August 07, 2020
Guilt-Free Screen Time | Music Software, Practice Apps, and More
For many parents, technology and screen time are a constant source of frustration between them and their kids. With smartphones, gaming, and social media platforms taking so much time and attention from today’s kids, it makes sense why many view tech as a dreaded nemesis when it comes to parenting. But the truth is that screens are facilitating incredible music education experiences in homes around the world today. From fun remote music lessons to smartphone apps that teach kids about music theory, music-oriented technology helps kids learn and have fun.
Online music lessons
Most parents know that working one-on-one with an expert music teacher delivers phenomenal results for young music students. Private music lessons give kids the personal attention and plan they need to learn an instrument, perform, and master basic musical skills and knowledge. But with busy family schedules, it can be difficult for many parents to commit to driving their kids to lessons every week. Online music lessons are perfect for busy families because they allow kids to receive expert music instruction right from their homes during whatever weekly time that works for them. And because these lessons are taught through computers, both teacher and student have instant access to digital tools designed to help kids learn like metronomes, learning apps, and recording software. If you’re looking for a convenient and powerful way to bring music to your child, online lessons are the way to go.
Smartphone apps
From developing rhythm skills to teaching music theory and logging practice time, there’s a universe of helpful music education apps out there designed for students. There are countless free and easy-to-use metronome apps that let students customize tempos so they can practice along to the beat. Many metronome features are included within other apps. Modacity helps kids organize students’ practice sessions and track progress. Ear Trainer Lite builds crucial listening skills for musicians, like interval, scale, and chord identification. When it comes to introducing kids to rhythm-reading, Rhythm Cat does a great job in helping students learn through fun games and challenges. If your promising student musician is learning how to play guitar, they’ll need a tuning app to help them play in tune. Fender Tune is a great option.
Smartphone apps are not only educating kids, but are also helping them to create music and collaborate with one another. Owned by the Swedish music company Spotify, Soundtrap is a music creation platform, social media service, and music education network. Loopimal lets kids construct loops of melodies and rhythms by playing with fun animal characters. And if none of these have convinced you that smartphone apps can help your child learn and have fun with music, check out Bloom. Created by musician Brian Eno, this endlessly entertaining app allows kids to create music instantly by tapping the screen on their smartphone. The world of music education and creation apps is constantly evolving, and these are just a few of the great options out there.
Music software
While smartphone apps are great for introducing kids to music and helping them tune and create on the go, software programs for computers are able to deepen their relationships with music even further. Music notation platforms like PreSonus and Noteflight give kids tools to match orchestral sounds with notes and create their own musical scores. Ideal for musical experimentation, Reason and Native Instruments give kids a virtual endless array of sounds to create and experiment with, including loops, beats, synthesizers, and lifelike instruments. And for music students who are ready to record their own songs, Pro Tools is an easy-to-use recording platform used by everyone from professional audio engineers to musicians recording from home.
How to balance tech in music education
Technology gives today’s music students incredible tools they wouldn’t have had access to before, but that doesn’t mean kids should spend all their time staring into screens. Tech needs to be balanced with other parts of a student’s practice routine. Putting in the hard work of physically picking up an instrument and playing needs to come first, and anything tech-related should come second.
Online music lessons at Music & Arts
If you’re looking for phenomenal online music lessons for your child, Music & Arts has you covered. University-trained and background-checked, Music & Arts’ music teachers have the passion, expertise, and plan to help your child thrive through music no matter what their goals are. Sign up today!
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