Page 6

GRANT

journal

ISSN 1805-062X, 1805-0638 (online), ETTN 072-11-00002-09-4

EUROPEAN GRANT PROJECTS | RESULTS | RESEARCH & DEVELOPMENT | SCIENCE

Albrechtic – Software For Teaching Music Theory

Pavol Brezina

Alena Čierna

Viliam Ďuriš

Constantine the Philosopher University in Nitra, Faculty of Education; Drážovská 4, 949 74 Nitra, Slovakia; pbrezina@ukf.sk

Constantine the Philosopher University in Nitra, Faculty of Education; Drážovská 4, 949 74 Nitra, Slovakia; acierna@ukf.sk

Constantine the Philosopher University in Nitra, Faculty of Education; Tr. A. Hlinku 1, 949 01 Nitra, Slovakia; vduris@ukf.sk

Grant: KEGA 003UKF-4/2015
Název grantu: The Application of ICT in Teaching Music Theory

Oborové zaměření: AM - Pedagogika a školství

Abstract
As part of project KEGA 003UKF-4/2015 Application of
information and communications technologies in teaching music
theory, the research team from Constantine the Philosopher
University in Nitra focuses on the development of a new educational
software, Albrechtic, to support teaching music theory at all levels
of education. The software, which contains basic tasks from the
music theory syllabus (notation, scales, intervals, chords), is
conceived in two modules (reading notation and writing notation),
and reflects all levels of the given topic. The software is being
developed for a computer platform (win32 and win64 applications),
although after its testing and improvement, research and
development will focus on creating new versions for various mobile
platforms, so that the program can be used and operated also on a
tablet or telephone.

Keywords: music education, music theory, educational software

MUSIC THEORY IN THE LIGHT OF
INFORMATION TECHNOLOGIES

Computer-aided education is currently a term which has become
familiar in several fields of education, including music education.
The standard of the quality of computer-aided education is
determined by the availability of didactic technologies, by the
selection of teaching aids, and by the aptness of the teacher. At the
same time, the notion of creativity in the process of education,
applied not only from the aspect of the students' creativity, but also
from that of the teacher's, has also come to the fore. Creativity, as an
especially efficient factor in the development of competences and
skills in artistic education, has been emphasized in various studies.
(Kokotsaki, 2011; Bújez – Mohedo, 2014; Satková, 2013) While a
creative attitude goes without saying in the pedagogy of arts
(playing a musical instrument and singing), a conservative attitude is
still present in the field of teaching music-theoretical subjects at a
lower level of education, combined with its practical application and
music making. In general, teaching music-theoretical subjects is
considered to be a necessary evil, or even an unnecessity, and
several teachers deliberately avoid teaching the basics of music
theory and notation in the structure of the lessons. Computer-aided
teaching, which has the prerequisites to efficiently develop musical

competences and skills, may be one of the creative and, for the
students, attractive ways of teaching music-theoretical subjects.
Computer-aided teaching is most frequently used for developing
intonational and rhythmic skills, and for teaching notation, where
the principle of a clear question and answer, that is an exact and
rational principle, can be utilized, which is intrinsic in working with
computers and computer software. Several studies have already
been published about computer-aided teaching of intonation and
rhythm. (Brezina, 2012; Brezina, 2014; Brezina – Betko, 2013) At
present, several high-quality music programs (Sibelius Auralia,
Earmaster, and so on) are available for teachers. However,
sophisticated programs to support teaching the basics of music
theory (scales, intervals, chords, etc.) are still absent in the field of
digital didactic aids. A few educational music theory programs can
be found on the internet, but these lack a premeditated concept with
a wider scope and emphasis on didactic principles. Sophisticated
online applications for teaching music theory include, for instance,
www.musictheory.net (for lower level) and www.teoria.com (for
higher level), which are localized in English. Since English and
Slovak music terminology differ, these are not suitable for music
education in Slovakia (except for bilingual schools). Music
programs which support teaching music theory secondarily, but their
primary purpose focuses on editorial activities, also lack Slovak
localization. These are pieces of notation software, which are
generally used in practice for creating notation exercises and tests.
Interactive work and practising music theory itself is problematic in
these programs due to their targeted limitations arising from the
primary focus of notation software. Notation processors, such as
Sibelius, Finale or MuseScore, are edited in a way so that the user
makes as few errors due to negligence as possible. It applies
especially for the correct rhythmic division of the notes within the
given metre, defined in the software, which cannot be turned off.
When practising correct rhythmic notation, the function of
automatic assignment of values is counterproductive. Practically
oriented, commercial notation processors do not count with the
possibility of an automatic evaluation of the exercises, either, nor
with other supportive functions of music-educational character.
Metrically free, or erroneous, notation is absent in them, which
might be efficient for explaining, and mainly for practising, new
syllabus. At present, the only full-fledged starting point for teaching
music theory is the good old writing on the board (maybe also using
a data projector or an interactive whiteboard).