I’m a singer with lots of concerts to perform and attend during the holidays.  I’ve been reflecting on my rehearsal process this season, and how technology has changed it recently.  When preparing for auditions or performances, I used to gather as many recordings as possible,  plunk out notes on the piano, and sing along  ( sort of re-inventing the wheel for each piece).  Lately, I have several labor saving devices added to my repertoire!  They are: 

• Digital recorder – a tiny recorder for capturing rehearsals and performances, which plays back with good quality, and can be used anywhere.  The USB plug allows direct input to the computer (or vice-versa), and to my great surprise, it also captured all the data from the lessons I created during my summer SmartBoard class!

 

• Cyberbass.com – this website (among others) allows me to choose any musical selection (let’s say. the Bach “Magnificat”).  I can then select the voice part I need (ex. alto), and it plays that part for me  – with or without orchestra, with or without other voice parts, and I can adjust the tempo, volume, etc. as I wish!  Amazing.

 

• Youtube.com – is there anything that youtube cannot do?  I can look at every solo known to man, and get an idea of different styles and qualities, both professional and amateur, with the accompaniment intact.  I can sing along with choirs for fun (at my computer), and I can even add my voice to  an electronic choir production ( Eric Whitacre’s “Sleep”) where our individual singing faces are all displayed on the screen while it plays.

 

• FLIP – I asked for this tiny videocam for Xmas – I’ll keep you posted on its musical uses next month!

I had good intentions back in July 2008, when I posted my first and last comment!  I have equally good intentions today.  However, this time I am going to present my newfound knowledge to my colleagues at Chelsea School, so there is the extra incentive to blog with impunity!  The lifelong learning info from the first lesson is totally second nature for librarians, I think.  Thriving on the breadth of information, and getting it out to the end-user, forces us to find the tools (new and old) to communicate it effectively.

experimenting

Okay.  So many icons – and what do they mean?  I am definitely a WORD person.  The pictures are a challenge.  BUT as a librarian, don’t we always just scratch the surface of every imaginable topic?  So , on to the depths!  23 Things will be my opportunity to select a few items to delve into….

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