What Equipment is Needed for a Music Teaching & Conducting Career?
Music teaching and conducting, while helped somewhat by technology, still remains essentially an "old school" process. The equipment listed below existed in less technological forms in earlier decades: metronomes were mechanical rather than electronic, musicians used a tuning fork instead of an LED-display tuner, and musical arrangements were written out in longhand rather than on a computer. All of these old methods still work perfectly well.
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Metronome
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The metronome is the essential instrument for determining the correct tempo for many pieces of music. Electronic metronomes are now available in very small sizes.
Tuner
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The electronic tuner is vital for teaching music. Some electronic tuners make an audible tone for instrument tuning. For a higher price, a combination metronome/tuner can be purchased.
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Batons
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For conductors, the baton is a valuable labor-saving device, allowing the wrist to do most of the work of beating time, instead of the whole arm and shoulder.
Computer
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A great deal of the modern teacher/conductor's work is done on a computer. A laptop computer is suggested, since this makes it easy to bring work home at night.
Music Writing Software
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Computer music software is essential today for those writing arrangements and compositions for educational purposes. Some well-known software packages, such as Finale and Sibelius, are quite costly and require a long learning process for use. However, basic music writing software can be obtained for under $40. Noteworthy Composer is one such product.
Scores and CDs
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No tool is more valuable throughout the career of a music teacher and conductor than a large and diverse collection of musical scores and recordings.
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