I don't understand why the new smart music had to basically be a downgrade. I used to be able to input stuff from finale as a performer, use the follow me feature, see the accompaniment part, why can't I do that now? Can we just bring all of those old features back along with the new ones that have been implemented?
Hi all, I wanted to bring your attention to a reply from our VP of Product Development in a similar thread, here.
Was just coming here to say this. SmartMusic Classic had versatile accompaniment tracks for all of the pieces my university students are preparing for their juries this semester (it's all standard oboe and bassoon rep), and I would LOVE to be able to use those right now since a live collaborative pianist is not an option....but NONE of their music is on the new SmartMusic. NONE! I was kind of miffed about it when I discovered this at the beginning of the semester, but now I want to demand that MakeMusic make those old files available to us in whatever way possible, because I know they exist (I used to use them with my students regularly) and we need them now more than ever.
SM Classic was amazing. The #1 important item I learned from Clinton Marshall is Tone Always Wins! The new SmartMusic is not winning in tone.
1) Method books. If you lower the tempo by 1 beat, the accompaniment now sounds like you are under water.
2) We cannot hear the student playing along with the accompaniment, only the soloist (same with playing along with a band recording). This has been detrimental for evaluating students performing solos with accompaniment.
3) Over all recordings do not sound as good as they used to.
4) So much material is not there anymore. Please bring it all back!
There's quite a thread going on here:
Old content, standard repertoire selections are missing big-time! Many standard clarinet repertoire selections are surprisingly unavailable, which is really detrimental now that our university is all online. Also notably missing is the option to transpose—necessary for playing the Mozart Clarinet Concerto on the A-clarinet (the original version) instead of B-flat.
I LOVE Classic Smart music have used it for years. LOVE the folders, able to transfer MP3 files have over 300 songs in folders. I play in two bands, and we have several songs that periodically we play. I HATE the new smart music. NO folders, can't keep but a few songs. Too time consuming to load songs. This spring my band director finally set up as a teacher in the new version, I tried the trial class. But I am not going to sign up for her class until Aug. when my Classic version subscription ends. I hope by then that all the features of Classic Smart Music will be brought back into this new version.
I'm new to the platform, but I am not interested in upgrading (if that even exists) from the free Covid-19 access to paid access for the following reasons:
Method books: Takes forever to assign, menus are clunky, CAN'T EVEN ASSIGN TO EVERY INSTRUMENT AT ONCE, WHAT THE HECK, IT'S A BAND METHOD BOOK!
Customized home screen: I have to search for the repertoire EVERY TIME I WANT TO ASSIGN IT? I want to put together a custom library for kids to practice WITHOUT HAVING TO GO THROUGH THE MILLION STEP PROCESS TO ASSIGN IT!
Did I mention Method Books? WHY SHOULD I HAVE TO SEARCH FOR IT WHENEVER I WANT TO MAKE A LITTLE PIDDLING ASSIGNMENT?
Community: WHERE THE HECK IS EVERYBODY ELSE'S WORK? Why can't I search through a community unit/assignment library and just copy and paste? I have to make all my own custom assignments?! who the heck needs to customize everything so precisely?!
Whoever designed this is like the sound engineer who isn't a musician turning knobs and mixing the sound: ridiculous. I don't have time to agonize and click a million times to get between menus.
Every place a student's name appears should provide a link to their profile/grading/assignment portal or something.
I shouldn't have to click a million different places all over the screen to get to administrative places
I get ZERO notifications about new student accounts needing approval. That's so stupid. I have to manually click through all the admin stuff to check on each class for who might be waiting for approval.
The only marginally functional component is the Beta-test quality practice/record/analysis feature. It should make it SO MUCH EASIER to grade my several hundred students' playing quality and growth. NOPE. What the heck should I use this for then?
Similar concerns as Kathy Sipes highlights. I have a private studio and miss being able to keep folders of songs for my various students. Every week we have to sort through the clunky interface to find our music, over and over again. Also miss the old tuner and metronome. They helped make this a "one-stop" platform for may teaching needs. Classic costs $40, this should be $4.99. (Sorry to say this out loud, but if this is our only option, I would gladly pay MORE for a return to the fully supported Classic version.) I have used this program for so many years I can't even remember when I started with you, but it was quit early in your history. I was excited to see a new, updated version coming out, but after using it for several months I have become very disappointed. I truly hope you can find fixes for all of the problems and omissions from classic. Maybe just keep Classic alive for a couple more years before completing the change over.
Thanks for listening!
I used smart music classic in the past and absolutely loved it. So many things about this web version are frustrating.
1. it is slow and clunky
2. no longer intuitive
3. where is all of the old music?
4. where is the fun scale background music?
5. importing new music is not as good as it was before.
6. assigning lessons to students is a long and drawn-out process.
7. the new version is a downgrade of the last one.
8. I want to use smart music without needing the internet.
9. classic was more efficient and worth the money
10. follow me feature was invaluable
11. web version lags on recordings
12. features are hidden and difficult to find
13. even the login screen is hard for new students to find
14. where is all of the music?
15. during a 30 minute practice time web version gets stuck loading method books at least 10 times.
so many more things that annoy me with this web version.
Please bring back the classic smart music. the price of the web version should be so much less as we are limited in what we can do. As others have said it is a definite downgrade. Biggest thing, I want to be able to use it offline and have the old music back.
I thought I just didn't know how to use the new web-based program, because I found myself having to search for the same music every time I wanted to assign something. But now I see more people have complained about that as well. The new SM is definitely not worth its price, and I don't plan on purchasing the subscription once covid-19 is over.
SM Classic was also great for practicing as a performer myself. It's a shame all those great resources are gone.
