Higher Ed

Ideal for beginner or general music classes, Five Minute Mozart provides videos on basic theory, piano tutorials and brief composer biographies. The basic theory videos cover concepts like note names, intervals, and rhythms. The piano tutorials include sheet music as well as piano keys that light up show what note to press down. The brief composer biographies give a two- to three-minute biography of a well known composer.

Price: Always Free

Link: Five Minute Mozart on YouTube

Teachers of general music and popular music will find a wide range of useful virtual lesson plans on this site. There are several classical music listening examples as well. Genres like pop and rock have chord play-alongs or vocal sing-alongs. There is an iOS app as well as an in-browser option, both of which are user-friendly.

Price: 30-day free trial with paid usage to follow ($39/month or $399/year)

Link: WURRLYedu

This website is full of resources for any teacher. With ideas for every topic, there are lesson plans, worksheets, games, and other activities for any age. Most have a small cost, but there are several free resources as well.

Price: Varies

Link: Teachers Pay Teachers

This website is full of resources for any teacher. With ideas for every topic, there are lesson plans, worksheets, games, and other activities for any age. Most have a small cost, but there are several free resources as well.

Price: Varies

Link: Teachers Pay Teachers

This website is full of resources for any teacher. With ideas for every topic, there are lesson plans, worksheets, games, and other activities for any age. Most have a small cost, but there are several free resources as well.

Price: Varies

Link: Teachers Pay Teachers

KHS America & IMES are posting new clinics each Thursday at 2PM ET until April 30. Topics addressed include everything from practice tips to philosophy. These are ideal for students at the secondary level and up. The website provides links to new livestreams as well as archived clinics from weeks past.

Price: Free during COVID-19

Link: KHS America & IMES Clinics

KHS America & IMES are posting new clinics each Thursday at 2PM ET until April 30. Topics addressed include everything from practice tips to philosophy. These are ideal for students at the secondary level and up. The website provides links to new livestreams as well as archived clinics from weeks past.

Price: Free during COVID-19

Link: KHS America & IMES Clinics

KHS America & IMES are posting new clinics each Thursday at 2PM ET until April 30. Topics addressed include everything from practice tips to philosophy. These are ideal for students at the secondary level and up. The website provides links to new livestreams as well as archived clinics from weeks past.

Price: Free during COVID-19

Link: KHS America & IMES Clinics

This is an ideal resource for music educators looking for dependable, tested resources reviewed by a music educator. This comprehensive post gives insight into how to switch onto online music teaching. There is also an overview of different applications and websites to help supplement online teaching and descriptions of what each offers.

Price: Always Free

Link: “How to Transition to Teaching Lessons Online (Due to COVID-19)”

The NAMM Foundation provides resource lists, blog articles, virtual events, webinars, and more for both parents and educators. NAMM is a nonprofit organization with a goal of promoting music education for students of all levels and abilities. The website provides help on distance learning from ways to create virtual ensembles to helpful classroom tips.

Price: Always Free

Link: NAMM Foundation

This resource helps teachers with distance learning options that do not involve as much writing, but still engage students in learning. Providing three different possibilities for podcast models, this unit take students step-by-step through the process of creating, writing, recording, editing, and publishing a podcast. The PDF download includes editable student worksheets for multiple levels of learners.

Cost: Free During Covid-19

Link: Choral Connections: Podcast Project

Students looking to learn acoustic or electric guitar, bass, and/or ukulele should know about this website! This website has over 2.5k online video lessons (and counting!) taught by professional musicians in addition to many different songs they can learn. These lessons are customizable so students can play for as long as they’d like. Students can also track their progress as well as the skills they learn. This site is more appropriate for secondary-age students but could have applications for upper elementary as well.

Price: Free during COVID19

Link: Fender Play

Students looking to learn acoustic or electric guitar, bass, and/or ukulele should know about this website! This website has over 2.5k online video lessons (and counting!) taught by professional musicians in addition to many different songs they can learn. These lessons are customizable so students can play for as long as they’d like. Students can also track their progress as well as the skills they learn. This site is more appropriate for secondary-age students but could have applications for upper elementary as well.

Price: Free during COVID19

Link: Fender Play

This program teaches general music skills as well as guitar, ukulele, bass, and piano through popular music. The free teacher membership includes a selection of pop and rock music that students can play along with. The interactive play-along mode shows the hand positions and chords in real time while following along on the score. For teachers, there is a collection of lesson plan ideas to use with the program. In addition to the website, Solfeg.io can be used with the app, which is available on all mobile platforms.

Price: Free

Link: Solfeg.io

This program teaches general music skills as well as guitar, ukulele, bass, and piano through popular music. The free teacher membership includes a selection of pop and rock music that students can play along with. The interactive play-along mode shows the hand positions and chords in real time while following along on the score. For teachers, there is a collection of lesson plan ideas to use with the program. In addition to the website, Solfeg.io can be used with the app, which is available on all mobile platforms.

Price: Free

Link: Solfeg.io

Nearpod is an instructional platform that merges formative assessment and dynamic media for collaborative learning experiences. Encompassing all K-12 subjects, teachers can either use platform lesson plans or create their own to upload for students. Teachers are able to track students’ progress, hold live sessions, and post additional activities (worksheets, polls, games, quizzes, etc.) for students to complete.

Price: Free during COVID-19

Nearpod

Nearpod is an instructional platform that merges formative assessment and dynamic media for collaborative learning experiences. Encompassing all K-12 subjects, teachers can either use platform lesson plans or create their own to upload for students. Teachers are able to track students’ progress, hold live sessions, and post additional activities (worksheets, polls, games, quizzes, etc.) for students to complete.

