[LAU] Announde: DSP02 - Music composition software for children

[David Baron]

This is a Java program. No need to compile it, just run the script supplied.

My comments: This does have a fairly simple interface to playing with sounds. 
The parameters portrayed/drawn on these screens are technical, however. One 
can have fun with the program but the pitch of the sound (if it has one, you 
can download farm animal samples from their site :-) ), is fixed on these 
screens. One cannot play a keyboard and compose music with this, just 
assemble series of sounds on multiple tracks (quite handily, but still...)

An older child that is bent towards playing with synthesis might get into this 
program but when he/she cannot really compose, will doubtless be frustrated 
and leave it behind. It is really not a kids program as such. It remains 
fairly technical.

The nicest kids program but with enough technical stuff to satisfy adults 
(older kids) as well is Tuxpaint. This has been used/tested in Italian 
schools. Make a music program along these lines that can be used to play a 
real song with all those nice/funny/wierd sounds one concocts (or in its 
paradigm, chooses from a pallete and modifies) and you have something!