QComposer Plus is a QuaverMusic Creative that allows you to compose music on a staff using melodies, harmonies, rhythm, and form.
Teachers or students can navigate to the Creatives icon from their Dashboard to freely compose.
Starting a New QComposer Plus #
Click Menu > New to start a new QComposer Plus.
- Title your Composition
- Enter the Composer’s name
- Select the format for the Staff
- Select the Time Signature
- Click OK to begin!
Adding Notes to the Staff #
- The note bank will update depending on the time signature chosen.
- Drag and Drop single notes or barred notes to staff to be placed where you wish
- All notes default to natural, but you can select the flat or sharp signs to change the pitch of any note before you add it to the staff.
- When dragging a barred note to the staff, the note’s entire duration will be on one line or space to begin. Then you can move the multiple note heads to different lines or spaces as needed.
- You can stack notes to be played at the same time.
To remove notes from the staff, drag the note(s) off the screen.
Control Panel #
- Music Note Bank: Use the yellow arrows to navigate the entire note bank. Check out the Adding Notes to the Staff section to learn notating with QComposer Plus.
- Accidentals: To attach an accidental to a note, select the flat or sharp signs, and the selected sign will be applied to the note(s) you drag and drop.
- The natural sign is the default.
- Playback Controls: The playback controls include a double bar line, backto beginning, and play button.
- When you use the play button, it will turn into a pause button
- When you use the double bar line, it will turn into a repeat sign
- Tempo: To change the tempo, click the Moderato Tempo drop-down arrow.
- Sound Patch: To change the type of instrument playing, click the Sound Patch dropdown arrow.
- Measure Navigation: Use the yellow arrows on the bottom right to navigate to additional measures.
- You can compose up to 32 measures
- Clear Composition: Click Clear to clear your composition and start over.
Adding a Play-Along Track #
- Click on the blue bar below your title and composer name to add a PlayAlong Track.
- You can also click Menu > PlayAlong to add
- Click the Play button next to the title to preview any PlayAlong track.
- Select a check box next to PlayAlong you wish to add.
- Click Select to add the PlayAlong as a backing track.
After Adding PlayAlong Track #
- Once added, you will notice the chord progression of the PlayAlong Track is at the beginning of each measure.
- Once added, a volume slider will appear next to your PlayAlong’s title, allowing you to edit the mix of the PlayAlong vs. your composition.
- Click the red X to remove the PlayAlong Track.
Note: Play-Along Tracks are tempo specific; if you change the tempo of your composition, you will lose your current Play-Along Track.
Saving your QComposer Plus #
Click Menu > Save to save your QComposer Plus Creative. Your Creative will be saved in your account, ready for you to view or edit in the future!
Opening your QComposer Plus #
Click Menu > Open if you want to open a previously saved composition.
- This will open a window where you can select to Open, Delete, or Cancel from a list of your composition.
Download and Make an Mp3 of your QComposer Plus #
- Click Menu > Save You will be asked to give your project a title if you have not already.
- After saving your project, you can make an mp3 to download it. Click Menu > Make Mp3 from the menu and then Menu > Download the mp3 when it’s ready.
How to Assign QComposer Plus to Your Students #
To begin, create a folder in the Resource Manager where your assignment will live.
- With no folder selected, click Menu > New Folder, and title your folder.
Your folder will now appear in your Resource Folders on the right-side of your Resource Manager.
- Select the folder and click Menu > New Assignment Template.
- Title your assignment “QComposer Plus Assignment.”
- Open your folder, and you’ll see your Assignment with a green “A” next to it. The green “A” icon indicates it’s an assignment template.
- Search for QComposer Plus in the Resource Manager.
- Drag and Drop the resource into your assignment template on the right side of the screen.
How to assign the assignment template to students: #
- Right-click on the Assignment to Assign to Class. Use the Assignment Details screen to select your class(es), student(s), assign date, due date, and more! Click Save to send off!
- Students can submit their composition by clicking Menu > Submit on their QComposer Plus.
- Students should Save their submission if they wish to access it at a later time.
- Completed submissions will appear in your GradeBook next to the student’s name with an orange checkmark, meaning submitted.
- Click the checkmark to open the assignment review screen and view their work.
I wanted my 5th grade students to create a 4 measure composition in 6/8 time using QComposer Plus. I did as directed above to create the assignment, but when it came time to submit the work, the “submit” option was no longer in the Menu.
Hi Lisa!
Once a student submits their QComposer project from an assignment, the Submit option disappears from the menu. I’m curious if that might be what happened. Also, if a student goes to Qcomposer Plus from their dashboard and clicks Creatives instead of going into Assignments, they would need the option to Submit in their menu.
Please let us know if you still cannot see the option to Submit.
I wanna download as MP4
Hi Gavin!
Unfortunately, there is no way to download a QComposer composition as an MP4. I will be sure to pass that suggestion along to our development team.
Is there an option to add lyrics in either Qcomposer or plus?
Hi Ben!
That is not currently a feature offered. I’ve passed your request to our Content & Development team for consideration. Thank you for reaching out!
question! Is there a way for me as a teacher to download a students creation!? I wanted to create a QR code of the students songs they make and post on a bulletin board to share with the campus. I tried a test run, made and assignment and student created and submitted but I did not see a way for me to download from assignment/grading screen to get what they made.
I tried having them download and airdrop to me but I think our network blocks it.
Hi Elizabeth,
Currently, there isn’t a way to download student creatives directly from the gradebook. The method you mentioned could work if the student can find a way to send it to you. However, you can download it from your own computer without needing the student to send it.
While in the gradebook, you can right-click on any student’s name and select ‘Login as…’ to access their account. From there, you can navigate to their Creatives app and download any creative directly to your device.
I hope this helps!
Can we print the composition?
Hi Melissa!
There is not currently a print feature in QComposer or QComposer Plus. I will pass along this feature request to our content/development team for consideration.