Of all the indie musicians out there wondering how to get your music on iTunes, many of our very favorites are the music teachers among you. That’s right – the educators. You spend your working hours spreading a love and talent for melody to pupils of varying degrees of talent, dedication, and enthusiasm. And, just like all other teachers, your everyday requires copious patience and kindness, and we’re sure you could always use an extra hand.

That’s why we (and everyone interested in music) are all talking about the iPad and its amazing pedagogic utility in music education. Take a break from figuring out how to get your music on iTunes, and think of the possibilities.

Apple, known for its innovative technology and inherent usability, is changing the landscape of music education. Apps like SmartMusic, Band-In-A-box, Scorch, Garage Band, and Virtual Piano all operate on the iPad to let students and masters of music create songs using touch-operated interface, instead of through a keyboard like on a standard computer or laptop. And while technology will certainly continue to improve, iPads will outlive dated, expensive textbooks, whose information cannot be updated with the swipe of a finger. One iPads can replace all textbooks a student would ever need, in fact, saving money, paper, and students from heavy backpacks. Apple’s cloud computing lets aspiring musicians access their music from any remote location, broadening their horizons for collaboration and feedback from band mates near and far. Furthermore, iPads connect students to millions of free lectures, books, videos, and additional resources on thousands of subjects to enhance both their musical skills and understanding – the possibilities for educational opportunities are virtually limitless.

What’s more, the iPad’s battery capacity is up to 10 hours –long enough to last the entire school day and into band practice. From sheet music to iPad touch screen, the face of musical education is changing rapidly.