At the top of my holiday wish list this year was a video/audio recording device that I could use during my student teaching experience. As I was doing research into specifically which device I wanted, I found that there were a wide range of options! From the very popular “Flip” cameras to the wide variety of other options, I needed some “expert” opinions. Naturally, the first place I turned was the Music PLN! It was there that Richard McCready (@richardmccready on Twitter) suggested I consider purchasing a Zoom Q3HD. After some research, it looked like the Q3HD was the best fit for me, and after a few weeks of use, here is my review:

Video

The Q3HD is an extremely high-quality video recorder. It allows you to record video up to 1080p High Definition at 30fps, and all the way down to WVGA video at 30fps. Here is the full list of video quality options:

• 1080p HD, 30fps
• 720p HD, 60fps
• 720p HD, 30fps
• WVGA, 60fps
• WVGA, 30fps

The video settings also let you change the exposure to account for different types of scenes including concert lighting, and nighttime video. In addition, the Q3HD comes equipped with an auto-level feature to help stabilize video when the device is not mounted on a tripod.

Recording video is very simple to do – just hit the record button, and you’re good to go! You can zoom in and out using the right and left directional buttons around the record button. Zooming is very smooth, and can be done mid-video (you’re not stuck at the zoom level you started at, as you are with some other cameras) with the 4x digital zoom feature. Afterwards, you can go to playback mode, rotate the device to a horizontal position, and view the widescreen playback of your video immediately (controlling volume using the up/down arrow buttons). Screen resolution isn’t great on the actual device; videos look better on a computer screen than on the Q3HD’s screen.

Audio

One of the major selling points for me with the Q3HD was the fact that it had just as high-quality an audio recording set-up as it did for video. The device uses an X/Y microphone set-up similar to Zoom’s fantastic H4N audio recorder, and allows you to record at the following bit rates:

• 160 kbps
• 192 kbps
• 224 kbps
• 256 kbps
• 320 kbps

All videos are recorded at a sample rate of 48 kHz, and can be recorded in either PCM or AAC formats.

Audio recordings are crisp and clear, and the Q3HD does a fantastic job of capturing as much of the live-sound feel as possible. This device can double as a great audio recorder in the classroom, too, since the Q3HD can run in audio-only mode. Audio can be played back through the speakers on the device, or through the headphone/line out jack in the side of the device.

Intangibles

Design – The design of the Q3HD is very intuitive, and the form factor, while slightly bigger than others like it, still fits comfortably in the hand for hand-held recording. If you prefer, there is a spot at the base of the device where it can be connected to a tripod.

File Transfer – Another fantastic feature of this device is the ease with which the user can transfer files from the Q3HD to a computer. The Q3HD has a USB connector folded into the bottom corner of the device, and when users want to transfer files, all they have to do is flip out the USB connector and plug the device straight into the computer… no cables required!

Other Ports - In addition to the USB connector and line out jack, the Q3HD has a plethora of input/outputs and setting switches on the side of the device. These include:

• Line In (for an external microphone)
• DC Power (by default, the Q3HD runs on two AA batteries
• 1/8″ TV out (for a cable that splits into component outputs)
• Mini-HDMI out (to send to TV’s for immediate playback in HD)
• SD-HC bay for SD Card
• Mic Gain switch (Low/High/Auto)

Overall Thoughts

I could not be happier with my decision to get a Zoom Q3HD. This high-quality video recorder comes with just as high-quality an audio recorder, which is something indispensable to any music teacher. The device is intuitive to use, it comes with tons of settings and options to let you customize your recording experience, it makes transferring files to a computer simple, and the quality of the output files is fantastic. The Q3HD would be a smart purchase for anyone looking for a dual-threat recording device.

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1. Reasons You Need a Recording Device
2. VIDEO: Update on New Content
3. Quarter 1 Recap: The Top Posts of January, February, and March

What IS Sound Innovations?

There are a few differences between Sound Innovations and a normal method book. First off, the folks at Alfred took an unprecedented amount of time to interview thousands of music teachers about their specific wants and needs regarding a method book. The result was a book that, in every way possible, is an embodiment of what a majority of music educators asked for in a beginning instrumental method book. Here are a few examples, all additions based on teachers’ requests:

• Cleaner page layouts
• Every line of music is included on one accompanying CD, with instrument-specific recordings
• Subdivisions (including subdivision of rests) introduced right away
• Specific goals for each exercise in the book

Another addition to Sound Innovations is the fact that each book comes with a high-definition DVD, including instrument-specific master classes featuring top performers on each instrument. These master classes feature the performers (who have all taught beginners themselves) teaching the student how to perform techniques (including posture, breathing, slurring, etc.), as well as performing every line in the book.

Director’s Choice Edition

The most exciting new addition that Sound Innovations brought to the method book world, however, is the creation of the “Director’s Choice” edition. This revolution allows educators to sign onto a website and literally build their own method book from the ground up. From customizing the front cover of the book to include your school name (or whatever else they want) to changing the pedagogical philosophies, teachers can make Sound Innovations their own. They can answer the following questions::

• Do you want to start teaching with whole notes or quarter notes?
• Do you want to start with concert Bb and work up? Concert F and work down? Etc…
• What tunes do you want to have in your book? Do you want to add alternate genres? Pop music?
• Do you want to add enrichment pages including:
  • Music History?
  • Music Theory/Composition?
  • Full-Band Arrangements?
  • Scales?
  • Duets?

When the customization is complete, you can save and order your book, which will be bound, printed, and delivered to your school. Can you imagine passing out method books to fifth graders that have their school name on the front?? They’ll already love it!

