by Rachel | Uncategorized
It’s no secret that I love my iPad and use it for tons of music and music therapy-related purposes, from taking lesson/session notes to organizing and displaying my gig music to teaching my students music theory.
One of the first apps I downloaded when I got my ipad was Garageband, and I’ve used it many times in sessions with music therapy clients. But I never preferred using my Macbook version of Garageband when it came to recording myself and my voice students, because the iPad version was missing one thing: a real microphone.
However, that has changed — all thanks to Bonnie Hayhurst of The Groovy Garfoose. I had no idea that there was a way to connect my beloved Blue Snowball USB microphone (the mic I’ve been using and recommending since 2008) to the iPad, until I read her “12 Apps of Christmas” series. Bonnie featured the Camera Connection Kit for iPad and mentioned that she was using it to connect her Blue Snowball mic and record with GarageBand.
Thanks to this little guy, I’ve been recording up a storm using my iPad. The Camera Connection Kit also comes with an adapter meant to read SD cards, if in fact you actually want to use it for it’s main purpose of transferring photos. It’s SO much easier to record my students with the iPad rather than the laptop, and they love it too!
The next item on my iPad-related wish list is a 1/4 inch adapter for my guitar. I’ve been researching but haven’t decided on one yet…any suggestions? Bonnie? :)
Image Credit
by Rachel | Uncategorized
People often ask for my advice when it comes to useful music-related iPad apps. I’ve given my fair share of recommendations, but luckily there are more seasoned iPad users than I who so generously share their knowledge with me!
Fellow music therapist Bonnie Hayhurst is one such iPad expert, and this month she is giving the lowdown on her favorite music-related apps. Her series is called “The 12 Apps of Christmas” and can be found on her blog, The Groovy Garfoose.
Thanks to Bonnie’s posts (she’s currently on day 9), I already have a list going of apps I need to download immediately. My favorite so far is the Apple Camera Connection Kit, which I didn’t even know existed! I have already added that to my Amazon wishlist :)
If you have an iPad that you use for music therapy or other music-related purposes, or if your students or clients use an iPad, this is a series you need to check out. And now I’m off to the app store to do a little window shopping!
by Rachel | Uncategorized
I first learned of a neurological disorder called Agenesis of the Corpus Callosum (ACC) a few years back, when a mother of a child with ACC contacted me to tell me how much her son enjoyed my music. Sandie and I have kept in touch since then, and she writes a wonderful blog that serves as an invaluable resource for the ACC community.
So I was naturally moved to share the note that I received earlier this week from a father of a child with ACC:
Hi, Rachel. I’ve recently recorded an album of songs that was released today and I’m going to give all of the proceeds from sales to the National Organization for Disorders of the Corpus Callosum. My son, Bowie, has ACC and though he’s doing wonderfully, I remember not having many resources to collect on the disorder. Your website was one of the sites that helped my wife and I learn more about how music can help children with ACC. My aim, with this album, is to promote awareness as well as raise funds. I hope you like the music. Thanks so much, Michael Fitch.
I had a chance to listen to a portion of the album, titled Après La Guerre (you can do so on iTunes or CD Baby) and was impressed! It’s not a children’s CD, but many children will benefit as a result of it.
I’m always moved by people who use their talent to help others. That’s why I became a music therapist in the first place. Thank you, Michael, for the work you’re doing, and sharing it with us. For more information, you can visit his blog, Songs-I-Meant-To-Say.
by Rachel | Uncategorized
While I’m not a fan of Black Friday, I must admit that I love Cyber Monday (its online counterpart). You’ve no doubt seen sales and deals popping up all over the internet, and Listen & Learn Music is no exception.
Starting now through Friday, all of my digital downloads are 50% off. That includes individual songs and entire albums. All you have to do is enter the code yay50 at checkout (you can pay using a credit card or PayPal).
These are only just a few of the albums up for grabs — there are almost 40 to choose from. I’ve written songs on just about every topic, so now is the time to stock up. Remember, the code is yay50 and here’s the link. Happy shopping!
by Rachel | Uncategorized
As I type this blog post, iTunes is currently uploading my music library into the cloud. Actually, it’s uploading the songs that aren’t available in the iTunes store — about half of my 8,741 song collection.
With that much music in my library, it’s always been a struggle to decide which songs to sync with my devices (iPod, iPhone, and iPad) and which ones to leave off. Inevitably, the song or album I’m looking for on a given day hasn’t been synced, so I can’t listen to it unless I’m at my computer.
That’s why I was so excited for the launch of iTunes Match, which makes my entire song collection available across all of my devices. For $24.99 a year, it’s a pretty sweet deal.
So now I’m utilizing two paid music services: iTunes Match and Spotify (for which I’m paying $10 a month). Spotify allows me hear songs I don’t already own, which comes in handy during lessons and music therapy sessions or just listening for pleasure. I can access them on my computer as well as on my iOS devices, whether I’m online or not. iTunes Match lets me do the same, only with the songs I already own. And since they’re stored in the cloud, I now have more space available on my devices.
I’ve also been reading about Google Music lately, which is similar to iTunes match except for the fact that it’s free. Have you tried any of these services?
