In today’s Feature Friday, you will learn the quickest way to add content to SmartMusic – creating MP3s! Once an MP3 is in your SmartMusic library, you can assign it to students for practice or evaluation purposes.

Here are some ways that teachers are using MP3s:

• Take all or a portion of a large group recording and make an assignment. Students will get the recording, be able to practice with it and submit a recording like any SmartMusic assignment, including on an iPad. Just like other SmartMusic repertoire, the tempo can be slowed down without changing the pitch.
• Have students listen to recordings that other groups are performing.
• “Call and response” assignments – using the SmartMusic digital recorder in the Practice Tools, play or sing a short phrase and leave time for the student to respond with the same phrase. Then import the file to create the assignment.
  • Rhythms drills
  • Jazz licks
  • Language drills-diction
  • Technique (i.e., double tonguing, vibrato)
  • Tone quality
  • Ear training
  • Solfege

If you have never imported an MP3 into SmartMusic, just click on this link for step-by-step directions.

Creating MP3 Assignments (After importing a file)

Step 1 

• Drag or type to set your tempo (100% is the tempo of the imported MP3).
• Drag or type to set the beginning and ending of your assignment (by time). Be sure to give enough lead-time for students to catch the tempo.
• Transpose the recording if needed.
  
• Click the Assignment button.

Step 2

• Name the assignment.
• Enter Instructions to your students.
• Choose the Grading style (only notation files have green and red note assessment).
• Choose the Tempo settings: At Least or Exactly.
• Associate State Standards to the assignment (optional).
• Set the Assign and Due dates.
• Click Schedule.

Step 3

Any assignment can be tailored for a specific group of students or instruments.

• Select the Class or Classes.
• Sort by Name, Instrument or Class by clicking on the category name.
• Click Done.

That is it! You have created an assignment using an MP3 recording!

When the student opens the assignment in SmartMusic, it will open with the settings you selected. Like all assignments, students can change settings to practice and do multiple Takes, but only can submit an assignment that has been recorded with the required settings. 

Being able to import any MP3 file into SmartMusic gives you and your students many options for practice and evaluation purposes.

Click on the following links to learn more about Creating Assignments and Implementing SmartMusic in your program.

Have a question or comment? Click on the “Comments” link below.