Tim Topham

Looking for Android apps instead?

 

I’ve had an iPad now for a couple of months and, like most iPad converts, I can’t think how I’d ever live (or teach) without it!

It has literally revolutionised the way I do most things: store files and music, teach, reasearch, read papers and magazines, watch movies, get my news – pretty much everything! I’d highly recommend all piano teachers consider investing – it’s definitely money well spent.

Just before I get into my app recommendations for teachers with an iPad, it’s probably worth discussing the different types of iPads for those considering purchasing. I bought a second-hand iPad 2 64GB WiFi only off gumtree. The iPad 2 is fine for music use, and the iPad 3 and 4 are great if you’re happy to spend the extra (the main difference is a better screen). Don’t buy an iPad 1 because it’s heavier, bigger and has a much lower resolution screen. If you’re wondering about capacity (16GB, 32GB, etc.), please read this article. Basically, the bigger the better and 16GB won’t really cut it. Go for absolute minimum 32, preferably 64+.

The choice between WIFI or 3G is totally dependent on how you plan to use it. If you are regularly on the road and want access to the internet (and perhaps your files via Dropbox) while away from home, consider getting the 3G version. This will allow you access to the internet anywhere, but you’ll have to pay for a SIM card and a plan, just as you would on a mobile phone.

I went for the WiFi-only version as I only teach from home or school, and as long as I’m prepared, I can upload files and do my internet work at home using WiFi before I do any teaching or take the iPad to school. So far, this has worked fine and I’m happy to be saving the extra access fees of a new SIM and data plan!

Once you’ve got yourself an iPad, you’re going to need to download some apps! Here are my top picks for piano teachers and music students (I’ve found that many of my students have access to an iPad somewhere at home and can also benefit from these apps):

Forscore - this is the best music-viewing app I’ve found: it allows you to store and view sheet music. It pretty much holds as much music as your iPad has capacity. Files need to be in PDF format and are easily loaded via Dropbox or iTunes. You can annotate and save changes, reorder pages, print wirelessly and page turns are easy. The ability to store, read and print sheet music is one of the key reasons I bought an iPad. Previously, I was lugging folders and books of music between school and home. Now I only need to take the iPad! It’s brilliant!!

Tempo - this is my preferred metronome/beat keeping app. Although there are plenty of free ones available, this one is infinitely customisable. It plays every conceivable irregular meter or unusual subdivision of normal meters (including 2+2+3 for example) and you can save metronome and beat patterns for quick access. One thing I really like is that it allows you to hear the difference between swung triplets verses semiquavers at the click of a button – great for explaining aspects of rhythm theory in practical detail.

Rhythm Lab - this is my new favourite rhythm tapping practice app. As part of my students’ weekly lessons, I used to write-up rhythms on a whiteboard for them to clap; now I do it all on the iPad with this app. It has heaps of built-in rhythm patterns in all sorts of meters and students can tap right on the screen and get instant feedback. It even has example rhythms from some of the big classical composers built-in! Read more about this in my article here.

iAnnotate - this one isn’t specifically music-based, but is the best app I’ve found for reading and annotating non-musical PDFs (eg. work notes, files, documents, eBooks, etc.). The annotation options are endless and it’s all save-able and exportable. Great bookmarking features make access a breeze. Also works with music files, but the page-turning in ForScore is far superior.

Flashnote Derby – I love this app for younger students. It’s a note-naming game conducted like a horse race complete with sounds and images! It was developed by one of the guys on the PianoWorld Forums, which is a great place to keep in touch with other piano teachers. For adults and teens, check out PianoNotesPro.

SightRead4Piano – The best sight-reading app around and I’ve blogged about this in a previous post. It really is a must-have for teachers. Keep in mind however, that the music found on the app is a replica of what is in each exam boards’ printed sight reading books, so if you already have these in your collection, you will be doubling-up. However, what the app does give you is the functionality that deletes bars as the student plays (the primary reason to get this app). unfortunately, while the app is free, it only comes with a few example pieces of music; you have to buy the music to suit each exam board (about $50 for all the AMEB grades, for example). Or you can buy all the music for all exam boards for about $120.

AuralBook - the first aural training app that actually listens to a student’s singing and critiques them according to their pitch and rhythm. The voices and sounds are a little clunky but this is a HUGE improvement on anything else. Read about it on my blog here.

Looking for backing tracks that students can play along to? NoteStar by Yamaha has lots of very recent pop music and has been a hit with my teen students in particular. While the app is free, you pay to download the songs you want. You then get access to on-screen auto-scrolling music, plus backing from a band and, the best part: vocals. You can change the key instantly, and slow the music down to suit your level. Brilliant app!

Piano Notes Pro – if you want students to be able to play the note “G” on the piano as well as just recognise it on the stave (as in Flashnote Derby), this is a good app. You choose the clef, range, accidents, number of notes to quiz, etc. and the student has to play the notes on the piano on the screen. Highly customisable and easy to use.

PlayAtSight – this app is great because it provides you with a note to play on the stave and then listens as you play it on your instrument (great for brass, string, winds, etc. too). Has only recently been released and needs tweaks but is a great start!

Tenuto - Good aural training app for recognising chords, intervals, etc. Also shows you how everything looks on the keyboard. Easy to use, good functionality. Also try Right Note – great app for beginning to learn about intervals, pitch and melody. I haven’t decided which is the best yet!

AnyTune - an app that takes any recording from your library or dropbox and allows you to slow it down or speed it up without changing the pitch. Also has easy looping, editing, etc. fantastic app which you can trial for free, but the full version will cost you $15. Money well spent. Here’s one of my blogging friends demo about AnyTune. And another good article about AnyTune is here.

FlashCardlet (Flashcards*) – There are hundreds of flashcard apps out there, but this is the one I use with my students. For a full run-down on how to use flashcards in your studio read my blog post: Online/iPhone/iPad flashcards for exam scale/arpeggio practice.

MusicFlashClass - this is actually an iPhone app, but it’s the best available for quizzing notes on the stave. It’s highly customisable and you can put it in various modes including one where students just have to specify the letter name of the note (“A”) or play it on the on-screen piano – great for making the connection between rote note learning and actual piano playing.

For Studio Management, check out Moosic Studio.

Finally, two other apps that are not related to music, but are must-haves IMO:

Flipboard - a brilliant news aggregating site but that description doesn’t do it justice at all. This app grabs all the information about topics of interest to you and presents it to you like a glossy magazine. It really is amazing. Oh, and it’s free!

AVPlayerHD - the simplest way to watch movies on your iPad without converting them. Perfect!

Leave a comment if you have other recommendations!

Updates:

1. The best forums, website, blogs for piano teachers – new blog post.
2. More-online-piano-teaching-resources. An update on a previous post about online resources.
3. Check out the iPadMusicEd blog for more info about using iPads in music teaching.
4. MusiciansWithApps is a great resource of reviews of all the best new apps.