Figurenotes

“Inspiring, Engaging, Informative, Fun.”

“Wonderful training. Thank you!”

“I’m feeling so inspired!”

Trainees from the Scottish Borders

We had an outrageous amount of fun last week delivering training. It was week 2 of our brilliant online course, Figurenotes: Developing Your Practice, which is always a delight. Alongside this, we whizzed down to the Scottish Borders to deliver in-person training to a lovely group, organised by their YMI coordinator.

There was a mix of roles in the room, which always leads to interesting discussion. We also had some very experienced Figurenoters alongside people brand new to this way of working. Some tutors deliver 6-week projects, while others are classroom-based and much more focused on supporting the classroom learning objectives.

We spent a portion of the day creating Figurenotes compositions and it was fascinating to see the different ways that the tasks were approached depending on the setting people were working in. We always feel very privileged to have these conversations and understand the ways in which people are working. It helps us to create resources and training that will be useful.

The Ever-Popular Sound Stories

By far the most popular aspect of the day was our sound story, working to build skills in composition, turn-taking, listening, and performance. We explored leitmotif using the Gingerbread Man as our inspiration. We ended up with a lovely twinkly gingerbread man motif, full of energy and speed. The old couple at the start of the story couldn’t have been more different – they do say opposites attract. The reaction to these activities is always so good! I’m sure the students in the Scottish Borders will be having a great time in their upcoming lessons with these newly-inspired staff members.

We’ll be sure to create some more sound story resources and pop them up on the Hub. If you have your own successful resources, then do remember that you can share these with your fellow Figurenoters on the Hub’s community library. People working in the music education sector can often feel a little isolated, so a big part of the Hub is community, sharing, and supporting each other.

Thank you to everyone at the training day. We had an absolute blast!

If you are interested in training in accessible music practices and Figurenotes, either online or in-person, please get in touch via email at Figurenotes@DrakeMusicScotland.org.

We have been in contact with some of you recently regarding the Figurenotes plugins for MuseScore 4. There were a few problems arising from changes within the MuseScore programme. We are delighted to announce that these issues have been fixed and an updated version of the plugin is now available.

Please download the plugin again for the updates. You can find it in our Hub or in the MuseScore Plugin Library.

We have created a wee video with some troubleshooting tips, as there are a few quirks due to the latest MuseScore design. You can use the menu below or scroll down for written instructions too.

1. How to change an entire score
2. How to change one bar/phrase
3. How to change one note
4. Tips for editing and correcting

How to change an entire score

You can change a complete score by simply going to the plugin menu along the top of your screen and selecting the plugin you want. Doing this will apply the plugin to the entire score. If already applied, you can remove the colours or shapes by doing the same action. It toggles on and off. We recommend keeping your score all black until you have completely finished your piece.

How to change a bar or phrase

If you have a score that you’ve applied the colours or shapes to, but you want to add or edit something, you’ll notice that the colours don’t apply to your edits. We recommend doing all editing with a completely plain score and applying the plugin at the end. However, it is possible to select just the bar or notes that you want to change.

• Click on the blank space in a bar to select the whole bar.
• To select a passage, click on the first note/bar of the passage, then hold shift while clicking the last note/bar of the passage. A blue box will appear around your selection.

Once selected, you can toggle the plugin on or off to match the rest of the score.

How to change a single note

A quirk of MuseScore means you can click on a note without properly selecting that note for editing using the plugin. Your note must have a blue box surrounding it before the plugin will apply to just that note. To do this is a little faffy, which is why we suggest keeping the plugin off until you’ve finished editing.

• Click on the note you want to change
• Hold down shift while you select a note or rest next to it. You can also use the shortcut shift + a sideways arrow (whichever side the note/rest is)
• Then use shift and a sideways arrow to shrink the selection box down to just one note.

It doesn’t matter which side the other note you select is. We are just trying to make MuseScore select a passage before shrinking the selection down to just the note we want. Look for the blue box surrounding the note to be sure.

Tips for Editing or Correcting

So you’ve made an entire piece, applied the plugin, and turned it Figurenotey. Then you see a C that should have been a D. When you edit that note, the colour will stay as a red C regardless of what you change it to. This then needs correcting. You could make sure you toggle off the plugins before changing anything, but we often forget about that until we’ve changed the note.

You will need to follow the advice above on how to change a single note. The only difference is, if the note is already coloured, you will need to turn off the plugin for that note and then click again to reapply. This way you’ll end up with the correct colour on your selected note.

The same applies if you add a note to a previously coloured score. All added notes will be in black and white. You will need to select the new note and apply the plugin to change it to the correct colour.

Keep an eye out for the postie if you’ve made an order with us recently. Figurenoters receiving stickers, magnets, and tune packs may notice a wee extra in their parcel.

