Reminders are good. We're all busy people, and we need them—so we don't forget the important things in life. Appointments. Paying the dog sitter. Eating all the veggies in your fridge before they go bad.

MOTHER'S DAY!

(Yes, folks, it's this Sunday. Pop a card in the mail today and you'll avoid a, ahem, "prickly" greeting when you call.)

In other reminder news, we have some great new webinar topics this month that just may appeal to you or a colleague:

1. Using SmartMusic in Your Summer Program
2. Dollars and Sense: Helping Students Get Home Subscriptions
3. Secrets to Success with SmartMusic
4. Training Students to Use SmartMusic
5. SmartMusic in Your Band and Orchestra Program
6. Sending Assignments and Documenting Student Progress

See the complete schedule on our website, and click on a topic to register. (They're free.) It's that simple.

Plus, attendees can get a half-price educator subscription and a free mic, or 10 free mics when they buy 10 student subscriptions. Great deals either way!

So how are you celebrating Mother's Day? Leave us a comment and tell us all about your plans!

We're excited to announce our new partnership with Drum Corps International, the world leader in producing events for elite student marching ensembles! This summer, DCI fans will notice a SmartMusic presence at performances and events around the country -- including DCI's new INpact project, in which our technology will help 1,000 Indiana middle-school band students learn the music they'll perform at the DCI Championships in August.

“This is a unique sponsorship as MakeMusic is also providing us with SmartMusic technology that will be integral to the success of DCI programs,” said Daniel Acheson, executive director and CEO of DCI. “The ability of students to prepare and perfect music before they come together to rehearse and perform is part of the huge advantage SmartMusic offers, and this will be a critical component of programs like ‘INpact Indiana’s Future – Band.’ Gone are the days of simply sending students sheet music and hoping for the best.”

We're happy to support an organization that inspires such passion for music and performance in students. If you'd like to spread some drum corps excitement to your marching band students, check out the DCI website and consider attending an event this summer!

(Photo credit: Drum Corps International)

This blog, and our SmartMusic Facebook page, are focused on you -- SmartMusic educators. Oddly enough, educators represent a minority of SmartMusic users: Students outnumber you by far. So it only makes sense that we should be in an online conversation with students, too. Maybe even give them a place to have fun, and connect with other students who share their passion for music.

Introducing I <3 SmartMusic, the new Facebook page that's "only for the young, hip, and musically passionate." (Don't get why the "less-than" sign and a "3" are doing in the previous sentence? Before you give up and ask your texting-savvy students, try tipping your head to the right... and envision a heart! Now you're with me.)

The page will feature plenty of drum corps content this summer, reflecting our exciting new partnerships with DCI, Michael McIntosh, and The Cavaliers. And over time, we'd like the page to reflect students' wider musical interests -- choral, band, orchestral, and beyond.

Keep an eye out for:

• Videos (like the McIntosh "Epic Stick Tricks" series, updates from The Cavaliers, and more)
• Student video uploads of their own killer performances
• Video contests
• Quizzes and prizes
• Giveaways (cool SmartMusic swag)
• Hot new artists
• Accomplished musical groups

We hope to see lots of SmartMusic students over at the new page. After homework and practicing their music, of course.

(Hint: If kids have trouble finding it, you can advise them to type in https://www.facebook.com/ILoveSmartMusic. Or simply search Facebook for "SmartMusic" -- no spaces.)

We’re excited to announce a new, three-way partnership with acclaimed percussionist and composer, Michael McIntosh, and The Cavaliers Drum & Bugle Corps!

Michael, one of two percussion designers for The Cavaliers, has agreed to share his percussion arrangements for the 2012 Cavaliers performance season—in SmartMusic!

“There’s been some buzz about the fact that we’re doing this,” says Michael. “Our goal was to share the music in a way that’s fun and educational. We want fans to come along for the ride this summer, and see what it’s like to be a Cavalier!”

