mp3cut is service that allows you to cut mp3 files on-line. From now on you don't need difficult programs to cut and create a melody for your cell-phone. Three simple actions and your melody is ready!  Dead simple. Access it here.



Convert any media file format (Documents, Images, Audio, Video & Archives) without buying or installing anything on your PC. On the site you can change WAV to MP3, JPEG to TIFF, DOC to html , AVI to MP4, and most surprisingly, you can also make mathematical conversions in units, plus plenty more.

Basically you chose the file and then send you link to where you can upload it in it's new format.  Pretty cool but I don't know how the media companies will handle it.  Anyhow check it out here

Just over a month ago I came across Myna from Aviary (click here for the article) an amazing web based audio looper and recorder that really looked and operated much the same as Apples Garageband straight from the browser.  This month's gem is Jamstudio which is more focussed on actual music creation in the form a more traditional approach of chords and instruments.  I came across this excellent review from Philly Teacher and I highly recommned her site

Jam Studio

http://www.jamstudio.com

What is it?

JamStudio is a free music-making tool created by Dave Edwards, a musician and software engineer who wanted to offer a music-making tool for people wanting to make their own music. Users can create music for free without an account, or they can create an account to save and share the songs they create. It is based on Guitar chords, which are simply laid out by letter. Even a user who is not comfortable with Guitar chords can, after fiddling around a bit, figure out how to make a melody using the simple click-to-add method this site uses for creating a song. Users can also choose a Guitar effect and change the time signature.

Pros

JamStudio is FREE! You can still play around with it, even if you don't create an account. It starts off immediately with an animated tutorial that can be repeated as well as a YouTube instructional video for extra help. It also loads fairly quickly for immediate user satisfaction.

Cons

To be honest, there aren't many. The only one I can forsee is that many of the outside links are to YouTube, which, as we teachers all know, is usually unavailable. Also, you can't save your work without creating an account, which can cause problems with younger students who are under 18 and/or may not meet the age requirements for an account (I couldn't find the age requirement anywhere on the home page).

Educational Grants!!!

JamStudio offers a grant for teachers who want to use the All Access option (normally $10/month) with their students. This allows students to save their mp3's and send them to their teacher.

Classroom Use

This online software could easily be used in the classroom with the simple posting of a link to a del.icio.us page or wiki for students to access right away. It could be used by music teachers or by teachers who may want their students to create an original song for a presentation (possibly to avoid copyright issues). Since the grants are available, it's a great resource for teachers/schools/districts who don't have enough funds for programs like GarageBand or want something easily accessible anywhere as an alternative to Audacity.

I may try this with my students after we use GarageBand and ask them how the two compare and what they liked/disliked about each.

Jam Studio in Action

I used Jam Studio with a 3rd grade class today and they LOVED it! It actually taught them about music since I had to explain that the # sign meant 'sharp.' They quickly picked up the basics. I find that a class needs to use a program like this at least 2 times to become really comfortable with it and get the full value of it.

Creaza is a suite of web based applications that would be useful in any class situation from round year 5 up.  A Video Editor, Movie Editor, Mind Mapping tool and Comic Strip Creator.  Check below for a detailed description of each of these below. 

The quality of each app is very high especially the mind mapping tool and audio editor that is not quite up to the standard of Myna but it is still quite solid nonetheless.  Creaza is totally free but does offer some extras for hardended users for a small fee.  I strongly recommend checking out Creaza as it is simply a one stop shop for web based creativity and multimedia and by the look of their blog they don't look to be just stopping at these four worthwhile apps.

Once your students have created a login account they can express their ideas and concepts in innovative and creative means through Creaza.  Check it out here.

Mindomo – The Mind Map Tool

With Mindomo, you can organise and get an overview of thoughts, ideas, links, and other information visually.

In order for the brain to remember what you learn, knowledge needs to be categorised.  To make the learning process easier and more fun, you can use the mind map tool to make a map of your thoughts and sort them thematically.

The mind map is well suited to exploring new material, looking at connections between new and known knowledge, and organising material for further development.

Mind map topics can contain media files and links, as well as text.

You can edit a short film or splice together your own version of a newscast, a commercial, a film trailer, or a TV interlude, play it back later, and compare it with the original.

MovieEditor also allows you to experiment with how different music or sound effects change your understanding of moving pictures.  You can use the movie editor to import your own film clips, sound clips, and images, and splice them into your story.

This tool follows established conventions for film editing, synchronising video, images, sound, and text on a timeline.

What is it:  I have not really found a product that is even closely comparable to the quality and simplicity of Apple's Garageband for budding musicians and loopers and it would have to be a real selling point for Apple  to teenagers who want be creative and create something fresh and cool.  Well after about an hour of playtime I have to say that Aviary's multi track Audio Studio Myna is a close second and quite possibly the web cloud based applications I have yet seen. 

This multitrack (Maximumof ten) recording studio allows you to record and edit audio through your browser without destroying your original file add a range of audio effects such as pans, loops, fades and publish the final product to your desktop or publish it online via your Aviary account.

Better still Myna comes with a library of riffs from Quantum Tracks that can be used for educational purposes, and a few sound effects from other sources. You can upload your clips to the service as well, and record directly from your computer take your pick.

Finally it looks great and will be a sinch to kids and anyone who has ever used a linear based editing suite such as Garageband, Vegas or Audacity.

How can I use this in the classroom:  Make a podcast of a literacy task?- Make a Music track combine the two into a dramatical old style radio theatre piece or simply try and produce your first hip-hop track.  Really the sky is the limit with this one and I am sure you will be full of great ideas specific to your kids needs and wants.

My first impressions of this are that it is excellent and a must try for you and your students - Demo Video included below and Myna can be found here.