Price: Free during COVID-19

Nearpod

Nearpod is an instructional platform that merges formative assessment and dynamic media for collaborative learning experiences. Encompassing all K-12 subjects, teachers can either use platform lesson plans or create their own to upload for students. Teachers are able to track students’ progress, hold live sessions, and post additional activities (worksheets, polls, games, quizzes, etc.) for students to complete.

Price: Free during COVID-19

Nearpod

This program makes music fun with scaffolded games that teach basic music concepts like theory, note reading, and ear training. Teachers can assign games and monitor progress directly from the app or website. There is also an option for parents to search for virtual private lesson teachers.

Price: Free

Link: Tunelark

This program makes music fun with scaffolded games that teach basic music concepts like theory, note reading, and ear training. Teachers can assign games and monitor progress directly from the app or website. There is also an option for parents to search for virtual private lesson teachers.

Price: Free

Link: Tunelark

Mixxx is software perfect for secondary technology and general music classes. Teachers can utilize Mixxx to create and perform live mixes with digital music files. Students can upload several songs to the software, then mix them into their own compositions. Students mix on a  turntable simulator and add exciting visuals elements.

Price: Free always

Mixxx

This program makes music fun with scaffolded games that teach basic music concepts like theory, note reading, and ear training. Teachers can assign games and monitor progress directly from the app or website. There is also an option for parents to search for virtual private lesson teachers.

Price: Free

Link: Tunelark

This software and app contains songs, exercises, and lessons to aid students in learning guitar, bass, ukulele, piano, or voice. The follow-along videos allow students to practice at their own tempo and learn at their own pace, gradually adding note/chord reading. For pianists, there is an option to use a virtual keyboard. There is an app as well as downloadable software from the website. Many genres of musical selections are represented, although mostly fall into pop, rock, or country categories.

Price: Free during COVID-19

Yousician

Smithsonian Music provides general music teachers an online museum of World Music. Teachers can browse lesson plans, playlists, albums, and more by genre, geography, or artist. They also provide podcasts and playlists online for free. There are also free lesson plans about world music for every grade level with four different levels from k-12, and free interactive games for students. Subscribe to a Smithsonian Folkways Membership and get a discount on Smithsonian merchandise and free downloads each year.

Price: Free with upgrades available

Link: Smithsonian Music 

Smithsonian Music provides general music teachers an online museum of World Music. Teachers can browse lesson plans, playlists, albums, and more by genre, geography, or artist. They also provide podcasts and playlists online for free. There are also free lesson plans about world music for every grade level with four different levels from k-12, and free interactive games for students. Subscribe to a Smithsonian Folkways Membership and get a discount on Smithsonian merchandise and free downloads each year.

Price: Free with upgrades available

Link: Smithsonian Music 

Smithsonian Music provides general music teachers an online museum of World Music. Teachers can browse lesson plans, playlists, albums, and more by genre, geography, or artist. They also provide podcasts and playlists online for free. There are also free lesson plans about world music for every grade level with four different levels from k-12, and free interactive games for students. Subscribe to a Smithsonian Folkways Membership and get a discount on Smithsonian merchandise and free downloads each year.

Price: Free with upgrades available

Link: Smithsonian Music 

This free site is perfect for creating interactive videos in any music class. Choosing from online video sources like YouTube, teachers can add closed captioning, questions, notes, voice overs, and more. Students can view the videos and submit their responses on the website.

Price: Always Free

Link: Edpuzzle

This free site is perfect for creating interactive videos in any music class. Choosing from online video sources like YouTube, teachers can add closed captioning, questions, notes, voice overs, and more. Students can view the videos and submit their responses on the website.

Price: Always Free

Link: Edpuzzle

This free site is perfect for creating interactive videos in any music class. Choosing from online video sources like YouTube, teachers can add closed captioning, questions, notes, voice overs, and more. Students can view the videos and submit their responses on the website.

Price: Always Free

Link: Edpuzzle

The music students of Gettysburg College created this website to offer an easy way to sort through resources. Arranged in 30 categories, students curated and linked each resource.

Price: Free Always

Link: Finding Music Resources

The music students of Gettysburg College created this website to offer an easy way to sort through resources. Arranged in 30 categories, students curated and linked each resource.

Price: Free Always

Link: Finding Music Resources

The music students of Gettysburg College created this website to offer an easy way to sort through resources. Arranged in 30 categories, students curated and linked each resource.

Price: Free Always

Link: Finding Music Resources

This source is perfect for creating music in general music or music technology classes. Features include recording, exporting/importing audio, editing audio, and MIDI input.

Price: Always Free

Link: Audacity

This source is perfect for creating music in general music or music technology classes. Features include recording, exporting/importing audio, editing audio, and MIDI input.

Price: Always Free

Link: Audacity

This source is perfect for creating music in general music or music technology classes. Features include recording, exporting/importing audio, editing audio, and MIDI input.

Price: Always Free

Link: Audacity

Teachers of any level and area can use BandLab to teach recording, mixing, audio editing, and more. It is easy to use from both a student and teacher perspective, and students can submit assignments directly through the website. The program has a wide variety of sounds and supports MIDI input and recording. Inputting sounds is done either through a MIDI editor or through a virtual keyboard. The program is entirely cloud based and works on Google Chrome or Microsoft Edge browsers.

Free

Link: BandLab

This facebook group provides a space for higher education studio teachers to share work. Teachers discuss strategies, successes, failures, platforms, lesson plans, etc. It is open to all high ed studio teachers.

Price: Free Always

Link: Higher Ed Music Lessons Facebook Group

This facebook group provides a space for higher education studio teachers to share work. Teachers discuss strategies, successes, failures, platforms, lesson plans, etc. It is open to all high ed studio teachers.

