Supplementing Your Child’s Music Lessons with Apps

In this digital age, the marriage of technology and music education extends beyond the classroom. As parents, you play a pivotal role in cultivating your child's love for music. Discover how to seamlessly integrate digital technology into your child's music journey with our following App recommendations.

Interactive Practice Apps:

Explore the plethora of interactive practice apps designed to make learning an instrument engaging for your child. From virtual sheet music to apps that provide instant feedback on pitch and rhythm, incorporating these tools into daily practice can transform music sessions into dynamic and enjoyable experiences.

Smart Scales:

• Plays backing tracks for your scales, which is more fun than just playing to a metronome.

ABRSM Speedshifter:

• Can take any song from your phone and slow down the temp without changing the key. This is great for helping children play along to songs that go just a little too fast for them.

Note Reading Apps:

Learning to read musical notes can be tricky. Always check the age recommendations and reviews to ensure that the app is suitable for your child's developmental stage. These apps are designed to supplement traditional music education methods and make the process of learning to read musical notes engaging and entertaining for young learners.

Note Rush: Learn to Read Music:

• Fun and interactive app that turns note reading into a game. The app uses a unique note-reading algorithm where notes fall from the top of the screen, and the child has to play the corresponding note on their instrument before it reaches the bottom. This engaging approach makes learning to read music notes both enjoyable and effective.

Staff Wars:

• Staff Wars is an app that transforms note reading into an intergalactic adventure. The app presents notes on a musical staff, and the child must identify and "shoot" the correct note with their virtual laser. As the child progresses, the difficulty level increases, providing a gradual and challenging learning experience.

Flashnote Derby:

• Flashnote Derby combines horse racing with note reading, making it an exciting way for children to practice and master musical notes. Players identify notes presented on the screen, and the correct answers propel their horse forward. The competitive and animated nature of the app motivates children to improve their note-reading skills while having fun.

Rhythm Apps:

Learning a sense of rhythm is an important part of learning every musical instrument - not just the drums. Here are three recommended apps designed to help children develop a sense of rhythm and pulse.

The Most Amazing Sheep Game (TMASG):

• A simple and effective game for kids to learn how to tap on the beat (without realising it).

Groove Pizza:

• Groove Pizza is an interactive online tool that introduces children to the basics of rhythm and beat creation. Users can experiment with different drum sounds and patterns, allowing them to visually explore the concept of rhythm. It's a hands-on and creative way for children to develop a sense of pulse and understand the building blocks of rhythmic patterns.

Rhythm Trainer:

• Description: Rhythm Trainer is an app that focuses on improving a child's ability to recognize and replicate different rhythms. It offers a variety of exercises, including clapping, tapping, and playing along with different rhythmic patterns. The app is designed to enhance rhythm skills through auditory and kinesthetic learning experiences.

Sight Reading Apps:

Sight reading is an incredible skill to work on for learning an instrument at a higher level. Here are three recommended apps designed to help children improve their sight-reading skills:

Music Tutor (Sight-reading):

• Music Tutor is a versatile app that offers a range of exercises to improve sight-reading skills. It covers note recognition, key signatures, intervals, and more. The app allows users to customize their practice sessions based on their proficiency level, making it suitable for beginners and more advanced sight-readers.

Read Ahead - Sight Reading Trainer:

• Read Ahead is specifically designed to enhance sight-reading skills for musicians. The app provides a series of exercises that gradually increase in difficulty. Users can practice reading notes and rhythms in real-time, helping them develop fluency in sight-reading. It's an effective tool for building confidence and accuracy.

Sight Reading Factory:

• Sight Reading Factory is a comprehensive online tool that generates unlimited sight-reading exercises for various instruments and difficulty levels. It allows users to customize the exercises based on key, time signature, and other parameters. The real-time feedback and the vast library of exercises make it a valuable resource for sight-reading practice.

These apps are meant for supplementing music education, and does not replace the experience and value of attending music lessons with a skilled teacher,