App of the Week: Composing music

Ed. note: App of the Week picks are now being curated by the editors of Common Sense Education, which helps educators find the best ed-tech tools, learn best practices for teaching with tech, and equip students with the skills they need to use technology safely and responsibly. Click here to read the full app review.

What’s It Like?

Flat is a web-based tool for composing and creating sheet music. Users can create an account with Facebook or Google, and they can work from an existing score (by dragging and dropping in a file in MXL, MID, or XML format) or create a new private or public score. To create a score, choose instruments (such a piano or violin), a time signature, and a key signature, and then you can input your score using a MIDI controller or a mouse. There are menus for controlling and editing notes, articulations, dynamics, measures, lyrics, and chords, and you can roll over each menu to reveal built-in keyboard commands and helpful tips.

Price: Free to try, paid

Grades: 7-12

Rating: 4/5

Pros: Flexible features and great on-screen guidance make this a match for beginners and pros alike.

Cons: Some features can be a little slow to respond.

Bottom line: An excellent tool for writing and sharing musical creations.

Author
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Meris Stansbury

The former Editorial Director for both eSchool News and eCampus News, and was formerly the Managing Editor of eCampus News. Before working at eSchool Media, Meris worked as an assistant editor for The World and I, an online curriculum publication. She graduated from Kenyon College in 2006 with a BA in English, and enjoys spending way too much time either reading or cooking.

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