Software Introduces New Ways to Lead Music Instruction

Yamaha Corporation of America's Band and Orchestral Division has launched the new Music in Education Technology Assisted Music Program (MIE II) system. Available for both Windows 98 and Macintosh OS X platforms, the system integrates powerful equipment with an effective, proven curriculum. The program was improved to incorporate Yamaha XG technology within the MIE-IIXG keyboard. Using XG technology, the new MIE II keyboard contains more than 400 new internal voices, a wider variety of styles, and an improved speaker system. The XG format is a tone generation format advocated by Yamaha for electronic instruments. XG is upward compatible with GM and provides more voices, editing capabilities, three effect processors, and other functionality to enhance the musical expressiveness of MIDI data.

The system links 16 specially designed MIE II educational keyboards to a mixer, speakers and headphones. The MIE II management software frees teachers, allowing them to move among students while accessing accompaniments and music samples through the remote control system. Each of the program's 80 sequential, integrative modules is built around a specific musical concept utilizing a "listen, discuss, make and create" learning model. Charts, worksheets, warm-ups, quizzes and 174 specially arranged songs are all included, and integrated listening examples are provided on CD. Yamaha Corporation of America, Band and Orchestral Division, Grand Rapids, MI, (800) 253-8490, www.musicineducation.com.

This article originally appeared in the 08/01/2001 issue of THE Journal.

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