We’ve been gradually improving the environmental impact of our packaging, from compostable ‘plastic’ envelopes, to limiting the amount of paper included in each parcel. Our latest endeavour is blooming beautiful!

Feast your eyes on these little seeded beauties.

1. Scan the QR code to get support and information on anything Figurenotes related. You can bookmark the Linktree page for the future.
2. Break your card up into small pieces
3. Place them in soil and water them lightly

Treat those little seeds well and you’ll be rewarded with some wonderful wildflowers! They’d be perfect for a classroom project.

For more instructions on planting your card, see this blog from the company that creates them.

https://littlegreenpapershop.com/blogs/news/how-to-grow-seed-paper

We’ll be following up with some music resources inspired by nature, so keep an eye on the Hub and our newsletter. Remember that you can upload your own resources to the Hub to share with other teachers too. Let’s build a global network of accessible music educators and facilitators sharing what works; sowing the seeds of inspiration and watching them bloom.

Booking is now open for our ever-popular course for music educators and facilitators. Read on for more information, including funding pots and new discount for full-time students.

Figurenotes: Developing Your Practice

Come and join us for award-winning CPD for music practitioners and educators. Do you want your pupils to learn to play and read music quickly and to their full potential? Develop your teaching practice with Figurenotes, a form of notation that uses colour and shape to aid the first steps of learning music, progressing to standard notation in 3 simple steps.

Thursday 1st, 8th, & 15th May 2024

09:30-11:30 via Zoom (If you’re outside the UK please check your timezone here)

£124.99

To find out more, see the training section of our website

How does it work?

Figurenotes: Developing Your Practice takes place over 3 interactive group sessions via Zoom, building your skills in Figurenotes and accessible music practices. Consolidate your work with homework activities between sessions. Follow up with a 1:1 session with course leaders to answer any further questions you have, get advice on specific aspects of your work, or for more general queries.

You’ll be guided through Figurenotes, from how it works, to its many applications. We will focus each session on one of the fundamentals of music-making:

Rhythm

All musicians need to develop a solid sense of pulse. Through rhythm games and challenges, learn how to make learning rhythm fun and engaging. Figurenotes notation shows rhythm in a very logical way, which then transitions easily to standard notation.

Creative Composition

We’ll explore a range of composition tools you can use in different settings. You’ll learn how to build and adapt an idea in an accessible way, enabling success across a range of abilities and additional support needs.

Ensembles and Differentiation

Learn how to use Figurenotes on almost any instrument in a variety of settings. From one to one learning, full class activities, and varying ensembles, you’ll be able to get your pupils playing together quickly and easily.

1:1 Follow-up Session

This is an opportunity for you to work 1:1 with course leaders after the main sessions have been completed. The content of these sessions is entirely up to you. We can work with you on resources, help develop ideas, troubleshoot, or help with specific questions you may have.

We can tailor the day to those coming, so the earlier you book, the more we can accommodate your questions. Use your booking form to give us a heads up of what you’d like to learn.

Here’s what some of our recent trainees had to say.

Funding and Discounts

To improve access to our courses, we are offering £50 off for full-time students. Please email us at Figurenotes@DrakeMusicScotland.org with your institution and course-name. We’ll authorise the discount and send you a code to use at checkout.

For people based in Scotland, you can apply for funding via the YMI CPD Fund. Please read the guidelines carefully to make sure you are eligible.

As part of your training package you will also receive 10% off Figurenotes resources.

To find out more, see the training section of our website

Please email Lauren and Rebecca at Figurenotes@DrakeMusicScotland.org with any questions you have. We look forward to having you with us.

The festive cheer has well and truly taken over at Figurenotes HQ. We’ve been planning some Christmas Figurenotes activities for Drake Music Scotland musicians and thought we’d share the joy with you all. If you’re planning Christmas parties and events at your school or music setting then read on for some festive Figurenotes fun.

1. Bauble Composition
2. Christmas Cake Composition
3. 3-chord Christmas songs
4. Christmas Rhythm Game
5. Christmas Corners

Bauble Composition

String up a garland, tree, or just some festive hooks (candy canes repurposed?)

Download this template for Figurenotes baubles or make your own. Inspired by Sorcha Pringle, we made some tactile ones using different textures for different notes. These work brilliantly for musicians with visual impairment.

Create a tune using the baubles

Play it!

You can also use these large print outs to pin the bauble on the Christmas Tree or hang them from Rudolph’s antlers.

Christmas Cake Composition

Get a traybake cake with icing that you can stick things to.

Source a selection of sweets or icing in Figurenotes colours (and shapes, if you’re feeling clever). Smarties, Skittles, Quality Streets – the list is endless.

Cut the traybake into bars. Stick your sweets to the top to create a tune.

