Button Beats offers a variety of music making options–for embedding on your own blog or website, for downloading to your computer, or even for playing as portable apps from a USB flash drive.  I’m not going to make any effort to review what’s available at Button Beats.  In an effort to whet your appetite,  I’m just going to embed a couple of options for you to play with.  There really is much more!

Playing for Change describes itself as a “…multimedia movement created to inspire, connect, and bring peace to the world through music.”  Even if this movement doesn’t achieve its ultimate goal, it can only make a positive difference.

Playing for Change demonstrates not only the potential power of music as a force for good, it also shows how modern digital technology can be used to connect people and effect positive change.  Of course, there is also the way technology has been used here to let people from far flung parts of the world create beautiful music together.  I never cease to be amazed at the creative doors that can be opened with technology.

I’ve embedded below a beautiful rendition of “Stand by Me” that is performed and sung together by musicians from around the world.  I’ve been inspired and blessed as I’ve watched and listened multiple times.  Please take time to visit the Playing for Change website to learn more about this remarkable venture.

JamStudio.com is an online resource rich with potential.  With JamStudio, you are able to compose music by arranging chords to create a “score”, by selecting instruments and adjusting the sound of each instrument, by mixing the relative volume of the instruments, and by setting the tempo. The music you create can be saved; and it can be re-opened for editing.

With the free version of JamStudio, your compositions can be shared via a link in email.  An all access pass is available for $10/month.  The paid version allows you to save your music as downloadable mp3 files, and  otherwise extends the range of possibilities in JamStudio.

I am not a musician!  Still, I’ve spent a marvelous couple of hours exploring and creating.  You may question my musical taste, but you can listen to a short “composition” that pleased my ears by clicking HERE. (You’ll have to click the play button, just above the list of instruments.)

Jamendo is a collection that currently contains 6855 albums of music by independent artists from many parts of the world. A wide range of musical genres is represented, and the music can be searched by tags such as acoustic, chanson, classical, electro, guitar, piano, pop, rock, soundtrack, etc. On the whole, I have found the quality of the musical offerings on Jamendo to be excellent.

All of the music housed on Jamendo is licensed under the Creative Commons. It may be downloaded, either by individual “song” or by album, and may then be used free of charge under the terms of its Creative Commons license. Convenient options for supporting the artist are also available on the website.

Jamendo also provides the option of creating multiple playlists for online listening. Titles may be included in more than one playlist. As I listen online, I create playlists of music that I think I may wish to consider for use later with a digital story.