(The first and second movements for the Cavaliers’ 2012 percussion music are now available in SmartMusic. Note that you’ll need SmartMusic 2012 to download.)

We had Michael in the studio last week, recording video lessons for both beginner and intermediate-level percussionists (“Mike’s Epic Stick Tricks”). While we had him pinned under those hot lights, we asked how the Cavaliers percussion section planned to use SmartMusic down the road.

“Our goal is to get the guys practicing along with the Cavaliers’ percussion arrangements in SmartMusic,” says Michael, noting that the Cavaliers hoped to help members practice efficiently between camps, and track their progress via audio assessment.

“The cool thing is that they can slow down the tempo to practice the more challenging parts, and record and listen to their own practice sessions,” says Michael.

While we’ll let you know as soon as the video lessons are available, I thought I'd share some home video I shot of Michael warming up in the studio. Check out the video above and let us know what you think!

Rippling water. New repertoire. What’s the connection?

The answer lies in the newly released Elements (Petite Symphony) from FJH Music Company—one of 46 titles released in SmartMusic this month.

The often-requested Elements is a short, 4-movement work in which each movement depicts a specific element: air, water, earth, and fire. The second movement, Water, is “impressionistic in nature,” according to the composition notes in SmartMusic. (Composer is Brian Balmages.)

Expanding Repertoire: Closing in on 3,000
Our repertoire development team just added 46 more ensemble titles, all of which are listed below. Our new ensemble total is 2,987… we should hit 3,000 soon!

Concert Band:

Jazz Ensemble:

String Orchestra:

As always, you can search for these pieces by title, composer/arranger, publisher, skill level, and more, both online as well as from within SmartMusic. You can also request future titles and view other recent blog posts highlighting repertoire additions.

Did this batch include a title you've been waiting for? Let us know by clicking on "Comments" below.

At this time of year, who doesn’t dream of a warm, relaxing vacation? Okay, maybe you don’t if you live in the Bahamas year-round, but unfortunately I don’t fall into that category.

Here’s a chance for you to combine your love of making music with your favorite travel destination:

Announcing the “Take Your Music Further with Garritan” music composition contest.

In December 2011, Garritan was acquired by MakeMusic, creators of SmartMusic and Finale. To celebrate, we’re throwing a music composition contest!

Contestants are invited to develop a provided musical theme to create a piece of music—using Garritan sounds—that invokes their dream travel destination. The grand prize is a $2,000 United Airlines gift card and $500 in spending money.

The contest deadline is March 15, 2012 at 12:00 PM CST. More information, including contest rules, can be found on the Finale Facebook page.

Where would you go if you won?

"How are the webinars going?" is a common question heard here in the halls of MakeMusic, and with good reason. We've committed to offer music educators more virtual learning opportunities this year—and we're off to a great start!

Attendees tell us the sessions have been informative and convenient. And not surprisingly, our special offer for webinar attendees—50% off an educator subscription and a free SmartMusic microphone—has been well received.

In February, we're featuring some new webinar topics to help you, whether you're a new user—or not so new! Choose from:

• Sending Assignments in SmartMusic: Motivating Students to Practice Efficiently (30-minute demo plus Q&A)
• SmartMusic: Your Questions Answered (60 minutes; Q&A-only session)
• Getting Started with SmartMusic: Technology to Extend your Reach (30-minute demo plus Q&A)

At the end of each session, attendees can choose to take advantage of two special, limited-time offers:

• 50% off an educator SmartMusic subscription, plus a FREE SmartMusic Windows microphone (or $19.95 off a Mac mic)
• Buy 10 student subscriptions, get 10 FREE SmartMusic Windows microphones (or 6 FREE Mac mics)

You can visit the website to view the schedule and register for an upcoming session. And if you know anyone who wants to learn more about how SmartMusic can help them do more in their music programs—by all means, spread the word!

