Twice a year, we run a full day of training for music educators and practitioners. At the Music Teacher’s Toolbox, we’ll give you a good grounding in how Figurenotes can support your work and help your pupils flourish. This training is always tailored to the participants, so let us know what you’d like to see on the programme. You can take part in the Facebook poll here.
Our most experienced Figurenoters keep coming back to these training days and consistently get something fresh and new, filling them with enthusiasm and energy. The mix of people attending is always a real treat. For March 24th, we already have bookings from as far afield as the Czech Republic!
“No matter how often I attend these training days there is always something new to learn, and new ideas to share and take back. Great day meeting lots of interesting people and thinking about new ways of working.”
You’ll gain a better understanding of different musical approaches, helping you create a more inclusive music practice. Some participants are looking for a way to aid just one pupil with dyslexia, others want to make sure no one gets left behind or singled out in their classroom, and some just want to improve their pupils’ rhythm skills. Our aim is to give you the extra tools you need to create an inclusive learning environment in every musical scenario.
“Extremely useful. A whole new world has been opened up for my teaching practice, especially within ASN.”
Remember that one of the perks of your Resource Base subscription is a discount on your training place. Use the code RB2018 in the online shop to get your discount. If you aren’t a member yet, add the subscription to your order and you can get the discount straight away.
Well, we are nearly there. You’ve heard your pupils play Jingle Bells approximately a bazillion times and you are ready to park yourself by the fire with a well deserved mince pie. Before you get cracking with the Christmas cheer, we thought we’d better give you some wee housekeeping news.
In order to get your parcels in time for Christmas or the new school term, you must get your UK orders to us by 10am on Thurs 21st December, 2017. Make sure you choose a 1st class postage option. These will be posted out the same day, so it isn’t too late to grab your Festive Figurenotes pack, or magnets as a stocking filler.
Our office will be closed over the Christmas break, from Friday 23rd December to Monday 8th January, 2018. Please note that, due to staff availability, orders may take a little longer to be processed during the first few weeks of January. Normal order should resume on 22nd January, 2018. Software and Resource Base subscriptions ordered through the online shop will be sent my email, so you’ll get immediate access.
Until now, stage 3 has only been available via plugins (available from the Resource Base) for use with Sibelius or MuseScore. Now, the people at Steinberg have incorporated a one-click option without the need for a plugin. This is available within their notation software, Dorico. Get the latest update, launched on 5th December, to access this feature.
By using the Figurenotes Colours feature, you also get larger note heads, making the notation clearer to read. Your sharps and flats remain in black, regardless of the note colour; this seems to be a big plus within our Figurenotes community!
If you don’t use Dorico, remember you can still access plugins for stage 3 from our Resource Base for Sibelius and MuseScore. Stages 1 and 2 can be created using our own Figurenotes Software. Please check our FAQs before buying.
Having even more ways to access Figurenotes is a huge boost to inclusive music education. We are extremely pleased that Dorico recognises the need for accessible notation and that Figurenotes is part of that process.
A vibrant group of people attended last week’s Music Teacher’s Toolbox. We had a mix of mainstream teachers, music specialists, music therapists, SEN/ASN teachers, and community musicians. Two teachers travelled all the way from Barcelona, continuing our tradition of attracting an international crowd!
“Good to get ideas for using/introducing Figurenotes into classroom teaching. Good to hear how other people use the software. Nice mix of activities. Thank you. It was a really fun day :)”
“No matter how often I attend these training days there is always something new to learn, and new ideas to share and take back. Great day meeting lots of interesting people and thinking about new ways of working.”
“Excellent notation system to support all leaners. Looking at ways to introduce simple music making to young people was really useful. The most valuable part of the day was getting the chance to play the instruments using Figurenotes and looking at composing.”
The feedback has been wonderful and we can’t wait for the next one. We really enjoy seeing everyone brimming with ideas and ways to apply what they have learned to the people they work with.
If you missed out this time, or want to attend another training day, booking will be opening soon for Music Teacher’s Toolbox, 24th March 2018. Sign up to our mailing list for more information, and keep an eye on Twitter and Facebook. Book early to have a say in what we cover, as we like to tailor the training to those attending.
“I’m so glad I came to talk to you. This is great!”
“Ooh, this looks fun!”
Lauren and Emma were greeted with lots of big smiles and lightbulb moments during the ABRSM Conference. Many teachers are looking for extra tools in areas where their students may struggle; some just want a way to make theory or rhythm more fun. It was lovely to connect with teachers in different settings and working with a wide range of pupils. We were able to show how adaptable Figurenotes is for each setting and activity.