Perform it before you eat it.

4-chord Christmas Songs

Take a look on the Figurenotes Accessible Music Hub for some Christmas bangers. Use Figurenotes guitars for the simplest way to play the chords. You can create a Figurenotes band in no time! Our suggestions are:

Rockin’ Around The Christmas Tree

Feliz Navidad

Last Christmas

Rudolph The Red Nosed Reindeer

Christmas Rhythm Game

Christmas Rhythm Canon.

Our rhythm canon is back with a festive twist. These rhythms are set over two bars and can be mixed up to create a fun game. A great introduction to syncopation.

Christmas Corners

I’m sure many of you played a version of this at school. There are lots of ways to make this musical and accessible.

Set out 4 corners/areas of the room and assign them to something. For example, a Christmas tune, a rhythm, a colour.

People must listen for the game leader to play a tune, a rhythm, a note, or whatever you’ve chosen. They then must get to the assigned corner/area as quickly as they can. This develops listening skills and focuses the ear so well.

To make this more accessible for people with limited movement or classrooms with limited space, you can use torches shone on a wall, for example. Call and response also works well, be it playing, clapping, or singing. Let your imagination run wild.

The end of November saw the Figurenotes team heading down to Southampton to present at the Music Mark Conference 2023. After the complimentary tea and caramel wafer on the tiny plane, we were set up nicely for a day of inspiring talks. The day started with a key note on Learning to Thrive in a Generative AI world, which was fascinating and started some lively debate. The conference was themed around ‘Dynamism’ and there was a particular focus on Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion. This was a fantastically forward-thinking conference and we were thrilled to be a part of it.

As Music Mark was celebrating their 10 year anniversary, the inaugural Music Mark Awards took place in the evening. Some brilliant projects and people were highlighted in the shortlists, with emotional judges speeches that really brought the meaning of our work home. Congratulations to all the worthy winners.

Our session was titled ‘Building Rhythm Confidence with Figurenotes’ and highlighted the ease with which this accessible notation shows rhythm. We had everyone stomping, clapping, tapping, and clicking. By bringing out the iPads with Garageband and Thumbjam (our favourite app!) we had chords and solos. Adding chimes and vocals into the mix gave us a full band.

We had settled on Don’t Worry, Be Happy as our featured tune, because it always brings a lot of joy into the room. It felt good to bring some movement and energy at the end of a long day of sessions, and we were rewarded with lots of keen teachers hoping to use Figurenotes in their projects. We can’t wait to see what people do with Figurenotes as a result of this session. We’ll be putting the Don’t Worry, Be Happy parts up on the Hub soon, so keep an eye out for them there.

It was also lovely to meet up with our friends at Charanga, ABRSM, Open Up Music, DIGIT, MiSST, and many more organisations. What a lovely community there is in the music education world. We hope to be back at this invigorating event next year.

Snow is falling, all around me (we are in Scotland, after all). The children have indeed been playing (mostly Jingle Bells) and having fun.

As we get the school Christmas concerts done and before the frostbite from carol singing starts to set in, we thought we’d better let you know the last order dates for Figurenotes Christmas delivery.

Our last order date will be Friday 15th December. Please get your order in by noon, so we have time to process and post your items before Royal Mail’s last recommended posting dates. If you order after this date then your parcel may not be processed until January.

Office Closure

Figurenotes HQ is part of Drake Music Scotland, Scotland’s leading arts organisation working to enable disabled musicians at every level from education to industry. We all take a well-deserved break over the Christmas period and our office closes to allow staff time to recharge. We will be closed from Wed 20th, reopening in the new year.

If you have any questions, please email Figurenotes@DrakeMusicScotland.org.

Figurenotes partnered with Early Years Music Scotland to deliver a free workshop in accessible notation

Only 3 places remaining on our Figurenotes: Developing Your Practice course. Delivered online in November. CPD for all music educators and practitioners.

Calling all MuseScore users. Are you up-to-date with MuseScore 4? Have you also updated your Figurenotes plugins?

There are 2 plugins for Figurenotes. The first creates coloured noteheads in Figurenotes colours with just one click.

The second creates shaped noteheads with Figurenotes colours for a slightly easier transition into reading stage 3.

Both plugins have been updated to use with MuseScore 4. You can access them via the FAM Hub or the MuseScore plugin library, where they are helpfully bundled into one package.

We’ve made a little video to help you install your plugin, in case this is new to you. Once installed, it will appear within MuseScore, ready for you to apply to your scores.

You can create stage 1 and 2 scores in our Notate programme. The plugins help you to create stage 3 scores. If you need a refresher on the different stages of Figurenotes, take a look at our Progression pages. We have lots of games in the Hub to help you transition from one stage to the next, moving towards reading standard notation, if that is your goal.