Music Education

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Music Education

Maybe you've been considering computer software to enhance your music program. You might be considering software that will let you manipulate music by slowing down songs while maintaining the key, so students can play along and more easily pick out notes or learn chord progressions. You might also want to transpose keys without the tempo changing, or loop challenging musical phrases.

Of course, software requires a dedicated computer workstation for students, and there's the chance they may spend more time investigating the computer than practicing music. Or perhaps you embrace the latest technology, are fortunate to have a substantial budget to cover such purchases, and have the time and inclination to really dive in deep. If so, you may be searching for a way to leverage this investment with your students.

Or maybe you want a better way to record individual and group rehearsals, performances, and auditions … something that provides great results, is easy to use, and doesn't cost a fortune. For many music educators, however, budgets are tight for new technology and recording gear. And who isn't pressed for time to master technology and show students how to use it effectively?

Fortunately, Superscope offers innovative stand-alone music practice and recording tools that are both effective and easy to use. The Superscope PSD230 portable rehearsal CD player pioneered easy real-time manipulation of any music CD as a practice aid. At the touch of a button you can:

Change the tempo of a song without affecting the original key as much as -33% to +50% in 1 percent increments

Change key without affecting tempo as much as an octave in half steps or finer tunings

Reduce a lead vocal when centered in a stereo mix

Select portions of songs to continuously repeat

This amazing CD player, no larger than a textbook, included a combo XLR + ¼" mic/line input, so musicians could plug an instrument or microphone directly into the unit, play along, and listen with headphones, the built-in mono speaker, or external speakers to a mix of the CD accompaniment and their own playing. In split mode, the CD accompaniment is heard in the left channel, and the live performance in the right channel.

A Superscope PSD230 is a great tool to have in every practice room, or to circulate among students. With it, they can slow down and loop tunes on CD to learn them, change the key of a song to match their instrument, and easily transcribe songs. Vocalists can replace a lead vocal and change a song's key to match their range.

Direct-to-CD Recording

Superscope took all the capabilities of the PSD230 and added a professional CD recording drive, stereo mic/line (selectable) inputs, a built-in microphone, and all the mixing and recording capabilities needed to make outstanding live recordings directly to the CD. The compact Superscope PSD Dual Drive CD Recording Systems are designed for live recording using the modern media of CD-R (write-once) and CD-RW (rewritable) discs. These discs are inexpensive, especially when bought in quantities of 50 or more. You can use computer data CD-R and CD-RW discs, not the more costly music CD-R/RW discs. When finalized, CD-R discs will play back in most all CD players. Perfect digital copies of music CDs and CD-R recordings can easily be duplicated at 2X speed using the PSD300 itself.

Recordings made to CD-R offer many advantages when compared to analog cassette tapes. Tapes are more expensive. They take up more space to store. They are more easily damaged with time and use. Quality is lost when they are duplicated. Finally, the fidelity of analog cassettes is not as great as the digital CD standard. Using the PSD300, if you have a good pair of microphones placed correctly to capture a rehearsal or performance, you will make a very good recording.

Music Educators Using Superscope Recorders

At Dakota Ridge High in Littleton, Colorado, band director Wiley Cruse uses his PSD300 to record most every day. "I always have a mic stand set up, ready to go. I'll put it in my backpack and take it anywhere, he says.

"I've recorded our marching band from the top of our practice scaffolding. I've also recorded All State audition performances to CD. I've recorded seniors who need to mail a CD to college music departments that they are applying to as part of their music scholarship and application process. More college music programs are looking for CDs instead of tapes from their applicants," he says. "And it's always helpful to the student to hear how they sound on a recording, particularly when they hear themselves playing along to professional CD accompaniment."

Wiley's students also use the PSD300 to easily make their own practice CDs by recording an ensemble section to use for accompaniment at home. He also composes songs on a computer using MIDI-capable software, and outputs songs on CD. Students can then take these practice CDs and slow the tempo without the key changing, using the PSD300. They can experiment with songs played in different keys and at different tempos.

"The PSD300 CD Recording System is an invaluable resource," says Cruse. "Once you own it, you'll find more ways to use it than you ever thought possible."

Leroy Eversgard, band director of Jane Addams middle school in Bolingbrook, Illinois, last year hired an outside recording specialist to record his an annual concert. The specialist used a digital audio tape recorder, and returned a finished CD of the concert weeks later. For less than the cost of this one-time charge, this year Leroy recorded his concert using a PSD300 and had a CD in hand the same night. His band boosters then duplicated this CD and sold it as a fund-raiser.

"The PSD300 works like a tape recorder," he says. "You can start and stop recording just like a tape recorder. Better yet, you can create your own CD tracks and play back the track you want, instead of fast-forwarding and rewinding tape."

Music Educators agree that Superscope's family of portable music practice tools offer a great way to manipulate music for music practice. They are easy to use. They can save you time and help your students advance faster:

Music Education

Direct-to-CD Recording

Music Educators Using Superscope Recorders

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