Random Mozart

Composing with Random Numbers          I happened across this game in my files. I used it with my middle school students as part of a unit about the science of sound and music. I think it would also make a great challenge for teens learning to code. This activity is based on a musical game …

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None dare call it poetry

Argle Bargle Abu Dhabi Ubbi Dubbi Boogie woogie Calamari Fuzzy wuzzie Fuddy duddy Fiddle Faddle Razzle dazzle In a pickle Peanut brittle Doggie paddle Chicken Little Nitty gritty Itty bitty Teeny weeny Fettucini Tallahassee Cincinnati Okeechobee Mississippi Super duper Party pooper Hugger Mugger Helter skelter Silly Billy Silly Putty Willy Nilly Woolly bully Hunky dory …

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Random Mozart part II

Now lets create a composition: We’ll start by composing in C major.  The notes of a C major scale look like this: C¯       D         E          F          G         A         B          C­^ (C¯ indicates low C and C­^ indicates high C) Composition 1: Assign the values that you can get from each possible dice roll to the …

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Rolling dice: answers.

The probability of an event is calculated by counting the number of possible ways of getting a particular outcome (such as rolling a 9 on the dice), and dividing by the total number of possibilities.  Probability is expressed as either a fraction or a decimal.  The probability of an event is always somewhere between 0 …

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Aphasia? No thanks, I already have some.

For the past year or two I’ve begun to experience occasional difficulty finding the right word in conversations or discussions.  My wife Debra has also noticed this, as have a few friends and colleagues.  And it seems to be happening more and more frequently. Because I don’t spend much time in social situations, this hasn’t …

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Astrophysicists Release Second, Higher-resolution Photo of Massive Black Hole

Astrophysicists Release Second, Higher-resolution Photo of Massive Black Hole Following the April 10 release of the first-ever image of a massive black hole at the center of a galaxy, a second, much higher-resolution photograph is now available. Comments about the first photo, a computerized compilation of data from a number of telescopes around the globe, …

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Secrets of the Universe Now Available in Paperback

Great news! All five volumes of Secrets of the Universe are back in print, in paperback, for reasonable prices. You can find and order individual volumes or the entire set from Living Book Press They should also be available through your local bookstore, or from online booksellers.

Now Available: A Friend in Need is a Man’s Best Dog

A Friend in Need is a Man’s Best Dog is a collection of humor, essays and verse, both published and previously unpublished. Paul Fleisher’s newest book includes satire and parodies, as well as essays on political, environmental and education issues.  Also included is a small collection of short verse. The book is a retrospective covering almost forty years …

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