Ben Gaunt, who is currently associate Professor at Leeds Conservatoire, says that ‘Nobody should be forced into using ‘primarily’ using any one method of engaging with music’ and that no method should be off-limits. Whilst acknowledging the benefits of technology, he says: ‘The only thing that really matters to me is that my students are developing their skills and enjoying themselves. Notation is but one way of achieving this.’ Robert Saxton, who was Professor of Composition at Oxford University and tutorial fellow in music at Worcester College for over 20 years, advises children to enjoy the look of music on a page, to write down what they play and hear, to start with shapes and to consider intervals between notes and lengths of notes, moving on to scales/modes and to singing exercises in order to internalise shapes and intervals, followed by the introduction of tonal harmony. He says: ‘The problem with using a computer too soon is that programmes tend to restrict notation to pitch and rhythm in a conventional way. If access to more advanced technology is available – showing sounds visually and aurally in a graphic manner (frequencies, densities and so on) – then this is also excellent.’
I think what we learn from this is that composing is a very personal process and that technology can be a very useful aid, but cannot replace the very human and individualistic creative process. The full article may be read online at Music Teacher.