Price: Free Always

Link: Higher Ed Music Lessons Facebook Group

This is an ideal resource for music educators looking for a web-based digital audio workstation (DAW). Soundation is a DAW for those editing music who prefer a higher quality of output and recording. This resource features virtual instruments and over 700 loops and effects. With subscription, pricing ranges from $1.99 to $6.99 monthly per person.

Price: Free during COVID-19 (3 month trial) with paid upgrades available

Link: Soundation

This is an ideal resource for music educators looking for additional resources for online learning. This blog post gives ideas for remote learning in 4 categories: virtual teaching, online resources, no-tech resources, and professional learning opportunities. The specific resources are all linked for teachers to discover, or they include explanations as to how to implement them.

Price: Always Free

Link: Organized Chaos

This is an ideal resource for music educators looking for additional resources for online learning. This blog post gives ideas for remote learning in 4 categories: virtual teaching, online resources, no-tech resources, and professional learning opportunities. The specific resources are all linked for teachers to discover, or they include explanations as to how to implement them.

Price: Always Free

Link: Organized Chaos

This is an ideal resource for music educators looking for additional resources for online learning. This blog post gives ideas for remote learning in 4 categories: virtual teaching, online resources, no-tech resources, and professional learning opportunities. The specific resources are all linked for teachers to discover, or they include explanations as to how to implement them.

Price: Always Free

Link: Organized Chaos

Jazz at Lincoln Center’s Jazz Academy YouTube posts jazz lessons and videos on developing a practice routine. These are led by members of the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra. In addition, the JALC YouTube posts full concerts performed by the ensemble.

Price: Always Free

Link: JALC Jazz Academy on YouTube

These podcasts are designed for classroom choir directors as well as composers. Chris Munce is a composer and private voice teacher with choral classroom experience and shares his  thoughts about the world of choir, keeping quality of music education at the forefront of his discussions. A recent episode addresses COVID-19 and serves as encouragement for everyone quickly adapting to distance learning. Links to access PDF site licenses of arrangements and compositions are also included.

Price: Always Free

Link: Choralosophy Podcast

The Musical Instrument Museum of Phoenix channel features tours and behind-the-scenes footage including musical instruments from all cultures, musical theater performance videos, and diverse talks from musical professionals of every background.Teachers can use these videos as listening assignments, on a platform like Edpuzzle, or as basis for discussion. An education playlist is also included in the channel with classroom activities as well as videos that show the science behind the instruments.

Price: Always Free

Link: MIMphx on YouTube

The Musical Instrument Museum of Phoenix channel features tours and behind-the-scenes footage including musical instruments from all cultures, musical theater performance videos, and diverse talks from musical professionals of every background.Teachers can use these videos as listening assignments, on a platform like Edpuzzle, or as basis for discussion. An education playlist is also included in the channel with classroom activities as well as videos that show the science behind the instruments.

Price: Always Free

Link: MIMphx on YouTube

The Musical Instrument Museum of Phoenix channel features tours and behind-the-scenes footage including musical instruments from all cultures, musical theater performance videos, and diverse talks from musical professionals of every background.Teachers can use these videos as listening assignments, on a platform like Edpuzzle, or as basis for discussion. An education playlist is also included in the channel with classroom activities as well as videos that show the science behind the instruments.

Price: Always Free

Link: MIMphx on YouTube

This is an ideal resource for those teachers seeking to teach online lessons. This YouTube presentation by Terry B. Ewell addresses the setup of equipment, software configurations, and other helpful hints for successful online lessons for one-on-one music instruction.

Price: Always Free

This is an ideal resource for those teachers seeking to teach online lessons. This YouTube presentation by Terry B. Ewell addresses the setup of equipment, software configurations, and other helpful hints for successful online lessons for one-on-one music instruction.

Price: Always Free

Music Education Resources is a Facebook group for music teachers of all areas and levels. It features lots of informational articles, links to additional teaching resources, and some entertainment to lighten the mood. This group should prove helpful to many music educators due to its wide range of content. A Facebook account is necessary for full access.

Price: Always Free

Link: Music Education Resources on Facebook

Music Education Resources is a Facebook group for music teachers of all areas and levels. It features lots of informational articles, links to additional teaching resources, and some entertainment to lighten the mood. This group should prove helpful to many music educators due to its wide range of content. A Facebook account is necessary for full access.

Price: Always Free

Link: Music Education Resources on Facebook

Music Education Resources is a Facebook group for music teachers of all areas and levels. It features lots of informational articles, links to additional teaching resources, and some entertainment to lighten the mood. This group should prove helpful to many music educators due to its wide range of content. A Facebook account is necessary for full access.

Price: Always Free

Link: Music Education Resources on Facebook

The Metropolitan Opera is streaming a different opera every day. Teachers can use this resource for guided listening, enrichment, voice/theater classes, and more. Streams begin at 7:30PM ET, and the video remains available until 6:30PM ET the following day. The streams are available through the website as well as a number of apps. This service would be good for any age of student that is able to understand the thematic elements of a show; the appropriateness of each show varies by plot line.

Price: Free during COVID-19

Link: Met Opera Streams

The Metropolitan Opera is streaming a different opera every day. Teachers can use this resource for guided listening, enrichment, voice/theater classes, and more. Streams begin at 7:30PM ET, and the video remains available until 6:30PM ET the following day. The streams are available through the website as well as a number of apps. This service would be good for any age of student that is able to understand the thematic elements of a show; the appropriateness of each show varies by plot line.

