News & Views Thursday, May 17, 2012

On Wednesday, June 8th, Stanton’s launched its brand new, redesigned website to the public! After a year of planning, site design graphics and new programming, Stanton’s is proud to debut its newest creation. Â The new website is actually three websites in one: Stanton’s main homepage–built for everyone to use and encompassing most everything a musician would want to see, the Stanton’s Digital Delivery page–for customers who want music instantly and don’t mind music not having a cover or fancy artwork, and Stanton’s Listening Library–designed especially for music educators looking for product recordings to help in building their concerts and programs.

In developing the new website, Stanton’s focused on enhancing communication with the customer, including suggestions of new products, timely recommendations and ease of use in navigating the website. To help highlight new products, Stanton’s incorporated its social networking features–our Facebook page, WordPress blog and Twitter feed–directly onto the website. Many of our recommendations are written and published daily, so the website’s new design layout displays the latest articles, postings and tweets using RSS feeds directly from the networks!

Throughout the redesigned website is an ever changing list of new products hot off the presses! There are multiple flash viewers that display the latest new products for customers to see.  Also designed into each of the main categories is an area with click-able “tabs” that allows the Stanton’s staff to present events, products, features, staff picks, favorites, seasonal suggestions, best sellers, videos, or anything that we feel relates best to our customers. Â Each of these main category pages is specific to a particular musical focus–like “Orchestra Music“–and as the seasons change, so do the subjects and suggestions in this area. We’re very excited about this new feature, allowing Stanton’s the flexibility to be ever evolving.

We’d be so honored if you would take the time to explore our new site and provide us with some feedback–we hope that you’ll find it makes your shopping experience even easier!

Wondering how you, the music teacher, can get in on that technology grant money? Here are some great resources for finding ways to incorporate computers and more to enhance your elementary music lessons:

Mr. Zig’s Literacy, Music & Technology Connection   
By Zig Wajler
This is an outstanding resource for K-12 teachers seeking to integrate technology and the arts. Learn the process of creating, composing, recording, and producing a song. Includes a CD “Loop Library” and reproducible pages. Incorporates MENC’s National Standards for Music Education.

Technology Integration in the Elementary Music Classroom
by Amy M. Burns
Technology Integration in the Music Classroom is a landmark resource for elementary school teachers who wish to enhance their curriculum with the excitement of music technology. The lessons can be adapted and used in a general classroom setting with one computer, or in a classroom where the music teacher transports the materials “on a cart.” Support audio files, MIDI files, and other electronic documents can be accessed for free through a dedicated web site. Includes a glossary and index.

Integrating Technology with Music Instruction
By Greg Foreman and Kyle Pace
A comprehensive guide to implementing technology within the music classroom, Integrating Technology with Music Instruction offers practical strategies for utilizing technology to increase student learning, motivation and engagement and provide opportunities for essential music skills to be effectively taught and retained. Teachers will also learn how to reduce administrative obligations and explore professional growth opportunities. Incorporates MENC’s National Standards for Music Education

A Wide World of WebVisits
Jeanette Morgan
Cross the curriculum bridge with these easy-to-use, multi-faceted lessons based around music websites and written by a team of master educators including Artie Almeida and Patricia Bourne. A perfect resource for music appreciation classes, these lessons will enable your students to explore everything from African music and rare instruments like Benjamin Franklin's glass armonica to world-class orchestras and arts organizations without ever stepping out of the classroom. From ten-minute “excursions” to full-blown units, you will surely find a “WebVisit” suited to your particular needs and curricular goals.

For more great recommendations, contact Stanton’s today!

That’s right, free WIFI for Stanton’s Sheet Music customers! Bring your wireless device right into the store and log on. You’re thinking, “that’s all well and good but now what?” Well, here’s the really cool thing! We’re very proud of the vast quantity of sound files (36,297 at last count) in our listening library. Our customers can now shop anywhere in the store and listen to the musical arrangement they happen to be looking at! Plug your earbuds into your iPhone, iPad or Android, log on to the free WIFI and you’re good to go! No more waiting in line to use the CD player, cassette tape player or the turntable (turntable - what the heck is a turntable!!!).

Stanton’s Sheet Music… always on the cutting edge!

2010 is a very exciting year for us here at Stanton's Sheet Music - we're celebrating our 50th Anniversary!  Founded in August of 1960 by Columbus, Ohio native John Stanton, Stanton's Sheet Music has grown over the last 50 years from a humble “mom and pop” storefront to our current status as one of the largest sheet music retailers in the country.  We are fortunate to have become a valuable and trusted resource for musicians because of our commitment to quality products and personal customer service; a commitment we continue to build upon.

