Using your Computer for Music Making and Musical Education
People who play a musical instrument often don’t see
that there can be any connection at all between that and their home
computer. Yet if you already have a computer then it almost certainly
has the capability of being used as the starting point for
a small home music studio. You might associate this immediately
with bedroom dj’s and not see the connection between traditional music
making and your PC – but you would be amazed at how much software
there is available that could enhance your playing, regardless
of your musical tastes.
The cost of connecting your PC up to a digital keyboard or
piano is insignificant, and the process is straightforward.
And whatever you want to do musically, there is probably a software product,
which will help you do it:
- Education – there are plenty of tutors for learning
the piano, keyboard, guitar, saxophone…. name your instrument. There
is also software to help you learn the ins and outs of music theory and for
ear training – especially useful if you are hoping to take theory exams,
or to practise for aural tests. If you want to resurrect old skills, start
from scratch, or support your child while they are learning then there will
certainly be software tutors that will help you do it.
- Composition – whether you are interested in traditional
notation, orchestration, sequencing, multi-tracking, or playing with samples
and loops, the computer has become a godsend to composers and musicians of
all kinds; there are literally hundreds of different pieces of software out
there to support your creative activity. The best software is no more difficult
to learn than a word processor or spreadsheet package, and opens the door
to you being able to compose and present your work professionally, either
via printed sheet music or through the creation of CD’s that you can
then share with others.
- Interactivity/auto-accompaniment – playing an instrument
can be a lonely experience if you haven’t got people on hand to play
along with. There is software available that gives you the chance to interact
with accompaniments. It’s like having your very own band or accompanist
– in some ways better in fact, as it plays at a tempo to suit you. Some
of the software is even capable of reacting live to your tempo changes, or
can help you correct inaccuracies, making the experience even more rewarding
and beneficial, and leading to genuine improvement in your skill level. Even
if you are at the very start of your music learning you can benefit from playing
simple tunes with an accompaniment – and with the option of setting
an appropriate tempo you won’t be frustrated by an accompaniment that
is too fast for you.
A few years ago music software was expensive, and you would have required a
great deal of cumbersome hardware as well. Nowadays a home studio can be almost
entirely software-based so it doesn’t take up much room, is reasonably
priced, yet is incredibly powerful.
The next question then is not just what is available, but which is the best
product for you? We know how hard it can be to get up and running without the
right guidance. Our aim is to clearly tell you exactly what each piece of software
does, and suggest how it might be used, so you can make an informed decision.
Different people will have very different requirements – we hope to guide
you straight to the right software for you with the minimum
of fuss and technical jargon.
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