Price: Free during COVID-19

Link: Met Opera Streams

RIAM Teaching and Learning Network has a collection of instrumental and choral lesson videos compiled by professors at the Royal Irish Academy of Music. There are piano lessons for beginners and intermediate players as well as more advanced. There are flute lessons and some choral lessons as well. Younger students may need some guidance navigating the videos, but secondary players could easily follow along on their own.

Price: Always Free

Link: RIAM on YouTube

RIAM Teaching and Learning Network has a collection of instrumental and choral lesson videos compiled by professors at the Royal Irish Academy of Music. There are piano lessons for beginners and intermediate players as well as more advanced. There are flute lessons and some choral lessons as well. Younger students may need some guidance navigating the videos, but secondary players could easily follow along on their own.

Price: Always Free

Link: RIAM on YouTube

Talking Up Music Education is perfect for all music educators as well as for interested secondary students. Each podcast features a guest; Vanessa Carlton speaks about being a singer-songwriter, and Eric Whitacre speaks on being a composer. The host, Executive Director of The NAMM Foundation, Mary Luehrsen, speaks with music advocates, parents, teachers, students, and leaders in business and communities to share what they are doing to support the arts.

Price: Always Free

Link: Talking Up Music Education Podcast

Talking Up Music Education is perfect for all music educators as well as for interested secondary students. Each podcast features a guest; Vanessa Carlton speaks about being a singer-songwriter, and Eric Whitacre speaks on being a composer. The host, Executive Director of The NAMM Foundation, Mary Luehrsen, speaks with music advocates, parents, teachers, students, and leaders in business and communities to share what they are doing to support the arts.

Price: Always Free

Link: Talking Up Music Education Podcast

Talking Up Music Education is perfect for all music educators as well as for interested secondary students. Each podcast features a guest; Vanessa Carlton speaks about being a singer-songwriter, and Eric Whitacre speaks on being a composer. The host, Executive Director of The NAMM Foundation, Mary Luehrsen, speaks with music advocates, parents, teachers, students, and leaders in business and communities to share what they are doing to support the arts.

Price: Always Free

Link: Talking Up Music Education Podcast

Ableton Live is perfect for teachers to teach about recording, mixing, and other fundamentals of electronic music in a secondary general music or technology class. The large program includes many pre-recorded tracks that students can use to supplement their own recordings. There is a learning curve to figure out how to use the system and other equipment is required for a full experience (MIDI input, microphones, etc.), but the possibilities for creation are wide open!

Price: 90 Day Free Trial with Several Upgrade Options

Link: Ableton Live

This resource is ideal for general music educators looking for help on how to transition their instruction to online learning. This video “workshop” is free to sign-up for (must provide name and email), and the instructor talks through a PowerPoint presentation about transitioning one’s music classroom to an online medium.

Price: Free always

Link: 4 Simple Steps to Taking Your Music Class Online

This resource is ideal for general music educators looking for help on how to transition their instruction to online learning. This video “workshop” is free to sign-up for (must provide name and email), and the instructor talks through a PowerPoint presentation about transitioning one’s music classroom to an online medium.

Price: Free always

Link: 4 Simple Steps to Taking Your Music Class Online

This resource is ideal for general music educators looking for help on how to transition their instruction to online learning. This video “workshop” is free to sign-up for (must provide name and email), and the instructor talks through a PowerPoint presentation about transitioning one’s music classroom to an online medium.

Price: Free always

Link: 4 Simple Steps to Taking Your Music Class Online

Soundfly is an online service offering professional-quality music courses not often offered in traditional school. Topics range from the role of producers to songwriting and performance. Many of the production and electronic composition classes require additional programs/software. Soundfly has many available courses offered for free as well as additional paid courses, and is available for students as well as teachers looking for professional development.

Price: Some free courses, some paid

Link: Soundfly

Soundfly is an online service offering professional-quality music courses not often offered in traditional school. Topics range from the role of producers to songwriting and performance. Many of the production and electronic composition classes require additional programs/software. Soundfly has many available courses offered for free as well as additional paid courses, and is available for students as well as teachers looking for professional development.

Price: Some free courses, some paid

Link: Soundfly

Soundfly is an online service offering professional-quality music courses not often offered in traditional school. Topics range from the role of producers to songwriting and performance. Many of the production and electronic composition classes require additional programs/software. Soundfly has many available courses offered for free as well as additional paid courses, and is available for students as well as teachers looking for professional development.

Price: Some free courses, some paid

Link: Soundfly

This blog is perfect for music educators of all grades and areas. The content ranges from articles about supporting one’s students to podcasts with guest professionals about the classroom. Recently, helping the music educator teach from home has come to the forefront of discussion.

Price: Always Free

Link: The Music Educator Blog

This blog is perfect for music educators of all grades and areas. The content ranges from articles about supporting one’s students to podcasts with guest professionals about the classroom. Recently, helping the music educator teach from home has come to the forefront of discussion.

Price: Always Free

Link: The Music Educator Blog

This blog is perfect for music educators of all grades and areas. The content ranges from articles about supporting one’s students to podcasts with guest professionals about the classroom. Recently, helping the music educator teach from home has come to the forefront of discussion.

Price: Always Free

Link: The Music Educator Blog

This app provides teachers with simple, interactive music theory instruction through available lessons and exercises. This app is perfect for ensemble teachers and theory teachers looking for supplemental materials to assist students with becoming familiar with and practicing music theory concepts, as well as students looking to hone their music theory skills. Lessons and activities help students grasp and reinforce concepts related to music theory.

