How can piano teachers best use their labs to expose their students to computer music and composing?
Computer music and MIDI can provide music teachers with an invaluable tool for teaching harmony, counterpoint and orchestration. If a good quality synthesizer is available and a computer with MIDI sequencing software such as Cakewalk, it is possible to play a sequence of orchestral music and mute some of the tracks so that different instruments or groups within the orchestra can be heard. This can be very useful in learning the repertoire and understanding about harmony and orchestration. MIDI sequences can also be used for accompanying singers and instrumentalists. The solo part of a sequence can be muted and an instrumentalist can play along with the accompaniment. The tempo of the accompaniment can be increased or decreased without altering the pitch, or it can be easily transposed to any key to suit a singer, for example. A MIDI sequence can be transmitted across the internet from a student to a teacher for review. Students in different schools around the world can listen to each o
