These flash movies are part of a series of e-learning modules to teach students about music. Not all modules are represented here. Some of the sounds play inside movie clips where animation and graphics need to synchronize with the beat. For other modules, I created a class to set and retrieve sound linkage ids, control buttons, and to animate timelines based on the current position and duration of the sounds.

Beat: Beat is illustrated in three ways. In the first example, a flashing red dot appears below two lines of notes in time with the beat as music plays. In the second, a ball moves along a timeline with evenly spaced tick marks, and the ball flashes red in time with music playing to a steady beat. In the third, a ball moves along a timeline with unevenly spaced tick marks. The ball flashes red in time with music playing to an unsteady beat.

Meter: The word beat flashes red in time with the music.

Syncopation:In the first example, a ball moves along a timeline with evenly spaced tick marks while music with no syncopation plays. In the second example, a ball moves along a timeline with tick marks spaced to match a syncopated version of the same song.

Tempo:The user changes the tempo of a song by moving a slider among three choices: FAST, MODERATE, and SLOW. The slider snaps to the nearest selection while the user drags a ghosted version of it up and down. When the user releases the ghosted slider, it scrolls into position.

Pitch:The user plays different pitches by pressing the keys on a keyboard.

Chords:The user presses a key on the keyboard to hear and see a triad built on that note. The note first plays by itself. If the user continues to hold down then key, then the chord plays.