Price: Always free (2 additional premium iOS apps available for $2.99 and $3.99)

Link: MusicTheory.net

This app provides teachers with simple, interactive music theory instruction through available lessons and exercises. This app is perfect for ensemble teachers and theory teachers looking for supplemental materials to assist students with becoming familiar with and practicing music theory concepts, as well as students looking to hone their music theory skills. Lessons and activities help students grasp and reinforce concepts related to music theory.

Price: Always free (2 additional premium iOS apps available for $2.99 and $3.99)

Link: MusicTheory.net

This app provides teachers with simple, interactive music theory instruction through available lessons and exercises. This app is perfect for ensemble teachers and theory teachers looking for supplemental materials to assist students with becoming familiar with and practicing music theory concepts, as well as students looking to hone their music theory skills. Lessons and activities help students grasp and reinforce concepts related to music theory.

Price: Always free (2 additional premium iOS apps available for $2.99 and $3.99)

Link: MusicTheory.net

Perfect for middle or high school choirs, this resource is a list of out-of-class activities to use in lieu of class meetings. Each student can make a copy of the document and submit one activity a day to their instructor. In addition to the included list, there are also “create your own” activity spots. All activities involve free and easily accessible websites that accommodate various levels of experience.

Price: Free Always

Link: Choir Choice Board

Good for listening assignments or daily inspiration, the US Army Field Band offers free live concerts over their YouTube channel at 1 PM ET every day. Performers include the Concert Band, Soldiers’ Chorus, Jazz Ambassadors, and Six-String Soldiers. The channel also contains several videos on the history and fundamentals of various instruments performed by members of the military band. The channel also includes a playlist on instrument repair.

Free

Link: US Army Field Band YouTube Channel

This lesson packet is suitable for nearly any music student or music class. The resource is a list of three projects: a poster describing a composer (including a list of relevant works), a review of a movie musical, and a write-your-own mini-musical. This document is an attainable option for online instruction, because it gives students the power of choice in interacting with and analyzing music. Some modification might be necessary depending on the age group of students completing these projects.

Price: Free always

Chor(ona Vir)us Plan

This resource is great for both general music & music tech classrooms of all ages. This is a self-contained lesson and only requires speaking in rhythm. Teachers might use it early in the year as an “icebreaker” activity. The project allows for the use of applications/softwares to create a rhythmic accompaniment. The rapping portion allows some creativity, but also provides structure in creating rhythms.

Price: Free always

Link: “Rap My Name” Lesson Plan

This video is perfect for teachers struggling to teach through a virtual classroom. It contains weekly teacher-led discussions of ideas, strategies, and mindsets to help keep students engaged. The webinars include lesson plan ideas and guides on use other different apps to stay connected. They also discuss teacher-student interaction, teacher mental health, and remote workspace productivity. While seemingly elementary based, the webinars present ideas that can be adapted to secondary and post-secondary situations. Enrollment capacity is limited, but videos are recorded and uploaded after.

Price: Free always

Link: Staying Connected Webinar

This video is perfect for teachers struggling to teach through a virtual classroom. It contains weekly teacher-led discussions of ideas, strategies, and mindsets to help keep students engaged. The webinars include lesson plan ideas and guides on use other different apps to stay connected. They also discuss teacher-student interaction, teacher mental health, and remote workspace productivity. While seemingly elementary based, the webinars present ideas that can be adapted to secondary and post-secondary situations. Enrollment capacity is limited, but videos are recorded and uploaded after.

Price: Free always

Link: Staying Connected Webinar

This video is perfect for teachers struggling to teach through a virtual classroom. It contains weekly teacher-led discussions of ideas, strategies, and mindsets to help keep students engaged. The webinars include lesson plan ideas and guides on use other different apps to stay connected. They also discuss teacher-student interaction, teacher mental health, and remote workspace productivity. While seemingly elementary based, the webinars present ideas that can be adapted to secondary and post-secondary situations. Enrollment capacity is limited, but videos are recorded and uploaded after.

Price: Free always

Link: Staying Connected Webinar

This video is perfect for teachers struggling to teach through a virtual classroom. It contains weekly teacher-led discussions of ideas, strategies, and mindsets to help keep students engaged. The webinars include lesson plan ideas and guides on use other different apps to stay connected. They also discuss teacher-student interaction, teacher mental health, and remote workspace productivity. While seemingly elementary based, the webinars present ideas that can be adapted to secondary and post-secondary situations. Enrollment capacity is limited, but videos are recorded and uploaded after.

Price: Free always

Link: Staying Connected Webinar

This article is perfect for choir teachers who want to create virtual choirs but don’t have the video editing skills or software. This blog gives three user-friendly examples on how to create a virtual choir video. The author discusses the use of the Acapella App within a classroom setting and some issues that might occur when using it, as well as providing additional resources for teaching secondary choir.

Price: Free always (Some apps/software may come with subscriptions)

Link: Dear Music Teachers: Please Stop Asking How To Create A Virtual Choir Video

This is an ideal resource for string players looking to take or give online lessons. This program allows you to schedule and participate in lessons online or use professional tools for in-person lessons, as well as capture notes and record assignments. You may also record and revisit all lessons at any time.

Price: Free during COVID-19 (normally $12/month for students and $45/month for institutions)

Link: String Masters

This video tutorial is perfect for secondary students to work on their intonation and air usage. Students will need a device to play the YouTube video, their major instrument, and a device to use as a drone. The video is only 8 minutes long, but students can practice something like this for an extended period of time, or add it to their daily warm-up routine. Intonation drills are something that build upon many different focus areas, especially for brass players!

Price: Free always

Link: Target Note Intonation Drill

This is an ideal resource for keyboard or piano teachers looking for online learning resources. This app is designed for building successful sight-reading skills on piano, including different exercises to build skills without the presence of a teacher. The provided lessons and supplemental books work on memory, speed, accuracy, tempo, and continuity.