Figurenotes was mentioned by Jenni Parkinson in her session ‘Teaching Students with Disabilities and Specific Needs’, which meant a new crop of teachers excitedly approached our stall. We love it when experts share what they use and give people an idea of the tools available. We are thrilled to be one of those tools for Jenni.
Our magnets and rhythm games proved very popular. Teachers could see the benefit of these games straight away, without much explanation from us. The magnets and games can be used to instil pulse and rhythm through practical and engaging activities. You can sneak a lot of theory into a game too!
This year, there was increased interest in bespoke training for music hubs, especially in the south east of the UK, where Figurenotes is gaining popularity. Teachers are recognising that Figurenotes isn’t just for people with additional support needs, but works for all beginners. This is what we mean by inclusive music. By using Figurenotes in as many settings as possible, we are able to support each pupil’s needs, while making it easier for everyone to learn music.
For those that can’t wait for bespoke training, try Music Teacher’s Toolbox. Award-winning training for music practitioners and educators, these hands-on days of CPD will help you to unlock every pupil’s potential in an inclusive environment. Join us in Edinburgh on Saturday, 18th November, 2017. Only a couple of spaces left.
Once again, the BBC have asked us to create accessible resources for their Ten Pieces initiative.
The BBC are launching their third list of ten pieces, all chosen with the aim of opening up the world of classical music to a new generation. BBC Ten Pieces invites students to develop their own creative responses using a variety of art forms. Figurenotes resources echo this aim, with everything from composition worksheets, to poetry inspiration, and parts in Figurenotes notation. Some tunes are more complex, which we have included for the more advanced Figurenotes musicians, with plenty for beginners too. Remember that you can tailor the parts using the Figurenotes software, making them simpler or converting the parts to stage 2 or 3 for students progressing to conventional notation. You will find editable resources within the Figurenotes Resource Base. PDFs are available for many of the pieces from the BBC Ten Pieces website.
Want even more resources? Join the Figurenotes Resource Base for access to more from BBC Ten Pieces and many other Figurenotes resources, which are easy to tailor to your pupils’ needs.
I know you teachers are a committed bunch and spend much of your holiday time thinking about next term and updating your lesson plans. With that in mind, I’d like to give you a little inspiration for your upcoming lessons. If this feels too much like hard work right now, save this blog and come back to it when you’ve finished lazing by the pool.
1. Have you ever created music using Lego? Use the different sizes and colours of the bricks to create Figurenotes tunes. You can then develop this activity to learn rhythm in standard notation. Maths teachers have been using this method for years!
Did you know that you can buy individual lego bricks? This means you can create a pack directly suited to your needs. All the Figurenotes colours are available from the lego site, just make sure to order all the different sizes you’ll need. This is a great way to teach dotted rhythms, key signatures, and general rhythm reading skills in both Figurenotes and standard notation. You could always put a call out for unused Lego in your local community too.
There are some great templates for Lego music making on Pinterest.
You could create some card versions, either large for whole class work, or small for individuals and small groups. If your pupils are young or have difficulties with motor skills, you might want to start with Duplo.
2. Poly-pockets – you know, those transparent, plastic pockets used in ring-binders – make great miniature whiteboards. Pop a worksheet or empty score inside and use dry-wipe markers to fill them in. You can get dry-wipe markers in Figurenotes colours from IKEA if you want to create a tune or use colour within the worksheet. These poly-pockets can then be wiped clean, ready for the next pupil/class. If possible, it would be amazing to have small magnetic whiteboards for each pupil, but this is a good standby for when budgets are tight.
If you want to share your pupils’ tunes, you can take photos of them and project them using Powerpoint for the whole class to play.
What are the learning points you would like us to create worksheets for? Let us know in the Facebook group: Figurenotes – Let’s Make Music. We want to put many more up in the Resource Base and want them to be relevant to you.3. Art Attack! You will need: paper plates, masking tape, paints in Figurenotes colours.
There are so many games you can play using just these items, which can then progress further into note naming and reading standard notation. Take a look in the Resource Base, under ‘General’, for the Progression Games sheet. We love games and think they offer brilliant stealth learning opportunities.
Paint the paper plates in Figurenotes colours – you can either keep them as circles, or cut them to the desired shape. Lay out a Figurenotes score using the masking tape, either on the floor or a table. Start with 4 bars and see if you can compose a tune using your paper plates. Try playing this tune on your instrument.
You can take it to stage 2 by creating a masking tape stave and placing the plates in the appropriate places. Turn this into a quiz or a composition exercise. To take it to stage 3, write the note names on the back of the plates. Place them in the correct positions with the coloured side up. Then get your pupils to name the note before turning the plate over to see if they were correct.
