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The Noteable Software Company Makes Music Flashcards a Thing of the Past
PLYMOUTH, MN, Oct. 03, 2003 - For music students, the days of memorizing boring
stacks of music flashcards are over. That's because The Noteable Software
Company (www.noteableflashcards.com) has turned the process of learning musical
notes into a game with its latest release of Noteable, a program that brings the
concept of music flashcards into the digital realm.
"Noteable takes everything musical flashcards have to offer and enhances
it," said Noteable creator Mark Meikle. "For years music teachers have
recommended paper flashcards to help students memorize the musical notes, but
paper flashcards have their limits. My goal when designing this software was to
replicate the old practice of music flashcards, but with powerful statistics and
challenges that computers make possible."
Meikle initially created Noteable to help his younger sister in her piano
lessons. It worked so well for her that Meikle began using it with all his piano
students and soon saw tremendous improvements in their note reading skills.
Students and parents alike were excited.
"I really like the program," said one Noteable user. "I bought it
for my nine-year-old daughter, and she has been having fun playing it. Even
doing it for just three nights, a couple of times a night, I've seen her
improve."
A Windows-based program, Noteable works with input by traditional computer
keyboards or by midi keyboards, allowing students to practice note association
on a piano keyboard. The program also includes an 88-key on-screen piano
keyboard for the same effect. A fast interface reacts quickly to student input,
while powerful statistics graph note-by-note and overall percentages and
reaction times. The program drills for alto, tenor, bass, and treble claves.
Noteable's SmartTest function remembers missed notes and incorporates it into
future drills. Not limited to piano students, the program features an onscreen
guitar fretboard option that allows guitar players to familiarize themselves
with the notes on the staff and on the fretboard.
The program challenges users of all skill levels, from beginner to teacher.
Students can race the reaction time stoplight to improve their reaction times.
Noteable can track and save results for multiple users, an economical feature
for music teachers and families with more than one music student. Educators can
always purchase Noteable at a 30% discount, but Noteable is also on sale for the
general public from now until Thanksgiving for $19.95, about the cost of a
single music lesson-making it a good choice for those starting their holiday
shopping early. A free demo of the program is available at http://www.noteableflashcards.com.
"Noteable will help music teachers as well as it will help their
students," finished Meikle. "My own software surprised me when, in
testing, I realized that I-a piano student for 15 years and teacher for 5
years-was improving at reading the musical notes. I knew then that Noteable
could be a good learning tool for others too."
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