For a retrospective look at where we've come from (and where we're heading in the future), check out our video below.  Thanks to our wonderful family of customers, we've enjoyed an amazing and successful 50 year history, and we look forward to continuing to serve all your sheet music needs for the next 50 years!

Are you thinking about trying a new band or string method for your beginners next year? Come to Stanton's Sheet Music THIS SATURDAY, June 19th for a FREE presentation/demonstration of Alfred Music Publishing's newest, ground-breaking methods: Sound Innovations for Band and Sound Innovations for Strings.

Developed and written by Dave Black, Peter Boonshaft, Bob Phillips and Robert Sheldon, this new method won both the “Best Tools for Schools” and “Best in Show” awards at the 2010 NAMM show. Sound Innovations can be customized to your teaching preferences, giving you choices in pedagogy, tunes and enrichment, and includes instrument specific mp3 and DVD components.

This workshop is free of charge, so bring your collegues and come by. We look forward to seeing you!

SOUND INNOVATIONS WORKSHOP
Saturday, June 19th 2010
9:00 am - 12:30 pm
Stanton's Sheet Music, James E. Strouse Workshop Hall
330 South Fourth Street
Columbus, OH 43215

Are you thinking about trying a new band or string method for your beginners next year? Come to Stanton's Sheet Music on Saturday, June 19th for a FREE presentation/demonstration of Alfred Music Publishing's newest, ground-breaking methods: Sound Innovations for Band and Sound Innovations for Strings.

Developed and written by Dave Black, Peter Boonshaft, Bob Phillips and Robert Sheldon, this new method won both the “Best Tools for Schools” and “Best in Show” awards at the 2010 NAMM show. Sound Innovations can be customized to your teaching preferences, giving you choices in pedagogy, tunes and enrichment, and includes instrument specific mp3 and DVD components.

This workshop is free of charge, but please register online to help us plan accordingly. We look forward to seeing you!

SOUND INNOVATIONS WORKSHOP
Saturday, June 19th 2010
9:00 am - 12:30 pm
Stanton's Sheet Music, James E. Strouse Workshop Hall
330 South Fourth Street
Columbus, OH 43215

Are you thinking about trying a new band or string method for your beginners next year? Come to Stanton's Sheet Music on Saturday, June 19th for a FREE presentation/demonstration of Alfred Music Publishing's newest, ground-breaking methods: Sound Innovations for Band and Sound Innovations for Strings.

Developed and written by Dave Black, Peter Boonshaft, Bob Phillips and Robert Sheldon, this new method won both the “Best Tools for Schools” and “Best in Show” awards at the 2010 NAMM show. Sound Innovations can be customized to your teaching preferences, giving you choices in pedagogy, tunes and enrichment, and includes instrument specific mp3 and DVD components.

This workshop is free of charge, but please register online to help us plan accordingly. We look forward to seeing you!

SOUND INNOVATIONS WORKSHOP
Saturday, June 19th 2010
9:00 am - 12:30 pm
Stanton's Sheet Music, James E. Strouse Workshop Hall
330 South Fourth Street
Columbus, OH 43215

Founded in 2005, YouTube has revolutionized the way information is shared through video on the internet.  The first complete music educators' guide to harnessing the power of YouTube for students, YouTube in Music Education teaches instructors how to tap into the excitement of YouTube with students by creating, posting, and promoting videos on the most popular media service in the world.  Explaining how to record and edit videos, add effects, and upload content, Dr. Tom Rudolph and Dr. James Frankel describe everything from the basics of video production to advanced applications for use in the classroom.

The authors explain how teachers can use YouTube privately with their students and integrate it with websites and blogs.  Educators can use YouTube for applications that include creating instrument and software tutorials, evaluating group and individual performances, sharing content with students, and many other uses.  This book includes more than 50 strategies for integrating YouTube into the music curriculum and tutorials on video and audio production and preparing and uploading content.

Take advantage of some free time this summer with YouTube in Music Education - your teaching style may never be the same!  For more valuable teaching resources, please contact us.

We want to thank everyone who has navigated to our website over the last 15 years. That’s right, we had our 1st site up on the Internet that Al Gore created (snicker…chuckle) in 1995. Thanks in large part to our customers, the website has evolved exponentially and continues to improve. To that end, our crack team of Internet aces meets biweekly for intense brainstorming sessions. Our Listening Library has won rave reviews from users around the world and the Digital Download activity increases daily.
Stay tuned over the summer because we’re getting ready to unleash the latest incarnation of stantons.com on the world!