Price: Free always (Four supplemental books for $14.99 each)

Link: Read Ahead App

This is an ideal resource for keyboard or piano teachers looking for online learning resources. This app is designed for building successful sight-reading skills on piano, including different exercises to build skills without the presence of a teacher. The provided lessons and supplemental books work on memory, speed, accuracy, tempo, and continuity.

Price: Free always (Four supplemental books for $14.99 each)

Link: Read Ahead App

This resource is ideal for educators who want help to be more culturally inclusive. An educator can get access to resources such as support in lesson planning, downloadable content, live Q&A sessions, and a monthly Newslette. The Patreon includes four different levels with varying degrees of resources.

Price: Monthly membership fee of $1, $5, $10, or $20

Link: Culturally Responsive Resources for Music Educators

This resource is ideal for educators who want help to be more culturally inclusive. An educator can get access to resources such as support in lesson planning, downloadable content, live Q&A sessions, and a monthly Newslette. The Patreon includes four different levels with varying degrees of resources.

Price: Monthly membership fee of $1, $5, $10, or $20

Link: Culturally Responsive Resources for Music Educators

This resource is ideal for educators who want help to be more culturally inclusive. An educator can get access to resources such as support in lesson planning, downloadable content, live Q&A sessions, and a monthly Newslette. The Patreon includes four different levels with varying degrees of resources.

Price: Monthly membership fee of $1, $5, $10, or $20

Link: Culturally Responsive Resources for Music Educators

This Google Sheets provides descriptions of apps perfect for enriching your virtual music education and choral classroom. It includes well-known resources such as Zoom and Audacity, as well as hidden gems such as Join the Virtual Choir. The sheet also includes video links to educational “things to watch” and “assessment ideas” prompts pertaining to music education.

Price: Free always

Link: Distance Learning for Choir-intine

This is a detailed Google Doc describing the steps to participate in/create a virtual choir performance of “Sisi Ni Moja.” Links to rehearsal tracks for parts and conducting tracks are linked in the Doc. Video recording equipment will be needed. The process can be adapted to choir pieces other than “Sisi Ni Moja,” including music that your choir is currently working on!

Price: Always Free

Link: Virtual Choir HyperDoc for Nixa Intermediate Choir

This YouTube page is dedicated to teaching vocal pedagogy and technique. Featuring numerous playlists on topics such as breathing, vocal anatomy, vowels and consonants, and elements of stylistic performance, this page is perfect for choir teachers looking for supplemental video materials in a range of concepts. It is also valuable for singers looking to maintain their vocal practice during a period of online learning. All lessons are led by Justin Stoney, an credibly acclaimed voice teacher based in New York City.

Price: Free always (Optional $4.99/month subscription to access exclusive perks)

Link: New York Vocal Coaching Playlists

Teachers can use this resource as a  Soundtrap-based lesson plan database. Soundtrap is a website designed for incorporating electronic music and recording projects into the classroom. This resource provides an extensive amount of lesson plans for all grades. The lesson plans focus on general music and satisfy National Core Arts Standards. Each lesson plan provides objectives, the level it is best suited for, a detailed explanation of the activity/project, and extended learning goals.

Price: Free during COVID-19 (Soundtrap subscription normally $249/year for 50 users)

Link: Lesson Plans To Inspire Your Classroom Activities

Vic Firth’s rudiment page provides the fundamentals for percussionists of all levels. This resource includes information on standard rudiments, playing techniques, video lessons, drum set play along tracks, and more.

Free

Link: Vic Firth Website

All music teachers can find something of value in the “Music Educators Creating Online Learning” Facebook group. It contains resources for instrumental, choral, jazz, private instruction, general music, and more! This group is a “teachers-help-teachers” setting where anyone can post about a resource or ask a question to get advice. All one needs to access this is a Facebook account!

Price: Always Free

Link: Music Educators Creating Online Learning on Facebook

All music teachers can find something of value in the “Music Educators Creating Online Learning” Facebook group. It contains resources for instrumental, choral, jazz, private instruction, general music, and more! This group is a “teachers-help-teachers” setting where anyone can post about a resource or ask a question to get advice. All one needs to access this is a Facebook account!

Price: Always Free

Link: Music Educators Creating Online Learning on Facebook

All music teachers can find something of value in the “Music Educators Creating Online Learning” Facebook group. It contains resources for instrumental, choral, jazz, private instruction, general music, and more! This group is a “teachers-help-teachers” setting where anyone can post about a resource or ask a question to get advice. All one needs to access this is a Facebook account!

Price: Always Free

Link: Music Educators Creating Online Learning on Facebook

The “I’m a Choir Director” Facebook group serves as a professional learning network for choral directors to share ideas, ask questions, give encouragement, and talk about the field. The group features discussions and conversations surrounding lesson plans and choral resources. This group is always free with a Facebook account.

Price: Always Free

Link: I’m a Choir Director on Facebook

The Choral Clarity Facebook Group is ideal for choral directors of all levels. The mission of the group is to expand on ideas, refresh thinking, and to seek clarity on the choices directors make. This group serves as a forum for discussion and contains opinions on choral-related videos, questions, ideas, and resources.

Price: Always Free

Link: Choral Clarity on Facebook

This lesson gives secondary students the chance to research elements and examples of protest music. After researching, students write a piece of protest music on an issue that is important to them. The composition requires the students to use looping tracks to back their lyrics.

Price: Always Free

Link: Protest Music Lesson

Quadio Media is an Instagram account where college musicians can post/ upload their own songs, arrangements, etc. One simply needs a college email address to upload and post songs/arrangements. This is a wonderful place for college musicians to connect with one another!

