external MIDI module or from the computer's internal sound card. ·Should a student want to retry an exercise a reset option is available. |
|
|
First Flash Music Sight Reading Software for Beginners First Flash tests a young musician's ability to quickly recognize, process and store notated music and encourages accurate execution of rhythm and melody.
The program alternately displays measure-length rhythms or melodies and blank screens. Upon clicking the START button, a metronome click is heard while the musical fragments are displayed. When the screen goes blank the rhythm or melody is played in unison by the group. The process continues until the STOP button on the screen or the <RETURN> key on the computer keyboard is depressed. Included with the program and accompanying files is a detailed user manual. Features
·Exercises are chosen from pull-down menus on the home screen. Included are 11 levels of rhythm exercises and 4 levels of pitch lessons in 7 keys. ·Tempo of exercises is variable using an on-screen slider control. ·The metronome click can be sent to the computer's speakers or headphone output. ·Can be used by treble and bass clef instruments in the keys of C, B-flat, E-flat and F. ·Sync Flash mode displays musical fragments continually. The player must play the previous measure while reading the current measure (as would be employed when "looking ahead" when reading sheet music). ·So a student can hear a precise performance of each exercise, a DEMO mode is offered. Sounds can be generated from an external MIDI module or from the computer's internal sound card. ·Should a student want to retry an exercise a reset option is available. |
|
|
Rhythm Tracker Music Sight Reading Software for Beginning-Intermediate Musicians Rhythm Tracker tests a beginning musician’s ability to quickly recognize, process and store notated music and encourages accurate execution of rhythm. The program displays short rhythmic exercises. Upon clicking the START button, a metronome click is heard while a display box traverses the screen mimicking the path the eyes should follow while reading the music. As is employed when “looking ahead” in the music, the eyes are focused on the upcoming passage while short-term memory is being accessed to play the current measure.The rhythm can be played on the computer keyboard, an acoustic or MIDI instrument. With MIDI or audio input configured, the program will analyze the performance and display results in tables for assessment of rhythmic accuracy and dynamic execution (depending on the exercise chosen). Graphs indicate early and late rhythms and low and high dynamics. The system also offers verbal feedback to each performance (sometimes crudely, a la “American Idol”). Three methods are available for entering performance data: a MIDI device transmitting note number 38, the <Z> and <X> keys on the computer keyboard or a microphone. MIDI instrument ports can be selected using the SETUP button in the main window. Given the complexity of converting a microphone signal into the program’s required format, a high-quality microphone patched through an external audio interface will offer the best results. Headphones are required when using a microphone to prevent the metronome sound from being recorded as a pitch event. Each performance is recorded into tables that can be saved as a text file. A standard “save file” menu can be accessed via the “SAVE RESULTS” button. In DEMO mode, the computer’s internal MIDI player (or an external device if selected in the SETUP menu) plays along with the performer. Input and output options, audio configuration, instrument assignments, and system optimization can be defined and tested in the SETUP window. Changes to the settings (in addition to clef, transposition & comment options) can be saved using the buttons in the SAVE/LOAD SETTINGS panel. The saved preferences are recalled whenever the program is reopened. Clicking on RECALL DEFAULT SETTINGS will return the program to it’s original configuration. Features ·Exercises are chosen from pull-down menus on the home screen. Included are 4 levels of musical examples each with 10 exercises ·Tempo of exercises is variable using an on-screen slider control. ·The metronome click can be generated from the computer's audio output or from a MIDI synthesizer module. ·So a student can hear a precise performance of each exercise, a DEMO mode is offered. Sounds can be generated from an external MIDI module or from the computer's internal sound card. |
|
|
Flash Tracker Music Sight Reading Software for Intermediate-Advanced Musicians Flash Tracker tests intermediate to advanced musician’s ability to quickly recognize, process and store notated music and encourages accurate execution of rhythm and melody. The program alternately displays measure-length rhythms or melodies and blank screens. Upon clicking the START button, a metronome click is heard while a series of measure-length musical fragments are displayed. When the screen goes blank the rhythm or melody is played on an acoustic or MIDI instrument. The process continues until the performer depresses the STOP button on the screen or the <RETURN> key on the computer keyboard. With MIDI or audio input configured, the program will analyze the performance and display results in tables for assessment of pitch accuracy, rhythmic accuracy and dynamic execution (depending on the exercise chosen). Graphs indicate high and low pitches, dropped notes, early and late rhythms and low and high dynamics. The system also offers verbal feedback to each performance (sometimes crudely, a la “American Idol”). Included with the program and accompanying files is a detailed user manual. Features ·Exercises are chosen from pull-down menus on the home screen. Included are 7 levels of rhythm exercises and 4 levels of pitch exercises in 13 keys. ·Tempo of exercises is variable using an on-screen slider control. ·Prerecorded comments are played back through the computer's speakers following each exercise. Well-executed exercises generate positive responses, poorly played examples produce suggestions for improvement. ·The metronome click can be sent to the computer's speakers or headphone output. ·Can be used by treble and bass clef instruments in the keys of C, B-flat, E-flat and F. ·For advanced students, Sync Flash mode is available. Instead of a blank screen between measures the music is displayed continually. The player must play the previous measure while reading the current measure (as would be employed when "looking ahead" when reading sheet music). ·So a student can hear a precise performance of each exercise, a DEMO mode is offered. Sounds can be generated from an external MIDI module or from the computer's internal sound card. ·Should a student want to retry an exercise a reset option is available. ·Stored files can be retrieved for future use. Pitch, rhythm and volume information is stored along with analysis data (percentage of correct pitches, average time ahead of the beat, average time behind the beat, etc)
DEMO VIDEO NO. 2
|
|
 
|
Solo Duets 50 Exercises to Improve Rhythmic Precision
With widely available computer-based audio recording programs, musicians can use the 50 Solo Duets to evaluate and improve their rhythmic skills. Each short exercise consists of two lines of rhythm which, when combined, will produce a one- or two-measure long pattern. With the computer’s metronome enabled, users record each part onto separate channels of a multi-track session. By playing back both parts together, rhythmic tendencies will not only be audible but can be assessed visually by inspecting the program’s time-line and waveform displays. The method was designed for use with a snare drum or other percussion instrument but can be adapted for use by wind and stringed instruments.
|
|