Going to TMEA? We’re excited about our dynamite lineup of SmartMusic and Finale clinics at the show—and we’d love to see you at one (or more) of them:

Finale 2012 for Band and Orchestra - Thursday, Feb. 9
 | 2:00-3:00 PM
 | CC 002

SmartMusic 2012: New Assessable Sight-Singing and Sight-Reading Capability - 
Thursday, Feb. 9 | 
6:30-7:30 PM
 | CC 102

SmartMusic: A Sight-Singing Tutor (Cynthia Gonzales, TSU)
 - Friday, Feb. 10 | 
11:00 AM-12:00 PM
 | CC 102

Finale in General Music - 
Friday, Feb. 10 | 
12:30-1:30 PM
 | CC 102

SmartMusic in your Band, Choir and Orchestra Program - Friday, Feb. 10 | 
2:00-3:00 PM | 
CC 002

Demos at booth #1629

Stop in for a 20-minute SmartMusic or Finale demo—and hear about all the exciting changes at MakeMusic (hint: ask about Free Finale NotePad, the Garritan and MusicXML acquisitions, contests, and more!).

Here are the 7 unique demo topics we’ll be covering:

1. Getting started with SmartMusic: Quick ways to motivate student learning
2. Vocal/General: New SmartMusic repertoire and assessment
3. Sight reading made easy with SmartMusic
4. Extend your reach with SmartMusic: Send customized assignments and messages
5. Eight great Finale tips, including the fastest note-entry options
6. Percussion in Finale
7. From Finale to SmartMusic: Create custom worksheets and accompaniments

This year, we're also focused on providing more virtual opportunities to learn about SmartMusic. See our February webinar calendar to register for one of our upcoming sessions: Sending Assignments in SmartMusic: Motivating Students to Practice Efficiently; Getting Started with SmartMusic: Technology to Extend your Reach; and SmartMusic: Your Questions Answered (Q&A only).

We are pleased to announce that New Directions for Strings (Book 1), a popular method book from The FJH Music Company, is now available in SmartMusic.

A team of pedagogues—with more than 100 years of combined teaching experience and representing each of the four stringed instruments—authored New Directions for Strings with particular focus on:

• Equal integration of all the instruments
• A tetrachord-based approach to support proper development of the left hand
• Ensemble opportunities throughout the books

In other repertoire news, we invite you to explore the 55 new ensemble titles released this week. Highlights include:

• 19 titles featured in concerts or clinics at The Midwest Clinic
• 13 concert band titles, 4 jazz ensemble titles, 8 string orchestra titles, and 1 full orchestra title
• Frequently requested titles, such as:
  • An Original Suite, Serengeti Dreams, and Colliding Visions (concert band)
  • Southern Charm, Two for Oliver (jazz ensemble)
  • Symphony No. 15 in G Major, Fire Dance, Terra Nova (string orchestra)
  • The Prince of Denmark’s March (full orchestra)

You can also request future titles and view other recent blog posts highlighting repertoire additions.

Looks like it’s time to click “Find Music” again—with plenty of new repertoire to download, you’ll be glad you did.

Image appears courtesy of MikeLicht, NotionsCaptial.com on Flickr

If you’ve been meaning to check out SmartMusic, now may be just the time to take the plunge.

This week, we’re kicking off our free webinar series, designed to help music educators learn more about SmartMusic and how it can help you in the classroom.

In these webinars our best and brightest will guide participants through a 30-minute demonstration, followed by a 30-minute live Q&A. Presenters include:

• SmartMusic Education Specialist Bob Grifa
• SmartMusic Product Specialist Dave Hawley
• Senior Account Manager Leigh Kallestad

Our first topic is: “Getting Started with SmartMusic: Technology to Extend Your Reach.”

To join us, all you have to do is visit the website (click on Educators/Webinars and Conventions), and click on the date you’d like to attend. You’ll be directed to our WebEx registration page from there.

The next topic in our webinar series, slated to begin in February, will be “Sending Assignments in SmartMusic: Helping Students Practice More Efficiently.”

We hope you’ll accept our invitation to learn more. See (or, more accurately, “hear”) you soon!