The area of pedaplus.com that consistently has the most hits and visits is the flash games section. Not long ago, when I was converting this entire site from the old static html pages to the current joomla CMS installation, I started receiving emails from people who were concerned because the games weren't available. This "crisis" probably lasted a total of 2-3 days, but I was surprised at how quickly I was hearing about it from users.
The Games People Play
Several years ago I found the 3d Flash Animator program, and started using it to make a few musical games in Flash. I like 3DFA because it combines an easy-to-use interface with a number of game-related functions, greatly facilitating the creation of interactive flash movies.
A new version of 3DFA came out earlier this year, which inspired me to turn my attention back to the games. I decided to put together some tutorials, and put together an assignment for my pedagogy students so that they could create their own flash music games.
A recent upgrade to the 3D Flash Animator program, which I found out about this summer, inspired me to work on some new Flash drills / games this summer. It further inspired me to develop an assignment for my pedagogy students which would encourage them to create flash-based drills of their own.
The nice thing about 3D Flash Animator is that it is simple to learn, but yet has some powerful features. It is a shareware program, so the cost is relatively low. The program has been through enough revisions and upgrades that it has become stable and reliable. The only bugs I have found in the flash movies I have been working on have been my own fault, not the program's. The programmers designed some really neat features into 3dfa which make it ideal for game developers - and by extension, music teachers who want to design their own music drills and games.
What if you want to play a duet, but don't have a partner handy? What if you want to enable a student to play duets at home (for fun, or to improve sight reading), but the student doesn't have a partner handy? MIDI is a good way to provide a duet partner. With most computers equipped with some sort of MIDI playback program (QuickTime, itunes, winamp, Windows Media Player, etc) - it is easy for students to have a duet partner without needing a digital keyboard, or any other MIDI equipment other than the computer.
The problem is most of the generic programs on the computer only play back the MIDI file, with little control over the playback other than volume. For the best duet experience you need a program that allows you to mute individual tracks and control tempo as well as volume. I found a great free program that allows you to play back a MIDI file with complete control over which tracks play, the tempo of the file, the key (it has transposing slider!), and the volume level. The vanBasco karaoke player allows you to load playlists, has small, movable screen modules, and comes with a variety of available skins.
The Sounds From solo instruments and small ensembles to full tutti orchestra and choirs, the MOTU Symphonic Instrument’s massive 8 gigabyte (GB) library provides sounds from world class orchestras and musicians, recorded with pristine audio fidelity and careful attention to detail. Quality and variety abound: strings, brass, woodwinds, orchestral percussion, male and female choirs, pipe organs, period instruments and pianos and even timeless classics, including Steinway D and Yamaha C7 pianos. Instrument highlights include:
Strings – Violin Section, Viola Section, Cello Section, Bass Section, Solo Violin, Solo Viola, Solo Cello, Solo Bass, Harp...
Brass – Trumpet solo, Trumpet ensemble, Piccolo Trumpet, Flugel Horn, French Horn solo, French Horn ensemble, Trombone solo, Trombone ensemble, Bass Trombone, Tuba, Contrabass Tuba...
Woodwinds – Flute solo, Flute ensemble, Alto Flute, Piccolo, Clarinet solo, Clarinet ensemble, Bass Clarinet solo & ensemble, Oboe solo, Oboe ensemble, Oboe D'Amore, Bass Oboe, English Horn, Bassoon solo & ensemble, Contra Bassoon...
Akoustik Piano fuses the sampled sound, expressiveness and playability of three of the most reputable grand pianos – the Steinway D, Bechstein D 280 and Boesendorfer 290 Imperial – as well as the charismatic Steingraeber 130 vintage upright piano into one application. Akoustik Piano covers the entire range of piano sounds and styles, transfusing the sonic characteristics and subtle tonal nuances of all four into your computer – the perfect complement for studios, rehearsal rooms, schools, stages and clubs.