Final Thoughts

As someone who has had the concepts of patterning and discrimination ingrained into my head for the past four years, I don’t think Sound Innovations is the be all and end all of method books. As a matter of fact, neither does the author – Dr. Boonshaft made clear in his interview that no method book is perfect. However, when combined with good fundamental patterning, major/minor and duple/triple discrimination, and sound-before-sight concepts, the Director’s Choice edition of the Sound Innovations method allows the music teacher to supplement basic curricular materials with materials that suit the specific needs of the students. This will allow students to develop properly, while still enjoying their beginning band/orchestra experience (I mean really… who would enjoy playing three-note major and minor patterns for the first three days? I would want to play SONGS!). For this reason, I think Sound Innovations would be a worthwhile investment for any beginning band or orchestra program!

Related posts:

1. VIDEO: Peter Boonshaft on Alfred’s “Sound Innovations”
2. VIDEO: Peter Boonshaft – Advice to Music Ed Majors
3. Midwest 2010 In Review

A Book by BNC Education

While in Washington, D.C. for MENC’s Music Education Week, I had the pleasure of meeting Mrs. Kriston Feldpausch, one of the Executive Directors of BNC Education. I have had a small amount of interaction with BNC Education before; one of my personal blog posts was featured in the June edition of the Music Education Blog Carnival, which they hosted on their blog. It was wonderful getting to put a face to the name, and get to have some great conversations with Mrs. Feldpausch.

One thing I did not know about BNC Education when I arrived in Washington is that they have published a book! Mrs. Feldpausch, along with Mr. Steve Raybould (the other half of BNC Education) published a book in 2008 entitled Teaching Band and Chorus in the 21st Century: A Director’s Guide. When I informed Mrs. Feldpausch of what I was doing here at MusicEdMajor.net, she asked if I would be interested in writing a review of the book here on the site. I, of course, was thrilled with the idea, and this review is the result of that encounter!

The Premise

There are plenty of books that have been published on pedagogical techniques, books that “teach you how to teach.” This book is different, though, in that it is geared towards teaching you many things you won’t learn in your method’s courses, and some that you will as well. As the back cover explains:

Teaching Band and Chorus in the 21st Century is a practical, common-sense guide to efficiently running a band and chorus program.

Essentially, the authors highlight details of absolutely everything that a teacher could encounter, from ways to structure lessons and organize rehearsal time to advice for how to build your program’s budget. It is really an all-in-one crash course in being a band or chorus teacher.

The Layout

The book is laid out in four sections. The first section is entitled “Your Students” and discusses topics that will involve both you (the teacher) and your students (for example, listening, classroom management, and assessment). This section is the main area that discusses pedagogical techniques; most of the rest of the book focuses on the “extra stuff” that all teachers encounter. Section two is called “Your Program.” This is the longest section in the book, and covers topics such as marketing your program, planning concerts, financial considerations, paperwork, and parent communication. The third section, “Your Place,” is about relating your ensemble to the community. It includes advice on recruiting, collaboration, and administration. Finally, section four is entitled “Your Life” and focuses on your well-being as the director. The three issues covered in this section are getting a job, professional development, and things to do over the summer (a topic that has also been covered here at MusicEdMajor.net).

In addition to the content of the book, the authors have added small segments, which appear in sidebar format on some pages, or take up full pages elsewhere, to add additional insight. The first of these are called “Technology Tips,” and they include ideas for integrating technology into the music program. The “What if…” boxes anticipate “what if…” questions that are likely to come up based on the content around which they are placed (for example, the “What if” box in the budgeting section is appropriately titled “What if my budget gets cut?”). The third type of section is called “Reality Check,” and appears every so often on it’s own page, with a reminder that as ambitious as we are as musicians, we cannot do everything, and our program is not the center of the universe. Finally, the authors place a segment called “Blogging at North Central…” at the end of each topic. This segment chronicles the lives of two fictional teachers, band director Barbara Ritter and choral director Conrad Wallace, telling stories about encounters they have had that coincide with the topic they follow. The catch is, all the stories themselves are true-the names have just been changed!

The Content

This book will not find its home as a textbook in a collegiate Music Education program any time soon, but it does serve its purpose extremely well. The information and ideas in the book are fresh and exciting, and they are delivered in an extremely passionate voice. The book is written in a more informal voice than a typical textbook, which makes it significantly easier to read. The authors (one of whom is a choral director, the other a band director) do a good job of citing specific examples from both of the concentrations equally, although there are some sections that focus specifically on one concentration where a broader view might be more beneficial to the reader. All in all, though, the book does a great job at doing what it is billed to–providing a practical, common-sense guide to running a program.

In Conclusion

On a scale of 5 stars, I give this book 5 stars! It is an extremely helpful resource to beginning educators, and I would call it a “must-have” for any first-year band or chorus director. The book seems to have less application to veteran teachers than it is billed to, but it does provide the opportunity for revitalization for a veteran teacher who has fallen into a routine and is looking for new ways to go about things. This book by no means is a substitute for a 4-year Music Education degree, but it is a fantastic handbook for being out in the field, and should be on every first-year band or chorus director’s shelf! It is not necessarily cheap at $21.95, but I feel it would be a good investment for a beginning teacher!

Have you read this book or others like it? Please leave a comment with your thoughts or questions about the book, and I will be happy to answer anything I can! Don’t forget to pick up your copy of Teaching Band and Chorus in the 21st Century today!

Related posts:

1. REVIEW: “Sound Innovations” Method
2. College Applications: Prioritizing Schools
3. Hire Me! Tips for Finding Your First Music Teaching Job After Graduation