What is SmartMusic?

SmartMusic is interactive music software that is transforming the way students practice.  SmartMusic provides the guidance to help students practice more effectively.  Students have access to thousands of pieces of music assigned by their teacher. In many cases, they can select a piece of music and actually see it on-screen.  Then, instead of practicing alone, students click the “start take” button and play or sing along with background accompaniment. They actually hear how their part fits within the whole.  If they are playing a piece that appears on-screen, they get instant feedback. The notes show up green and red, telling them which notes they’ve gotten right or wrong.   Students can slow down a piece at first and then gradually increase their speed as their skill grows. •
Many practice tools are included in SmartMusic: 
  • A built-in tuner helps students with pitch.
  • A metronome helps students learn how to play rhythms accurately.
  • The built-in record feature provides immediate feedback.
Students can learn a lot by listening to themselves.  In essence, SmartMusic makes practice more productive and engaging. That helps students come to class better prepared. It also helps them perform better and enhances their confidence. 

SmartMusic at First Colonial

Students in the Wind Ensemble & Concert Band are given a SmartMusic account (paid for by the school).  Students then are assigned regular practice assignments & playing assessments directly through SmartMusic.  Students are able to practice their tests/quizzes as many times as they want, slow down their music, listen to professional recordings and look up fingerings of notes they missed. SmartMusic shows you exactly what you played correctly in green and the note you missed in red.   Students can access SmartMusic through any home computer with Google Chrome or school laptops at school.