Price: Always Free

Link: Quadio Media

Quadio Media is an Instagram account where college musicians can post/ upload their own songs, arrangements, etc. One simply needs a college email address to upload and post songs/arrangements. This is a wonderful place for college musicians to connect with one another!

Price: Always Free

Link: Quadio Media

Teachers interested in the Kodály philosophy will find much of use here! This group encourages the sharing of ideas, asking questions, and communication with others through helpful tips and resources for all grade levels shared daily. This group is always free with a Facebook account.

Price: Always Free

Link: Kodály Educators Facebook Group

Teachers interested in the Kodály philosophy will find much of use here! This group encourages the sharing of ideas, asking questions, and communication with others through helpful tips and resources for all grade levels shared daily. This group is always free with a Facebook account.

Price: Always Free

Link: Kodály Educators Facebook Group

The Jam Zone is great for students of all ages to find songs and jam! The Jam Zone has a large list of popular songs where you can select your rock band instrument and view it as regularly noted OR the little kid rock notation. They are right next to each other so students can view both at the same time. A lot of the lessons can transition into each other and end with performances to show off what you have learned.

Price: Free with paid upgrades available

Link: Jam Zone

Flipgrid is an easy-to-use app and website perfect for providing a digital platform for classroom video based discussions. Teachers can create a “grid,” which is accessible to students through their school emails, student ID, or a link, and then create discussions that students can reply to with a video recording. It provides a resource for students to share videos of themselves playing an instrument or singing.

Price: Free always

Link: Flipgrid – Empower Every Voice

Flipgrid is an easy-to-use app and website perfect for providing a digital platform for classroom video based discussions. Teachers can create a “grid,” which is accessible to students through their school emails, student ID, or a link, and then create discussions that students can reply to with a video recording. It provides a resource for students to share videos of themselves playing an instrument or singing.

Price: Free always

Link: Flipgrid – Empower Every Voice

Flipgrid is an easy-to-use app and website perfect for providing a digital platform for classroom video based discussions. Teachers can create a “grid,” which is accessible to students through their school emails, student ID, or a link, and then create discussions that students can reply to with a video recording. It provides a resource for students to share videos of themselves playing an instrument or singing.

Price: Free always

Link: Flipgrid – Empower Every Voice

This resource is ideal for secondary music teachers looking for a composition medium for online learning. The Acapella App is a great way to have students collaborate and create music together. Students can put together a song with multiple voices either by themselves or with their peers. Note: Students must be 16 years old to create an account and everything students create is public for everyone on the app.

Price: Free Always with Paid Upgrades Available

Link: Acapella App

This resource is ideal for secondary music teachers looking for a composition medium for online learning. The Acapella App is a great way to have students collaborate and create music together. Students can put together a song with multiple voices either by themselves or with their peers. Note: Students must be 16 years old to create an account and everything students create is public for everyone on the app.

Price: Free Always with Paid Upgrades Available

Link: Acapella App

Soundtrap is a website/app that allows students to make electronic music both individually and through collaboration. With music production activities for all grades and levels, students can easily combine tracks, create loops, and record themselves to create an impressive final product. By downloading projects on Soundtrap as MP3s, students can submit final products to numerous online educational platforms.

Price: Free Always with upgrades available

Link: Soundtrap

Sight Reading Factory is perfect for teachers of ensembles who are looking to assess individual student sight reading. Teachers can customize online sight reading exercises as a practice and assessment tool. The program is compatible with Chrome, iPhones, Android smartphones, iPads and Android tablets, laptops, and desktops.

Price: Free Trial then $35/year plus student account fees

Link: Sight Reading Factory

Sight Reading Factory is perfect for teachers of ensembles who are looking to assess individual student sight reading. Teachers can customize online sight reading exercises as a practice and assessment tool. The program is compatible with Chrome, iPhones, Android smartphones, iPads and Android tablets, laptops, and desktops.

Price: Free Trial then $35/year plus student account fees

Link: Sight Reading Factory

“Appcompanist” is perfect for teachers or students to gain access to thousands of free piano accompaniment tracks. The website provides users with the ability to adjust rubato, accents, and smoothly increase or decrease tempo as the piece plays without affecting piano quality. One can adjust Accompaniment to any key or turn it into a repeated exercise. Create and edit playlists to easily find your “go-to” repertoire and share it with others.

Price: Free with upgrades available

Link: Appcompanist

“Appcompanist” is perfect for teachers or students to gain access to thousands of free piano accompaniment tracks. The website provides users with the ability to adjust rubato, accents, and smoothly increase or decrease tempo as the piece plays without affecting piano quality. One can adjust Accompaniment to any key or turn it into a repeated exercise. Create and edit playlists to easily find your “go-to” repertoire and share it with others.

Price: Free with upgrades available

Link: Appcompanist

This is a Zoom tutorial that shows how to change the audio settings to preserve the sound. Having access to the Zoom software is required, but this tutorial is a free resource. Overall, it’s perfect for instrumentalists, vocalists, and any music teachers who use Zoom and wish to avoid audio modification that occurs automatically and may distort the music. The how-to video is easy to follow and user-friendly.

Price: Always Free

This is a Zoom tutorial that shows how to change the audio settings to preserve the sound. Having access to the Zoom software is required, but this tutorial is a free resource. Overall, it’s perfect for instrumentalists, vocalists, and any music teachers who use Zoom and wish to avoid audio modification that occurs automatically and may distort the music. The how-to video is easy to follow and user-friendly.

Price: Always Free

This informational article details how to design and structure an online music class. It has numerous ideas for assignments, assessments, and the overall layout of online learning. Teachers faced with moving to online instruction will find much of value here.

