NEPTA TEACHERS' EXCHANGE: April 9, 2012

At the Wellesley Free Library, 530 Washington Street, Wellesley, Massachusetts

THE USE OF TECHNOLOGY AS AN AID IN TEACHING THE PIANO

Presented by Robert S. Finley

The Teachers' Exchange brought us Robert S. Finley, Board member of NEPTA, concert pianist, audio engineer and bearer of technological knowledge and the remarkable ways in which this knowledge can contribute to developing musical skills and knowledge.

1. One can record a lesson and e-mail that lesson to the student as an attachment. No forgotten wisdom, no lost note-book, just a replay of all that occurred in the teaching hour.

2. Musical Instruments Digital Interface (or MIDI) pertains to the encoding, storage and synchronization of the data that operate digital musical instruments, say a Yamaha Clavinova, electric piano, Disklavier, etc.   For example, the teacher can show the student how the piece should sound; complete verbal and instrumental interchange is possible.

3. Skype, the same process we use to be both in touch and in view of our distant family members, can be used to connect teacher and student. Texas to Germany is no more difficult than Boston to Framingham, using Skype at no cost.

4. Teaching via internet-connected pianos: Both sides need electronic pianos or disklaviers for the internet connection. Software controls encoding of data, transmission, reception and link-control. MIDI is required and computers are connected to the internet.

Mr. Finley explained all of this in much more depth, and had examples on the screen of everything that can be done.

 

Submitted by Jean Alderman   

Update (9/21/12): link to Mr. Finley's handout