iPad Studio Use
Found in: Technology
Nancy B., Kansas
There were several teachers who had iPads, at our KC conference, and I’ve been on the verge of purchasing one for a while now. I am interested in finding out more specifics about possible iPad use in my studio. I am about to take the plunge, and I would really appreciate any insight from those who use them…Thanks in advance!
- How do you use it with your students?
- Do you use it to help with tracking progress &/or notes?
- What are any helpful/favorite apps for music or studio management?
- Any other comments, insight, pros/cons to share related to the iPad?
Patti P., Hawaii
I wasn’t at the conference, but I use my iPad in class every day.
I use Bento for my student database, and to track what we’ve done in a lesson, when I heard a particular piece and who played it, whether we’ve done the variation yet , etc. This form is definitely a work in progress, but for me is so much better than keeping track of papers.
Lorraine W., California
I, too use my iPad all the time in the studio. It has everything I need on it.
I simply use Word to log the student’s playlist and exactly where they are in all streams and then I upload to Dropbox. This means that my Mac and my iPad are always in sync automatically without me having to do anything (no manual syncing required).
In the lessons, as I have one after the other and don’t have time to copy down what I wrote, I simply take a photo of the whiteboard notes I made with my iphone, I go home and then update my students notes, upload to Dropbox et voila – it’s all there on my iPad for the next time.
Robin T., Tennessee
I use mine the way that others have mentioned, but I am also putting my sheet music on there. For those songs that I purchase online, it has a digital copy as well that goes to my IPad. You can make notes, transpose, etc. on the IPad and even create set lists.
In class, I utilize Rhapsody (instead of ITunes because I prefer the monthly fee over paying for each downloaded song), and it allows me to quickly access songs if my students come in wanting to learn a specific song from the radio, etc.
If I have a student come in who didn’t watch the video (if it is a consistent problem), I will have them step outside of class with the iPad and learn the song. I’ve also been utilizing FaceTime with a student of mine who has just been diagnosed with severe epilepsy. Sometimes she “attends” through FaceTime and can participate in class that way.
Fiona H., Australia
Great discussion here – a question for the iPad users – do you use the iPad to transcribe the notes onto at the end of lessons using a stylus and note-taking ap? Or is there another proven method? The notes could be quickly emailed to parents – is this a silly idea? I currently write my notes by hand on my whiteboard, jot down ideas for follow up and new material (next lesson) then take a picture of it. I manually load it into the computer later.