Music Ace

By John Kuzmich, Jr.,

Important Copyright Notice:

Originally published in the May, 1999 issue of School Band & Orchestra published by Larkin-Pluznick-Larkin Inc.,

pp. ?.

Web Page for the School Band & Orchestra Magazine

If ever there was a software program that grabs your attention with animated graphic instruction, it is Music Ace by Harmonic Vision. For beginning theory instruction at the elementary and middle school levels, Music Ace is a one-of-a-kind software product. Maestro Max and his choir of Singing Notes will keep your students on task. It offers 24 comprehensive lessons covering fundamental music skills and concepts dealing with staff and keyboard relationships, note reading, sharps, flats, and key signatures, major scales and octaves, pitch identification, listening skills, keyboard basics and treble, bass and grand staff. An interactive game follows each lesson, designed to reinforce new material and sharpen skills. Music Ace also includes an innovative Music Doodle Pad to facilitate easy composing. Students can create their own tunes using six different instrument sounds. These compositions can be saved and played back for family, friends and teachers. Users can also take a break from composing to listen to a variety of popular and classical music selections from the Jukebox section of the Music Doodle Pad.

What makes Music Ace particularly useful for educators is that the school edition includes an 80-page Music Ace Teacher's Guide that includes: suggestions for classroom instruction, detailed matrices of concepts explored in each lesson and game, 20 suggested activities for more creative uses of Music Ace, 40 reproducible blackline masters, lesson progress sheets, award certificates, spelling games with note names, various staff activities, and several other tools to enhance the students' music education process. Volume 2, Music Ace 2, will be available later in 1999 which will make Music Ace and Music Ace 2 the most comprehensive music theory software for most music teachers at the elementary and middle school levels. Music Ace is also popular at the high school level as well. Band and orchestra directors are using it as a review for students that might be having trouble with specific items, such as bass clef notes and intervals. When Music Ace 2 is available, innovative high school teachers and college professors will be able to put it to good use in their theory classes. You've got to see it to believe it!

Music Ace by Harmonic Vision is $79.95. The system requirements are: Windows 3.1: 386 CPU or faster with 4 MB RAM, 640x480 256-color Super VGA monitor, 12 MB free hard disk space, 3.5" disk drive and a MPC compatible sound card or General MIDI required but MIDI keyboard is optional. Additional requirements for Windows 95 or Windows 98: 486 DX-33 MHz or better 8 MB of RAM.. The Macintosh 68030 needs 25 MHz or higher 5 MB RAM, 256-color VGA monitor, 11 MB free hard disk space System 7.0.1 or better and a 3.5" disk drive. A hybrid CD-ROM is available for both Windows and Macintosh platforms. Music Ace will work on 386 computers with Windows 3.1 and up. Even an older DOS version is available. Contact Harmonic Vision for availability. Special versions designed for use in classrooms and music studios are also available, including school editions that can track the progress of 10 students, a non-networked site license version can track 300 students (30 CD-ROM's of 10 users each). The network version will track 3,600 students, 5, 10 and 15 computer lab packs are available tracking 50, 100 and 150 students respectively. Other combinations are also available. A free demonstration copy of Music Ace can be download form the following web site: http://www.harmonicvision.com. Address: 906 University Place, Evanston, IL 60201. Phone: 800-644-4994.