Butchart Gardens, Victoria, BC

MakeMusic announced today that it has signed an agreement to purchase Garritan Corporation, makers of Garritan Personal Orchestra and several other best-in-class virtual sound libraries. Founder Gary Garritan will join MakeMusic as director of instrumental sciences.

My wife, Becca, and I enjoyed spending some time with Gary and his wife, Marianne, when we visited beautiful Vancouver Island near the end of October. Among the many beautiful places they shared with us were the Butchart Gardens, seen in my snapshot above. Since we assumed that late October wasn’t peak season for the gardens, we were delighted at all the color and blossoms – quite a contrast to Minnesota.

While Gary and I have spoken by phone and at tradeshows many times before, this was the first time we’d shared meals and museum visits, and he and Marianne proved to be wonderful hosts AND tour guides. I wish that I could look forward to seeing them both in our offices often, but for some reason they have yet to express any interest to moving to Minnesota. Go figure.

Lest you think I’m a mover and shaker, integral in the planning of the Garritan purchase long in advance, I should clarify that I’m not. In part because MakeMusic is a public company, great care must be made in not revealing pending acquisitions, and so I wasn’t aware of the negotiations until very recently. It strikes me as funny that Becca and I traveled to British Columbia and spent time with the Garritians when we did. Perhaps I had an unconscious premonition! Thank goodness I didn’t scare them off.

Please join me in welcoming Gary and Marianne to the MakeMusic family.

Karen van Lith, New MakeMusic President/CEO

Have you ever met Trisha Stoltz from Pioneer Ridge Middle School in Chaska, Minnesota? I’d been looking forward to meeting and watching her demonstrate SmartMusic’s new vocal capabilities at our recent shareholders' meeting. But I had no idea how much energy, focus – and just plain fun – she was going to add to that meeting.

I wish you could have been there. Picture this. A conference room filled with MakeMusic investors, mostly men, dressed in their summer linen and loafers. That day, instead of modeling scenarios in Excel, they focused on this small woman standing in front of the room challenging all of us to sing and clap rhythms—and we did. Listen

Trisha gave us a fabulous experience, and I caught just a glimpse of the magic, discipline, and learning you bring to your students every day. You make a difference in the lives of the students you teach, and you make a difference to this world we live in.

I’ve been here at MakeMusic as the new CEO for about 12 weeks now. I’ve been having the time of my life, meeting educators, learning about the challenges you face, and working to bring you the best and most innovative music technology to help you extend your reach with students at school and at home. Today, I just wanted to say hello! By the way, if you haven’t had a chance yet:

• Download your free SmartMusic update
• Check out SmartMusic Inbox, a new mobile app that lets you review, grade, and comment on student assignments wherever you are—it’s really awesome
• And as soon as you get a chance, join the new SmartMusic community to share and learn about best practices with fellow educators

Always feel free to contact me with any questions or ideas you might have for SmartMusic at karenvanlith@makemusic.com. Have a fantastic school year. I look forward to meeting you at an upcoming convention or clinic!

Karen van Lith
President/CEO
MakeMusic, Inc.

Mark Maronde, always looking out for SmartMusic users. (Or is that “out looking?”)

Mark Maronde is the SmartMusic project coordinator. This week we hope to discover what that means, and get to meet one of the behind-the-scenes people.

James Lund: What is your musical background?

MM: I received a bachelor’s degree in music theory and composition from Lawrence University in Appleton, Wisconsin. I also did graduate work in choral conducting at Yale and in music theory at the University of Minnesota.

JL: You continue to compose, right?

MM: Yes. I’ve written a lot of stuff for choir and organ, including an anthem that was published by Augsburg, and I recently got my first concert band piece published.

JL: And are you a long-time Finale user?

MM: Since 1997!

JL: Can you tell me what the SmartMusic project coordinator does?

