Focus on Sound Pro

Focus on Sound Pro

An engaging, interactive and authoritative online resource to enhance teaching and learning music. 

Focus on Sound Pro includes a multimedia encyclopedia of instruments, terminology, composers and theory – with hundreds of listening tests and a broad range of structured lessons aimed at Key Stage 3, GCSE and A Level covering the majority of the UK exam boards.

The Pro edition software gives teachers the ability to create new resources using a slick interface and powerful content creation tools. It also integrates with Google Classroom or Microsoft Teams, a huge benefit to schools using either of these systems.

Teaching solutions

Focus on Sound Pro can be used for many different types of learning, from "chalk and talk" to autonomous home learning on any device, at any time, anywhere. 

• Key stage three lessons can benefit from having sound, images, and text or multimedia explanations of technical terms, examples of instruments and styles from around the World, music theory, and history. There are composition schemes of work too!
• Key stage four resources include set works and areas of study to cover all England, Wales and Scotland GCSE/National exams. Vocational students can explore relevant styles, terms, instruments and music technology. Test types include self-marking listening formats, markable extended text responses, and timed listening questions to help practice exam-style listening. Along with a GCSE composing case study, there are composition resources that suit any exam course using any software. So no matter what course(s) you run, Focus on Sound gives you teaching, revision and testing resources. 
• Key stage five materials include advanced composition starters as well as a number of analysis pieces to explore. It's also useful to revise technical terms and exam listening skills.

Teaching

• Hundreds of lessons and self-marking tests ideal for musical homework tasks
• From a special whole-class display mode to instant formatting for handheld devices
• Support your teaching with a multimedia encyclopedia of instruments and terminology – developed by teachers for teachers

Image

Learning

• Accessible at home, at school and on the go
• Guided self-study – listening, theory, composing and more
• Learning and revision for GCSE and A-Level exams as well as KS3
• Practice the listening skills and techniques needed for exam success

Image

Assessment

• Limitless auto-marked listening tests, as well as extended written work for teacher assessment
• Results are available instantly online to the teacher – exportable to spreadsheets and learning management systems like Google Classroom, Microsoft Teams or the MusicFirst Classroom

Image

Find out more

Instruments

A large encyclopedia of instruments including orchestral, popular music, and instruments from traditions all around the world. With audio, videos, pictures, notation examples and learning advice, students can gain a broad insight into an instrument’s origin, how it fits into ensembles, what it sounds like, and how it is played. Focus on Sound Pro users can add more instruments if they wish.

Sound Words

As the largest part of the software, Sound Words contains more than 800 musical terms. These are grouped into topics like harmony and subtopics like pop chord progressions. Focus on Sound Pro subscribers can add new content here too. 

Lessons

More than 400 structured lessons containing learning activities and listening tests. These are perfect for whole-class teaching or individual student work, from explanation to revision. There are resources for all the Great British GCSE/National exam boards, including lessons on set works/areas of study. Focus on Sound Pro users can create their own lessons and share or download other users' lessons via the Shared Lesson Library.

Tests

There are unlimited randomised listening tests and quizzes, and over 300 tests with fixed questions. Almost all are auto-marked. Focus on Sound Pro customers can create their own tests, choosing from seven different test formats, or upload to or download from the Shared Tests Library. Tests also include exercises based on audio or video for class discussion or extended writing. Exam students are able to practice and develop the skills needed to answer different styles of exam questions.

Results

The results page displays the number of tests taken, the most recent date and time a student logged on when the test was taken, as well as percentage marks. Individual answers can be shown for each student. All results data can be exported to any spreadsheet program. Focus on Sound Pro users can also export results to Google Classroom or Microsoft Teams with a dedicated button.