Let us know what other games you would play using these items in the Facebook group: Figurenotes – Let’s Make Music4. 100 Day Practice Challenge – All of my pupils love a challenge, when presented to them as such. If it is just a hard thing to do, then they aren’t playing ball, but as soon as it is a ‘challenge’, they are motivated to try. In order to build good habits and develop practice skills, we need to encourage pupils to practise consistently. The 100 Day Practice Challenge can be a great incentive to build those skills. You can do this in smaller chunks, should you or your pupils prefer, breaking it down to a week to start with and then develop from there. Some teachers create charts or use apps to record the practice sessions. Put landmarks within the timeline, such as gaining a sticker on your chart at 25 days. It is useful to have ideas for practice focus, as well as things to practise when you are away from your instrument. You could even make this competitive within your classroom or studio.
Use one of the Figurenotes 100 Day Challenge maps or create your own. Colour in each shape in a Figurenotes colour to show you have completed your practice for that day. Get a sticker from your teacher every time you reach a number ending in zero. There is a bundle of sheets on the Resource Base, including 2 types of chart and some practice ideas for when you are with and without an instrument – so holidays won’t get in the way of you achieving your goal! Take a look in the Worksheets section.Not a member of the Resource Base? Get unlimited downloads for a whole year for just £23.99. You also get a discount on our award-winning training days. The next Music Teacher’s Toolbox training is on Saturday 18th November, 2017. Book now!
At Drake Music Scotland, the charity behind Figurenotes, we love using Thumbjam. Obviously, we love using Figurenotes too, so we wanted to find a way to combine the two. Our Associate Musician, Clare Johnston, came up with a brilliant way to use Figurenotes with Thumbjam on the iPad.
Clare is a bit of a Thumbjam virtuoso. Watch her perform her beautiful composition for three voices on Thumbjam.
For Clare’s full instructions on how to combine Thumbjam with Figurenotes, take a look in the Resource Base.
Clare created an underlay, which can be used with Thumbjam to show Figurenotes, just like in the image above. In order to do this, you will need a graphics editor capable of layers and transparency. Clare’s tutorial uses Adobe Draw on the iPad (free), cutting out the need for extra costs and an additional Mac or PC.
Set Thumbjam to the correct scale, octave, and span that you’ll be using for your piece; take a screenshot of this. Open the image in Adobe Draw so that it fills the whole screen. By creating new layers and adding a blue tint, Figurenotes shapes and colours, and setting them in the correct place on the screen, Clare has come up with a way to incorporate Figurenotes notation into Thumbjam performance. Once this process is complete, the original screenshot image is deleted, leaving you with an underlay for your Thumbjam screen.
Before moving across to the Thumbjam app, check whether the underlay image fills the whole screen by opening it using your Photos app. Then you are ready to move your underlay into Thumbjam.
Open Thumbjam
Go to the Preferences menu
Click on Options
Scroll down to Background Image
Click on Custom
Find your underlay image and click to use
The Figurenotes shape will disappear when you play that note, so some players may take some time to get used to this. They reappear as soon as you release the note.
Now marvel in the brilliance and simplicity of Figurenotes with Thumbjam. You could create several of these images for setups you use often, which means you can choose from a library of images without having to complete this process every time you want to combine Figurenotes with Thumbjam. Store the images on your iPad and you can call them up whenever they are needed. Remember you can get full, detailed instructions on the Resource Base.
Whether you are an experienced Figurenoter or you are just starting out, you will leave with a head full of ideas and inspiration.
There is so much to be gained from our expert trainers from Drake Music Scotland, and from each other. Come to network, find support, and gain new ideas to incorporate into your own work. This day is perfect for those teaching ASN/SEND, as well as those in mainstream education.
“Immensely useful. Gained loads of confidence, motivation, and success! Loads of ideas as to how to implement this work within our charity. Everyone was extremely helpful and enthusiastic. Thank you so much. A very interesting and informative day.”
Due to a flurry of recent training enquiries, we thought we should open booking for November’s Music Teacher’s Toolbox. This time around, Resource Base members get exclusive access to pre-sale booking. Only a limited amount of places will be released, so make sure you grab yours early.
All members of the Resource Base will be sent an email on 25th May containing a link to the online booking form. Complete this form to reserve your training place. Payments can be made when places go on general release on 1st June. Contact Lauren if you don’t receive an email and feel you should have; please remember to check your junk folders first.
You can also use your Resource Base members’ discount code, RB2017, to get 10% off.
The programme is still being finalised, so if there is anything you’d like to see then please let us know in the booking form. We love to tailor these days to the people coming along, so get in early to get the most out of this award-winning CPD.
Not a Resource Base member? You can sign up here, getting access to our library of downloadable resources, discounts, and access to pre-sale booking.
We can’t wait to see you for some more Figurenotes fun!
