MusicTech@UNCG » Education

Faculty Websites

Brian — Thu, 20 Aug 2009 13:50:37 +0000

A number of request for help with websites for faculty have been slowly coming into my office. I am currently working on implementing a “state-of-the-art publishing platform with a focus on aesthetics, web standards, and usability” based on WordPress that will make it easy for faculty to create their own websites without the need to learn HTML, XHTML, or any other web coding languages. I hope to have it available for testing within the next week. If anyone is currently interested please send me an e-mail.

Lime Survey Now Hosted on MusicTech

Brian — Thu, 11 Jun 2009 18:23:53 +0000

After a request from Dr. Elizabeth Keathley for help in creating an on-line survey for the FMT10 conference, I found the open source package LimeSurvey. We are currently planning to use it for Dr. Keathley’s work and if all goes well, it will be offered to the faculty in general. Please contact me if you are interested in using this package, and I will have a demo survey and copies of it results periodically available.

Content Creation Policies Review

Brian — Thu, 22 Jan 2009 15:21:29 +0000

UNCG School of Music Faculty:

With the changes in copying policies due to the budget, I ask that you please review the policies located at http://musictech.uncg.edu/uncg/itc/. I will be more than happy to help you create content for use in your courses and on Blackboard, but with the upcoming increase in demand for PDFs and recordings, the formats and turn around times are especially important. Since I have a sheet fed scanner, I cannot scan media such as books and journals unless they have been copied to 8 1/2″ x 11″ paper first, preferrably doubled-sided to save paper. Photos are not a problem, as long as they do not excced the above size. Thank you.

Brian Thacker

Bush Signs Law Creating Copyright Czar | Threat Level from Wired.com

Brian — Tue, 14 Oct 2008 00:38:00 +0000

In one of my recent posts, I mentioned about the possible passage of law that creates the position of a “Copyright Czar.” Seems it passed and was signed into law by the President while everyone was focused on the economy. It will be interesting to see how this effects the now non-existent claim of Fair Use, especially in an academic situation.

Bush Signs Law Creating Copyright Czar | Threat Level from Wired.com

Recent Rulings and Legislation on Copyright Law and Enforcement

Brian — Thu, 11 Sep 2008 14:19:43 +0000

One recent ruling that is quite disturbing is a case involving Universal. In effect, the ruling of the judge decided fair use cannot be enacted with first infringing on the exisiting copyright. While this case is still pending, the ramifications from it could effect out ability to use materials on-line.

The second item of concern is an addition to copyright law that would be “grant… the Justice Department the power to file civil lawsuits on behalf of Hollywood and others.” No longer would the copyright holders have to pursue violations, but the Federal government would be able to seek out violators on their own.

Attached are PDFs of the to article in case the websites are not available. Hope I don’t get sued over that!

Universal Fair Use PDF
Proposed Copyright Law

Garritan Offers Free Online Interactive Jazz Arranging Course

Brian — Sun, 18 May 2008 19:52:33 +0000

Similar to their course on orchestration using the Rimsky-Korsakov treatise, Garritan is now offering a free online jazz arranging course.

Jazz Arranging Online

MusicTech Courses Access

Brian — Mon, 25 Feb 2008 21:39:04 +0000

I have been updating a few of the courses available here. If anyone would like to view the courses as a student, not using the built-in Moodle guest access account, you can login with the following info:

Username: student01
Password: guest

The two course I am currently working on are the Trombone Performance Studies and the Fundamentals of Technology for Musicicans.

American Composers Forum

Brian — Sat, 31 Mar 2007 13:59:56 +0000

The American Composers Forum has an interested page for music education programs. Below is a synopsis of three of their programs that might be of interest to North Carolina music educators.

BandQuest is a breakthrough music education project that brings new levels of creativity to a broad cross-section of American youth. It is designed to meet a need long articulated by music teachers for fresh, high quality, contemporary music for middle level bands.

Composers Suitcase is designed to help classroom teachers teach music improvisation and composition skills and offers insight into the historical and cultural qualities of civilizations that have produced various types of music. The program also encourages students to explore leadership roles, develop critical thinking and problem-solving skills, and strengthen their cognitive abilities.

Music by Kids for Kids is an exciting composition curriculum especially designed for computer labs equipped with MIDI keyboards. American Composers Forum invited composer and educator Janika Vandervelde to create the curriculum and accompanying templates.

Garritan Does Rimsky-Korsakov

Brian — Fri, 16 Mar 2007 07:11:21 +0000

Gary Garritan, the man behind Garritan Personal Orchestra which is now included with Finale, has created the Garritan Interactive Principles of Orchestration by Nikolay Rimsky-Korsakov. This is an on-line version of this text with examples that utilize his sounds. Planning on going through it myself, since this was the book used in my composition class and lessons at UNM.