Customizing the Editor for More Effective Music Composition Assignments

For focused student music composition assignments, one recommendation is to reduce the number of tools available within the editor. By doing so, students can better concentrate on the content of their compositions rather than being distracted by the wide array of available tools. This streamlined approach enhances the quality of student compositions, in addition to saving time for both students and teachers in completing and grading assignments.

Tool Library

To access the tool library, open the Resource Library from the left-hand side panel and click on "Tools". You can then create a new custom toolset by clicking on "+ New toolset". When creating a toolset, you can choose to enable or disable tools from different families. These families contain multiple groups of tools, which can sometimes be divided into actions. Simply use the arrows, clicking to customize your toolset as needed.

Applying Toolsets To Your Composition Assignments

When students work on a music composition assignment that includes a specific toolset, only the tools that are part of that toolset will be available. For instance, if you disable the clef tool, that option will not be available in the students’ toolbar; they will also not be able to click on existing clefs in the score to change those.

Here are a few examples:

1. Simplify the notation editor for less advanced students

You can use a minimal toolset for younger or beginner students. In the example below, they can only add notes (whole, half, quarter, eighth) and playback their score.

2. Roman Numerals

The Roman numeral toolset is particularly useful for music theory students who are learning to analyze and write music using Roman numeral notation. This toolset would enable students to add Roman numeral notations to the score quickly and easily, eliminating other tools that are not relevant to this specific task.

3. Tablatures

The tablature toolset is designed for students who play guitar, bass, or other stringed instruments. This toolset would offer only the tools needed to create a tablature, including the ability to add notes, rests, and fret numbers, as well as to adjust the timing and duration of each note.

The possibilities are endless, so feel free to experiment with different toolsets to determine which ones work best for your student's needs.

We hope these features on Flat for Education will prove helpful in your music classes, allowing your students to focus more effectively on the task(s) at hand. Don't hesitate to share your best practices with us!