
                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: WEDNESDAY, July 20, 1994                   TAG: 9407200053
SECTION: CURRENT                    PAGE: NRV-2   EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY 
SOURCE: RICK LINDQUIST
DATELINE: RADFORD                                LENGTH: Medium

EXPLORING THE WORLD OF ELECTRONIC MUSIC AT RU

You don't have to know a note to unleash the creative musical genius within, thanks to the marriage of musical and computer technology. Continuing through July, about two dozen music educators at Radford University's Center for Music Technology are exploring ways to introduce their young charges to the magic of electronic music, a world where anyone can be a player, if not a prodigy.

``You can plunk out a tune,'' said Bruce Mahin, the center's director, ``and the computer can reorchestrate it and print out the music.'' The machine can even make your melody sound like a violin or add other instruments to the mix, if you'd prefer.

The combination of Macintosh computers, electronic keyboards and computer software provides each learner with an interactive, individualized system to learn how to play and even compose. And, just like a human piano teacher, the computer will tell you when you hit the wrong note.

Using an electronic baton, physically impaired students who can't play conventional instruments can express themselves musically.

Mahin said the computerized system helps students to learn faster.

``I think it's important to try to encourage teachers to use music technology in their classrooms,'' he said.

The center offers two weeklong class sessions, one for rank beginners with no familiarity with computer-generated music, and an advanced session for those who've got a few musical bytes under their belts. Mahin said the course is ``a pretty intensive, hands-on experience.''

For more information, call Mahin at 831-6174.

by CNB