Adventures with Noteflight

Hi everyone,

Here is my first foray into Noteflight.  This was with the basic software (not the upgraded Crescendo version):

Bicycle Built for Two

My overall experience was very positive.  I am an avid Finale user, but did not use MIDI input for this particular project - just point and click.

First impressions:

Pros:

• Free - while there is an upgrade-able version (Noteflight Crescendo) with more options available, it still feels like a fully accessible program.  I did not get the "freemium" impression/pressure so common with software/apps nowadays to upgrade in order to have true functionality

• Intuitive - as a person already familiar with some notation software basics, I had an easy time adjusting to the layout of the program after a brief learning curve;  I also feel that any beginner would only struggle if they were unsure of what the actual musical symbols mean

• "Guided" notation - no 20 questions to get started here - just start a document and start editing it.  This would be especially handy for students with no previous experience.

Cons:

• Limited menu options - not everything is grouped together neatly (it might be overwhelming if they had EVERYTHING there anyway).  

• Saving - saving does not seem to be automatic, so if you are the kind of person that is not in the frequent habit of saving -- you are warned!

• Internet access required - since Noteflight is a website based program, you need to be connected in order to work and save

Educational Applications:

I can see Noteflight being an extremely useful tool in the classroom.  I have a Music History course in my high school that composes a 12-tone composition and Noteflight would be an accessible, easy medium for my students to use.  I also see this website as a fantastic tool for students interested in composition in general.  It would be a good way to help students grapple with transposition, key signatures and all the "inky" details that they (and we, as musicians) often overlook.  This sort of activity helps them to appreciate that every articulation and dynamic change is carefully crafted and intelligently placed.  I recommend that other educators and their students play with Noteflight and see what applications it might have in their classrooms too!