Instead of students simply practicing at home with no feedback, Music Director Michael Ogdon has introduced a new tool called SmartMusic, this school year. This software is designed to help instrumentalists and vocalists to practice and improve in multiple aspects of their performance.

“SmartMusic is a computer program that helps vocalists and instrumentalists improve their performance through interactive exercises, drills and musical pieces,” Ogdon said. “Students play or sing and the program assesses their performance.”

SmartMusic is equipped with multiple learning activities for all the performing groups offered at FC. The different activities are presented in graduated difficulty and can be performed at a wide variety tempos and in many keys. Ogdon says that the program is great for tracking one’s improvement.

“Results are ‘graded’ and shown for each activity attempted,” Ogdon said. “Simply put, SmartMusic helps students sing or play the right notes at the right time.”

The value of SmartMusic, Ogdon says, is “only as important as the individual makes it.” However, he believes that practice outside of class is crucial to individual and group improvement.

Ogdon has been hoping to get SmartMusic started for a few years now, and has tried to bring it into class settings to show the program’s usefulness. After using it with the elementary band, he has observed its benefits.

Beyond SmartMusic helping the groups as a whole, it is designed to be a practice partner, working with the musicians instead of them simply reading a piece of music.

“I came across the SmartMusic program at a music conference several years ago and will immediately impressed with the way technology was interacting with live musicians,” Ogdon said. “I saw the potential it had to help the self-disciplined student excel in their private practicing and encourage the younger student to learn outside of class.”

Senior Celeste Camacho says that she thinks that the program will benefit the choir by improving the individual singers.

“I feel that smart music will help us to read music better,” Camacho said. “I think that it will help with our strength in reading and to help us read more efficiently. I hope that I use this to make my voice stronger for performing so that I can put my best foot forward.”

For more news, read the Jan. 19 article, Cheer places third at USA Spirit Regionals (VIDEO).