MM: I like to think of myself as the SmartMusic “utility infielder.” As I’m a generalist, I like to do a lot of different things, and this role is perfect for me as it entails many diverse responsibilities. I write the SmartMusic online help, I write and produce the SmartMusic QuickStart Videos, and I manage the SmartMusic Beta program. I also oversee the creation of SmartMusic installers, proofread marketing materials, provide support for the SmartMusic trainers, help with software testing, test the repertoire releases, and do special projects as assigned.

JL: From improving the software in the Beta program, to your work on the on-line help and videos, much of what you do directly helps SmartMusic users.

MM: I’m always looking out for our customers.

JL: Hence the photo.

MM: Exactly!

JL: What are you most excited about in the upcoming version of SmartMusic?

MM: I’m certainly excited about the new sight-singing and sight-reading features, and our new support for vocal assessment. But overall, I’m most excited by the fact that SmartMusic has now come together with all of its new components and its new user interface. Everything is working together – the software, the web pages, and the repertoire – and it’s all working great! We completely rewrote SmartMusic over the past two years, and it’s very gratifying to see all of our work come to fruition.

Teachers and students can now reap the rewards of all our hard work.

I’d like to thank Mark for sharing his time with us and for all his great work in SmartMusic.

Have a question or observation for Mark or me? Please share it by clicking on “Comments” below.

Mike Anderson is a software engineer at MakeMusic where he works his programming magic on both the SmartMusic application and the SmartMusic websites. In addition to being an experienced programmer, Mike brings a deep music background and a great sense of humor to work every day.

James Lund: What instruments do you play?

Mike Anderson: Saxophone, and a bit of flute and clarinet.

What had you done professionally prior to joining MakeMusic?

I spent twelve years in the Air Force Band. For six years I was stationed at the Chanute Air Force Base in Illinois where we supported the recruitment effort by playing at high schools throughout a five-state area. I met many band directors and music students during that time. The last six years I was stationed in Germany, performing all around Europe in the United States Air Forces in Europe (USAFE) Band.

I also spent ten years as a C++ programmer at Bankers Systems, which became Wolters Kluwer.

What sorts of music gigs do you do today outside of MakeMusic?

I play a few gigs a year with the Great River Jazz Collective big band; most Monday nights I’m at "Monday Night Jazz" at the Veranda in St. Cloud; I occasionally do theater productions (including a recent run of Jesus Christ Superstar) where I may play sax, clarinet, and flute; and I’ll also occasionally play with George Maurer – who has an annual holiday show (this year on December 22nd) at the Dakota (Minneapolis’ premier jazz club).

Got an Air Force Band story for us?

One of the most memorable concerts I played was in 1990 at Pilsen, Czech Republic.  When I first arrived in Germany to play in the USAF band in Europe there was no slot for a saxophone player in the Jazz Band. I was put into the concert band playing clarinet and I was less than thrilled about it. However, many things were happening in Europe in 1990, including the fall of the Berlin Wall and the opening of the east.

The concert band was sent to Pilsen to help celebrate the liberation of Pilsen by the American Army, the first time this was allowed since 1945! Previously the citizens were only allowed to celebrate the Soviet liberation of the city. We played to a huge crowd and the emotions were evident from the first song we played; many people cried as they sang the U.S. and then the Czech national anthems.

After the concert the band was swamped with people eager to thank us and talk. My roommate and I were led around the city to many small parties and we met tons of wonderful people. It was eye-opening to see that the events of WWII still had such an impact.

Being able to tour the Pilsen brewery the next day only added to the fun!

I know you’re also a SmartMusic user. Do you have a favorite SmartMusic piece?

I like the play-by-ear “Blues Licks” exercises. I also like the “Wynton Marsalis Volume III: Standards.” When I first joined the Air Force Band a lot of the musicians practiced with the Aebersold play-along CDs and I learned a lot by listening to them and improvising myself. The big problem was that the tempos were not flexible. Some were too fast, while others weren’t fast enough. SmartMusic play-along titles have a huge advantage in that you can adjust the tempos! You can also change the keys. Nothing is better for memorizing and really learning songs then playing them in all 12 keys. 
 
