How To Use The Site

The Music of Scotland site is a set of internet-based multimedia resources to support effective learning and teaching for NQ Music courses at Standard Grade, Aceess3 and Intermediate 1 and 2 levels.

These resources comprise 13 modules covering all aspects of Scottish Music required at this level and cover a wide range of musical concepts from Access 3/SG Foundation to Intermediate 2/SG Credit. Modules are made up of music, text and image files, which provide activities covering the three areas of listening, performing and composing.

Musical examples exist in both audio and MIDI formats. The audio files allow teachers to download a recording of the piece to a computer and either to play it from there or to make a simple transfer to audio cassette for playback away from the computer. The teacher can download the MIDI files and play them back using the MIDI sounds built into the computer. More importantly, the MIDI files can be opened in a MIDI sequencing program; this allows the teacher to edit the music for accompanying a group performance using techniques such as muting, solo, cycle, tempo changes and volume changes. The program also allows the pupils themselves to explore further the concepts used in the piece.

To download the MIDI file to your computer, you can drag the MIDI file title on to your desktop and then it will transfer the MIDI file from the website to your machine. When you import the MIDI file into your MIDI sequencing program, you can then manipulate the accompaniment, for example, to slow down the tempo.

The audio files provided are live recordings of the pieces. These should be used as a benchmark for the pupils to hear how the piece might sound. Parts, full scores and individual parts, are included where appropriate and these can be read on the screen or downloaded in Portable Document Format (PDF) that can be read by the program Acrobat Reader which will most likely already be on your computer; if not, Acrobat Reader is free and available from the Adobe website. Scores can be read online or printed out.

A concept map, indicating where in the piece the musical concepts appear, is included for some pieces of music so that pupils can both listen to and see how concepts are deployed in the piece. By selecting Complete Concept List in the top menu bar, teachers and pupils can access a list of concepts and then see which pieces on the site use those concepts. This allows for pupils to consolidate understanding of concepts and also for teachers to plan materials effectively.

A comprehensive set of resources for Scottish Music is also included. Resources can be accessed within each module, or the entire list of resources can be viewed by selecting Complete Resource List from the top menu.

Contact details - technical enquiries

If you have any technical enquiries, please e-mail Learning and Teaching Scotland at NQContentEditor@LTScotland.org.uk. Please provide details of the hardware you are using (PC or Mac), the version of the internet browser you are using (eg Internet Explorer 6, Netscape, Safari) and the problem you are experiencing. Alternatively, you can send a message to us via NQ Online's web feedback form, if you do not have access to e-mail on the machine you are using.