Price: Always Free

Link: Teaching Music Online

This informational article details how to design and structure an online music class. It has numerous ideas for assignments, assessments, and the overall layout of online learning. Teachers faced with moving to online instruction will find much of value here.

Price: Always Free

Link: Teaching Music Online

This informational article details how to design and structure an online music class. It has numerous ideas for assignments, assessments, and the overall layout of online learning. Teachers faced with moving to online instruction will find much of value here.

Price: Always Free

Link: Teaching Music Online

SmartMusic is a software that allows students to record and submit themselves making music, which can be used for assessments. Teachers can upload parts and full scores that students can use to submit a recording of themselves performing their part. This user-friendly program can be downloaded onto a computer or utilized as an online website, but requires that students have the appropriate materials for recording from a remote location.

Price: Free during COVID-19. Normal cost is $40-$80/teacher/year depending on package

Link: SmartMusic

SmartMusic is a software that allows students to record and submit themselves making music, which can be used for assessments. Teachers can upload parts and full scores that students can use to submit a recording of themselves performing their part. This user-friendly program can be downloaded onto a computer or utilized as an online website, but requires that students have the appropriate materials for recording from a remote location.

Price: Free during COVID-19. Normal cost is $40-$80/teacher/year depending on package

Link: SmartMusic

SmartMusic is a software that allows students to record and submit themselves making music, which can be used for assessments. Teachers can upload parts and full scores that students can use to submit a recording of themselves performing their part. This user-friendly program can be downloaded onto a computer or utilized as an online website, but requires that students have the appropriate materials for recording from a remote location.

Price: Free during COVID-19. Normal cost is $40-$80/teacher/year depending on package

Link: SmartMusic

Perfect for choir teachers looking for ways to stay connected with their ensembles during this time, this blog post provides suggestions on how to best utilize video platforms (Zoom, Google Hangouts) for running choir rehearsals. It addresses warm-ups, sectionals, guest speakers and most importantly, maintaining social connections with each other during this time. 

Price: Always Free

Link: Keeping You Choir Going During Lockdown

This resource helps choral teachers develop listening units for students in beginning, advanced, and/or collegiate methods or choirs. Based around the state festival system, students will think critically about their own music and the process of evaluation. The unit is adaptable for distance learning, homework, or in-class projects. The PDF download includes editable student worksheets for multiple levels of learners.

Price: Free during COVID-19

Link: ChoirEval_Final

This online or in-class unit serves all levels of choirs, including options for collegiate choral methods students. The step-by-step instructions take teachers and students through the process of building a choral concert program using YouTube videos. The PDF includes links to downloadable and editable assessments, and the page formatting makes the resource easy to download and give directly to students.

Price: Free During COVID-19

Link: Choral Connections YouTube Project

Learn Movable Do | Solfege Flashcards! is a solfege quiz game on the free site music-theory-practice.com. The player picks the correct solfege syllable for the note on the staff, and the key is given on the card. Wrong answers and corrections are displayed if you scroll down the page. You can work through four levels, from Apprentice to Wizard, with a timed quiz at the end. This would be entertaining practice for vocal students or theory students.

Price: Always Free

Link: Solfege Flashcards

This resource is perfect for collegiate professors looking for aural skills resources during a period of online learning. This resource was created by Dr. Julia Alford at Temple University. She has made her Aural Skills classroom syllabus for online learning available – specifically for those teaching beginning level aural skills.

Price: Always Free

Link: Theory/Aurals Review

This is ideal for secondary and post-secondary educators looking for music history-related online resources. This source includes great resources for every era of music history directly from the American Musicological Society Pedagogy Group. Resources include assignments, activities, handouts, syllabi, digital music reserves, blogs, and online journals, and more.

Price: Free Always

Link: Teaching Music History

A constantly updating Google Doc with a myriad of resources for K-12 general music/choir teachers looking for additional resources and lessons for use with online instruction. The Doc features nearly 100 resources for lesson plans, worksheets, and assignments; advice on effective online learning practices; videos and demos; blogs and websites; concerns and questions; and contact information for others in the music education world that can also serve as valuable resources to other educators.

Price: Free always

Link: The Big COVID Survival Choral Doc

In this unit lesson, advanced music students demonstrate their knowledge of the Baroque period by performing a song. Teachers can assess both the performers and audience members (classmates) on their behavior and character as if they were living in the Baroque Era. The plan provides strategies for both assessment and differentiation. Teachers can easily adapt this lesson for online instruction.

Price: Free always

Link: If It’s Not Baroque, Don’t Fix It

In this unit lesson, advanced music students demonstrate their knowledge of the Baroque period by performing a song. Teachers can assess both the performers and audience members (classmates) on their behavior and character as if they were living in the Baroque Era. The plan provides strategies for both assessment and differentiation. Teachers can easily adapt this lesson for online instruction.

Price: Free always

Link: If It’s Not Baroque, Don’t Fix It

Students who may be practicing on their own for the first time can utilize this Google Doc, which gives tips and techniques on how to practice effectively. The tips include having supplies nearby, starting with a warm-up, have a goal, etc. This list can also serve to help those who are already advanced to improve their practice sessions. The Doc is open to edit and be added to.

Price: Free always

Link: Strategies for Effective Practice Time

Ideal for students who may be practicing on their own for the first time, this Google Doc gives tips and techniques on how to practice effectively. Tips include having supplies nearby, starting with a warm-up, have a goal, etc. This list can also serve to help those who are already advanced to improve their practice sessions. The Doc is open to edit and be added to.

Price: Free always

Link: Strategies for Effective Practice Time