If you could have a super power, what would it be?

I don’t know if you’re familiar with “Mr. Big Ears” but he’s got the super power I’ve always wanted. He can hear any sequence of notes and instantly play them back on his instrument. He also recognizes chord qualities instantly. 
 
Good luck with that! I have one final question: Why are you holding a trombone in the employee photograph taken last year?

I left my saxophone at home that day, and had to hold something. Good thing I always keep a trombone in my trunk for just this sort of emergency!

Three brass players explore the sonic possibilities of the conch.
Left to right, Robert (Tim’s brother), Tim, and long-time band-mate Randy

For this installment of “Meet the Team” I’d like to introduce you to Tim, who recently celebrated his first anniversary in our support department, where he assists both SmartMusic and Finale users.

James: Besides the conch, what instruments do you play?

Tim: Trumpet, piccolo trumpet, and flugelhorn.

James: If you had to do it all over again (only with SmartMusic), would you play a different instrument? If so, which?

Tim:  I would still play trumpet, but SmartMusic would have saved me all that money I spent on all the "Music Minus Maynard" tapes that I wore out. 

James: Do you have a favorite SmartMusic student story?

Tim:  I’m not immediately thinking of a specific story that rises to the top. What I find gratifying is the number of parents who have told me how amazing the program is, and how, if they had that program when they were students, they would've practiced a whole lot more.

James: Do you have a favorite SmartMusic piece?
 
Tim: I’d have to say all of the Gordon Goodwin charts. I’m really looking forward to hearing his "Big Phat Band" perform on Saturday, November 13  in Winona, Minnesota!

James: I hope the band brings warm clothes! What had you done professionally prior to joining MakeMusic?

Tim: I’ve worked in the aviation, travel, and information technology industries. I’ve also had a diverse career as a performer, playing in everything from a large orchestra in Salt Lake City, to quintets, to a big band here in Minnesota.

James: What’s the big band?

Tim: In addition to playing lead trumpet, I am also the founder and director of the Red Rock Swing Band. Better yet, my sister sings with the group  – give a listen here.

James: Do you arrange for the band as well?

Tim: Yes. I’ve been a Finale user since 2000 (and a Music Prose user before that). I’ve completed many big band and brass quintet arrangements over the years.

James: To close, if you could have a super power, what would it be?

Tim: I would play in tune on the piccolo trumpet!

Want to know when SmartMusic will offer conch repertoire? Have any other questions or concerns? Please let us know by clicking on "Comments" below.

Despite living in a state known for having more than 10,000 lakes, Doug traveled to Wisconsin’s Lake Content to catch this fish.
He’s similarly willing to go to great lengths to help you with any SmartMusic or Finale questions.

For the third installment of our “Meet the Team” series, I’d like to introduce you to Doug, the man heard ‘round the room. Despite his kindly, gentle demeanor, Doug’s voice really carries in our office, perhaps as a result of sitting in front of a big band trumpet section for many years!

James Lund: What do you do at MakeMusic?
Doug: I’ve provided customer support and technical assistance for SmartMusic and Finale for more than five years.

What is your primary instrument and musical outlet?
I play alto sax. I write big band charts for local high schools and lead a big band: the Acme Jazz Company.

Your charts are great – are you a long-time Finale user?
Since Finale ’97 in 1997!

Didn't you teach before you joined MakeMusic?
I taught private lessons for several years.

If you had to do it all over again (with SmartMusic) would you play a different instrument? And if so, why?
Flute, I love the flute. You get all of the classical and baroque titles.

Got any tips for teachers or students?
I use SmartMusic to slow down recordings of improvised jazz solos without changing the pitch. This is a big help when transcribing.