Looking for more ways to stay informed on the latest Stanton's store news? You can always bookmark this blog and come back often, or you can follow us on twitter or facebook.

Through both of these “instant access” forums, we're always posting fun music facts and videos, as well as updating you when there are special events or free promotional items available in our store.

When you can't call or stop in the store, we hope you'll take advantage of all the ways that we work to give you a personalized Stanton's experience online!

Need a lesson plan for your Advanced Recorder class.  How about transcribing Michael Brecker solos…

Dig the left-handed recorder, too. 

Even though this recorder version is not available in print, the Best of the Brecker Brothers, Michael Brecker Transcriptions, and The Michael Brecker Collection artist transcription books, as well as Jamey Aebersold play-along Vol. 83 The Brecker Brothers are available from Stanton’s.

Want to be a part of something new and exciting.  Composer Eric Whitacre is in the process of compiling his second Virtual Choir on YouTube.  Begun as an experiment on Eric's blog in May, the final product (a massed “virtual choir” performance of Sleep) was posted to YouTube in July.  Singers from around the world recorded themselves performing their individual part of the work and posted it, and Eric compiled all the individual recordings into an amazingly musical mass performance!

Now the internet community is preparing the perform Lux Aurumque.  The deadline to submit YOUR performance is December 1st, 2009.  Eric has posted a conductor track with some performance suggestions and tips on his blog. 

Don't miss out on your opportunity to be a part of this amazing undertaking, and please let us know if you decide to participate!  To quote Eric, “Our goal this time is to take the whole thing to the next level and try to create a truly musical experience, a graceful and delicate performance full of passion and life and light.  Share your voices and your souls with the world!”

So a customer came in the store one day in early September and wanted to talk to us about a product that he had invented.  This happens quite often here at Stanton’s and we try to listen and determine if it’s something that we think is significant enough to endorse and add to our product line.  This particular customer was an oboist and he had mentioned that Bill Baker, who was the former oboe professor at Ohio State and a good friend of Stanton’s, thought this was an fantastic device.  This gentleman had a new invention called the OCGenie for helping clarinetists and oboists relieve the stress that leads to sore thumbs.  These musicians support the weight of their instruments on their thumbs, and if they play long gigs or practice for hours at a time, they often have to quit because of the tremendous pain that their thumb knuckles have to endure.  Makes total sense, right.  Well this musician/inventor came up with a new neck strap device that actually adjusts itself by using the weight of the instrument to take the pressure off of your thumb knuckle joint. Normally we don’t carry musical instrument accessories, but we felt that this might be something that we should look into for our customers who are doing a lot of playing. It attaches to your instrument using a thumbrest ring that attaches to your original thumbrest.  The neckstrap itself winds back into its case when it’s not attached to an instrument–similar to a self-retracting dog leash that can be adjusted for different lengths.  There is also a soprano sax version as well. A Stanton’s employee was actually using one even before we had heard of it and she absolutely loves it.  This might be just what the doctor ordered, BEFORE you have to see him for tendonitis in your thumb!

As you may or may not realize, Stanton’s has a great Digital Delivery download site that gets more and more hits everyday. From the convenience of your home you can now purchase and download everything from the latest pop tune to entire band arrangements directly to your printer. As an added service, when you navigate to many collections at stantons.com you’ll see the table of contents when you click on, “See all titles for this item”. You’re welcome to buy a hard copy of the entire album and have it sent to you OR you can download individual titles, in your desired key, directly from the table of contents! How cool is that!!! Happy downloading!

It’s not often that we have something new at Stanton’s that isn’t sheet music but now comes the exception. From the KORG company comes the new NANO Key USB-Midi controller! This keyboard is the perfect input device for the performer or educator on the go. A USB-powered, 25-key velocity-sensitive keyboard in a console that measures 12″ long, 3″ wide by 1/2″ thick. Pack it in your briefcase, suitcase or bookbag and you have a great notation device for the plane, train or car! Compatible with Mac or PC it works great with Finale, Sibelius or Garage Band. It’s productive right out of the box… Check it out!

Smart engineers create an artificial musician.  The Artemis Music Orchestra competition is an automated contest that engineering school students make mechanical musicians.  This years winners was NICTA a group of computer engineers from Austrialia with talent for the Clarinet.  See the video by reading the entire article.   

Flight of the Bumble Bee