Excellent writing tool, Scrivener, is available on iOS

Earlier this week, Literature & Latte announced that their writing tool Scrivener is now available on iOS.

I wrote my entire book on the Mac version of Scrivener and oh man do I wish I had this on my iPad throughout the process.

Scrivener is a non-linear word processor that allows you to write and organize lengthy projects. I only scratched the surface while writing my book but you can do all sorts of neat things with it including: clipping urls, images, and other research into your project file all within the same interface that you organize the various written sections of your work.

If you are writing a book, thesis, dissertation, or even just need to organize larger writing projects in a flexible way, you should give this app a try.

Interesting tidbit: Scrivener uses Dropbox instead of iCloud to sync projects across devices. The developers wrote about that decision here. It is interesting that Apple's own syncing solution is not flexible enough for pro software developers to build their apps on. I continue to be worried about Apple's ability to stay relevant with both cloud services and the professional market. This is not a promising story but I am glad that the developers of Scrivener made a decision that ensures security and reliability for their users, even if it does come with some compromises.

Master Plan, Part Deux | Tesla Motors

Elon Musk has posted part two in his master plan for Tesla

Master Plan, Part Deux | Tesla Motors:

So, in short, Master Plan, Part Deux is:

Create stunning solar roofs with seamlessly integrated battery storage Expand the electric vehicle product line to address all major segments Develop a self-driving capability that is 10X safer than manual via massive fleet >learning Enable your car to make money for you when you aren't using it

Bring it on!

Announcing My First Book ---> Digital Organization Tips for Music Teachers!

I am excited to announce that I am writing a book!

Actually, I already wrote it. Oxford University Press will publish the book, "Digital Organization Tips for Music Teachers," this Fall. It will be the first title in the series, "Essential Music Technology: The Prestissimo Series" with series editor, Richard McCready.

The book will focus on how technology can help rather than stifle productivity in the music teaching profession. It will address such topics as: minimizing paper, managing tasks, taking good notes, organizing iTunes playlists, understanding music streaming services, working in the cloud, and managing scores. The book will provide an overview of the apps and services I have found most useful in my teaching experience. It will include sample workflows for using these technologies in music teaching contexts.

Stay tuned to this site for more information. The blog has been quiet this year as I have spent more time writing the book. Upon release, I plan to write posts of a supplementary nature. I also plan to do a miniseries on my podcast that offers commentary on the book. I will be inviting many insightful guests on the show to discuss a different chapter each episode.

I also have a really fun video trailer in the works featuring some brilliant acting talent from my colleagues in the Howard County Public School System and some awesome editing work from the guys over at Four/Ten Media.

I hope you will pick up a copy when it is released.

Steinberg announces Dorico

Steinberg has finally given a name and release date to their much anticipated score editing application.

Dorico will be available Q4 2016. I have been looking for a modern replacement for Sibelius for years and this software really looks like it might deliver. You can read all about it on their blog, here.

The Sibelius blog has a dense (in the best sense of the word) overview of the features of the app here.

MyScript Stylus is a third party keyboard that turns handwritten text to typed text

David Sparks wrote a review of a new iPad Pro keyboard called MyScript Stylus that converts handwritten text to typed text. See his review for a video of this in action.

I have been using this keyboard on my iPad Pro for a few weeks now end let me just say I feel like a wizard. The keyboard feels natural to write on with the Apple Pencil, maybe even supernatural.

I think the thing that makes this app so compelling is the way I tend to hold the iPad Pro. Because of its size, I find that I am more comfortable cradling it in my left arm against my upper chest when using it for long periods of time. While holding it like this, I use the Apple Pencil as input instead of a finger. The length of the pencil allows for me to be able to reach touch targets at this distance and even increases my precision and speed when interacting with various apps. This is not a comfortable position to type on a software keyboard and the iPad Pro does not support the feature where you can split the keyboard in two and type with both thumbs (why!?!?) so the fact that I can continue typing by simply handwriting with the Apple Pencil means I do not have to change my grip, the position of the iPad, or my input device.

This has proven especially useful when using the Canvas SpeedGrader app to assess student performances in person. Using pre-designed performance rubrics, I can tap on the criteria that best describe the performance with ultra speed precision using the pencil, and even have time to hand write some comments in the comments field of each category, all without the pencil ever leaving my grip. This speed allows my to give clearer, richer, and faster musical feedback to students, which is ready for them to read using the Canvas app on their phones immediately after they are done playing for me.

Music goes in the ear

This post from Matt Youglove, featured on Vandoren's website, is really what it is all about.

Intonation is one of my favorite pedagogical topics in music, particularly because I am most methodical about it, and, because it is one of those things that really differentiates one young band from the next.

This part really nails it:

My point here is not to say that there is a correct frequency with which to tune; in fact it’s the opposite. There is NO correct pitch. Being in tune simply means that the frequencies you are producing on your instrument are at an agreeable ratio with the pitches being produced below you (which also applies to solo players – the lower notes being ones that you have previously played and are still in the listeners ear). You must play in tune with yourself as well as with others. The human ear hears the upper of two disagreeing pitches as “out of tune.”

The solution offered is exactly what I do with my students:

For this reason, I make all my students use a droning device. My preference is the Boss DB-88 Dr. Beat Metronome (which is no longer on the market – the DB-90 is the new model). I plug this into a PA system in my office and make students play the associated full scale over at least 3 different notes (usually chromatically adjacent), stopping on each consonance until it is perfectly in tune. This usually takes students quite a while at first, but the dividends are worthwhile.

Why slowness is killing the Apple Watch

Dan Moren has a great write up on why slowness is killing the Apple Watch over on sixcolors.com and I couldn't agree with it more.

This part sums up my experience and frustration completely:

The problem with the Apple Watch is that we’re being asked to strap something to our wrist—to attach it to our very body—without it delivering on the corresponding promise that it will be much faster to use than our phones. The stale data and the lack of speed means that either you have to stare at your Watch for several seconds and hope the data updates; or tap on the complication to load the Watch app, which as we all know takes a good long while as well; or simply give up and pull out your phone.

It’s not just that the Apple Watch is slow; it’s that it’s slow while promising to be faster. That the Watch is a remarkable piece of engineering I won’t dispute, and as a fashion statement, well, it’s as personal as fashion always is. But as a consumer electronics product, it doesn’t really deliver on its primary reason for existing.