How about a SmartMusic student story?
I once wrote an arrangement of Ode to Joy for two trumpets (my nephew and his mom) and piano accompaniment, to be played at a 50th wedding anniversary. I was able to send them a SmartMusic file to practice before the event, which they found very helpful.

How did their performance sound?
They played great, and in fact they’ve since begun performing together regularly at their church. I only wish the piano accompanist had been as confident as the SmartMusic file!  

The second installment of our wildly popular “Meet the CS team” series introduces us to another James – “J. G.,” our evening shift supervisor for SmartMusic support. We get many calls from students and parents after 5:00 p.m. Central time, and they all appreciate J.G.’s calming manner, especially when that grade-crucial assignment is due.

James: What is your musical background?
J.G.: I have a bachelor’s degree in music composition, and have played guitar in many rock bands.

Were you a Finale or SmartMusic user prior to joining us?
I’ve been using Finale since my freshman year in college. I discovered SmartMusic much more recently, but have actually used it with guitar, even though guitar is not officially supported.

What did you do prior to coming to MakeMusic?
I worked on the maintenance crew at Inver Wood Golf Course.

Wow, that’s quite a departure. Can you think of how that might have helped you prepare for your work here?
Sure. We were very committed to quality and attention to detail. Plus, today I am rarely caught off-guard by any flying objects.

Do you remain active musically?
I play guitar in a local Delta blues-influenced rock band – The 4onthefloor (www.4otf.com). I also compose orchestral music and am an active member of the American Composers Forum.

How many bass drums should a rock band have?
A rock band should have a minimum of one bass drum per member. (Again, see www.4otf.com)

If you had to learn a different instrument from scratch, which would you try and why?
I’d learn the violin, both for the tremendous sound and its rich history. It has the versatility to be a  part of so many different types of music, from classical violin to bluegrass and Irish fiddle.

If you could have a super power, what would it be?
Perfect pitch.

What do you enjoy most about working at MakeMusic?
Working alongside so many musicians as well as learning the depths and secrets of Finale.

The SmartMusic Customer Support team is made up of a great variety of musicians. Among our ranks are guitarists, percussionists, singers, and brass and woodwind players. We have degrees in audio production, music composition, music performance, music education, and more.

Supporting SmartMusic and Finale requires a broad skill set well beyond expertise in SmartMusic and Finale. The lion's share of our training is done in-house, leveraging years of experience accrued by our staff, as well as help from consulting firms.

We're delighted to be able to provide you with great support and also very proud of our excellent team. As a result I'd like to occasionally feature a member of the team so you can get to know us better. 

Let's start with Travis, who's been with MakeMusic since June 2008. Travis is a trombonist with a degree in music education. In addition to his regular support duties he's also a frequent contributor to the SmartMusic forums.

James: What did you do prior to coming to MakeMusic?
Travis: I taught elementary, middle school, and high school band for eight years in several districts in Iowa and Minnesota. 

Do you remain active musically?
I currently play bass trombone in a community concert band and a brass quintet, and as a freelance substitute player in other groups. 

If you had to learn a different instrument from scratch, which would you try and why?
That's a tough call, but I would probably choose clarinet. It's my favorite woodwind instrument and then I'd get to play the melody a lot more often!  

If you could have a super power, what would it be?
I'd love to be able to stop time for the world around me while I continue moving. It always seems like there are not enough hours in the day to do everything I want.

What is your favorite piece in SmartMusic?
Holst's First Suite in Eb, especially Movement 3.  It's such a melodic bass trombone part and so much fun to play!

What do you enjoy most about working at MakeMusic?
I most enjoy being around people who care about music as much as I do: I've played church gigs with co-workers and I've run into others at rock concerts. I feel like I am always learning new things about SmartMusic, Finale, and music in general. I've also been inspired to do some arranging for brass quintet, something I've always wanted to do but never accomplished until coming to MakeMusic. It's just a great feeling for me to work here!