SmartMusic 2012 Introduces New Vocal and Sight-Reading Technology

MINNEAPOLIS--(BUSINESS WIRE)--MakeMusic, Inc. (NASDAQ: MMUS) announced the release of SmartMusic^® 2012. The latest version of the interactive music software for band, orchestra and voice delivers a first in interactive music software with the functionality to guide and assess instrumental sight reading and vocal sight singing, including warm-ups, exercises and method books.

“With four complete sight-reading books that now assess voice, there are hundreds of sight-reading examples to use for meeting curriculum standards in and outside of the classroom for all skill levels.”

“SmartMusic continues to identify and provide leading-edge technology solutions for how instrumental and choral music is taught,” said Karen van Lith, MakeMusic’s CEO. “In addition, Smart Music 2012 expands our reach to a new market of vocal directors to provide them with the ability to systematically build, assess and document the skills of every student. Now, vocalists and vocal teachers have access to the same assessment and practice tools that instrumental programs have always enjoyed with SmartMusic. We’re extremely excited to share these new developments with vocalists everywhere.”

SmartMusic 2012’s innovative technology also enables vocal teachers to provide individualized instruction by sending, tracking and grading assignments for each student. SmartMusic provides vocal students with an immediate assessment, displaying the notes performed correctly in green and the notes performed incorrectly in red. In addition, students can record and listen to each of their performances. New vocal repertoire ranges from warm-ups and exercises (Building Beautiful Voices and SmartMusic Vocal Exercises) to methods (Sing at First Sight, Level 1; Patterns of Sound; and 90 Days to Sight Reading Success). In addition, students can prepare for auditions and contests with more than 2,000 of the most requested vocal solos on state contest lists. A virtual piano keyboard provides starting pitches and aids in vocal warm-ups.

“Smart Music 2012 is the ideal solution for anyone who works with singers,” remarked Laura Vaughan, adjunct professor of music, Jefferson College, Hillsboro, MO. “With four complete sight-reading books that now assess voice, there are hundreds of sight-reading examples to use for meeting curriculum standards in and outside of the classroom for all skill levels.”

In addition, SmartMusic 2012 provides instrumentalists with tools and assessment to build sight-reading skills, which is a requirement in many states. SmartMusic now includes 39 of the most popular method books (including Essential Technique 2000 [Hal Leonard], Sound Innovations for String Orchestra Book 2 [Hal Leonard], String Basics [Kjos]), more than 2,700 band and orchestra titles and thousands of solos and practice exercises to its ever-growing music library.

SmartMusic 2012 is a free download for all current customers. Details about downloading the update, and purchasing a SmartMusic subscription, can be found at www.smartmusic.com.

Follow SmartMusic activities from our Community page, which offers access to the SmartMusic Blog, Forum and links to SmartMusic presence on Twitter, Facebook, YouTube and more.

About MakeMusic, Inc.
MakeMusic^®, Inc. is a world leader in music technology whose mission is to develop and market solutions that transform how music is composed, taught, learned and performed. For more than 20 years, Finale^® has been the industry standard in music notation software, enabling composers, arrangers, musicians, teachers, students and publishers to create, edit, audition, print and publish musical scores. MakeMusic is also the creator of SmartMusic^® interactive software that is transforming the way students practice. With SmartMusic, students and teachers have access to thousands of band, orchestra and vocal pieces allowing students to practice with background accompaniment and get immediate feedback on their performance. SmartMusic allows teachers to individualize instruction and document the progress of every student. Additional information about this Minnesota company can be found at www.makemusic.com.