Here is the 3rd question from the end of the session Composition for Kids
Do you have your beginning students use notation programs?
No. I’m not saying its a bad thing, but here are some things to consider about notation programs and young students.
1. Learning a new computer program uses a different part of the brain than composing music. Unless a student already knows how to use the program, it often gets in the way as they are more tied up with learning how to run the program than coming up with creative ideas.
2. Young students don’t usually understand the set up required to record their piece. For example, you often have to specify the smallest note value of your composition before you play your composition and have it notated. Most students have no idea what their smallest note value is!
3. Even when in college, I found that if I sat in front of a computer and keyboard to compose, I found myself composing in a box. There was something about that extra “thing” I had to worry about or program that would get in the way. Instead, I use regular manuscript paper, and sketch out my ideas, then put them in the computer after I know I have something worth saving.
4. In spite of all that, it is still a valuable thing to have a student see their music looking professional. I encourage this, but find that its easiest for the student and for me to write down their composition by hand at the lesson and then let me put it in the notation program, since I can do it quickly. Of course, older students will be more adept at using notation programs, so I would clarify that my hesitations are especially for young students. Once the piece is composed and notated in a way that will help the student remember, its a great idea to see if your student can put it in a notation program.
See this post about free notation programs that you can use.
I have to agree wholeheartedly!!
Beginning students will often compose material that is rhythmically complex (or at least a little complicated) and certainly goes beyond their current notation literacy. Notation programs presuppose that the user understands the notation tools (pitches as well as durations, time signatures, groupings, accidentals, key signatures, and so forth), and a beginning student is highly unlikely to have a confident grasp of all that is required to create a professional-looking and ACCURATE score of their composition.
Because notation programs have a linear approach to creating the score (you decide on the time signature prior to inserting notes, for instance) the beginning student can find themselves stymied very early on in the compositional process, bogged down in literacy issues, when they should be focussing their energy on musical flow and experimentation.