FAQ's
Here are some frequently asked questions that may help you with the use of the site.

• What's available for free on Singtastic?
• Who are Singtastic's target audience?
• I have no musical skills - how can I use Singtastic?
• What is a Standard Portfolio?
• What is a Special Portfolio?
• What videos are included in a Standard Portfolio?
• What sheet music is included in a Standard Portfolio?
• What audio tracks are included in a Standard Portfolio?
• What other material is included in a Standard Portfolio?
• How do I buy a Portfolio?
• What do I do if I have a technical problem on the Singtastic website or with a download, say?
• Why are Singtastic's prices so low?  Is it because the material isn't worth a lot?
• How do I use the Search facility on Singtastic?
• What is in the Resources Section?
• Why aren't there many songs on Singtastic?
• How can I link my website to yours?
• The videos won't play on my computer - what can I do?
• I also write science songs - can I publish them on Singtastic?
• Do we need your permission to perform a Singtastic song?
• We've made a video of a Singtastic song - can we put it on the website?
• We're planning to perform some Singtastic songs - would someone from Singtastic like to come along?
• I've spotted a factual error in a Singtastic song - what should I do?
• Are all Singtastic Songs about science?
• My company might be interested in sponsoring your site or advertising on it.  What should I do?
• I'd like to put the Singtastic songs onto disc and make copies for my friends and copies.  Is that okay?
• What is a 'Zip file' and how do I open it?

What's available for free on Singtastic?

As a casual surfer, you can view 60-second clips of the Tutor and Singalong Videos of any Singtastic songs.  You can also view the complete Introduction video to each song.  Once you sign up to Singtastic you can download any free portfolios currently available.  We will add to the set of free material from time to time, so it's always worth checking.  The free portfolios are the complete set of materials that you would normally pay for with other songs - videos, audios, sheet music, the lot.  In addition all the material in the Resources section is completely free.  There are also links to performances of Singtastic songs on YouTube and elsewhere which are free of course.

Who are Singtastic's target audience?

We have taken the bold step of declaring the whole world to be out target audience.  Singtastic is not just for teachers and students (though we hope that they will get a lot out of our songs);  it's also for anyone with an interest in science, in music, in learning or all three.  Singtastic songs are ideal for anyone wishing to improve their use of the English language whether it's as their mother tongue or as a second or third language.  We especially hope that home educators will enjoy using Singtastic materials.  There'll also be an increasing choice of vocal music (not all of it science-related) of interest to jazz and pop performers, classical and community choirs, a capella (unaccompanied) groups.

I have no musical skills - how can I use Singtastic?

Singtastic is ideal for you.  Whether you want to enjoy the songs alone at home, as a student or teacher in class, as a performer in a club or concert hall, Singtastic provides everything you need from phrase-by-phrase video song tutors to lyric sheets to Karaoke-style accompaniment tracks.  We know that Science teachers are already using the songs to help their students learn scientific information in a fun, easily-memorable way.

What is a Standard Portfolio?

A Singtastic Portfolio is generally a set of materials associated with one particular song:  videos, audio tracks, sheet music, lyric sheet, composer's notes.  When you buy a song, you get a wealth of these materials with it.  Even if you don't read music or can't sing in tune, you will still be able to make full use of the song once you have the portfolio.   See questions further on for full details of what's included in a portfolio.

What is a Special Portfolio?

From time to time, we'll publish a Special Portfolio which will cover a number of different materials that you can buy as a set, for example: a capella arrangements of several songs, beginner's piano solo versions of several songs, concert song cycles, sets of band or orchestral parts for a single song etc.

What videos are included in a Standard Portfolio?

There'll be a number of videos that you can download and keep permanently - there'll always be a Tutor Video (in which the song is taught phrase-by-phrase), Singalong Video and Introduction Video (in which the composer talks about the song).  We hope in future to include a short video interview with a working scientist discussing the content of the song.  There will also be links to online videos of performances of the song on YouTube, Science TV and elsewhere.  The videos are offered at the highest quality possible without making them ridiculously huge, but you will need to allow a few minutes to download each one even on a broadband connection.  Sadly, Singtastic is not really suitable for use with a dial-up connection.

What sheet music is included in a Standard Portfolio?

This will vary according to the song, but there will usually be: the song with full piano accompaniment;  song with simplified piano accompaniment; song with chord symbols (for use with guitar or keyboard for example); melody line of the song; harmonised versions of the song if available (sometimes more than one arrangement); an arrangement of the main melody of the song for easy piano (around Associated Board Grade 2 or 3 level); an a capella arrangement of the song if available (though these will sometimes only be available separately).

What audio tracks are included in a Standard Portfolio?

This will vary according to the song, but some or all of the following will be included: mp3s of the Tutor and Singalong videos; MIDI accompaniment tracks; recordings of the easy piano arrangements (sometimes at different speeds for different abilities); MIDI audio tracks of individual parts (Alto, Tenor, Bass for example) of harmonised songs for practice purposes; recordings of performances of the song; clips of jazz versions of the song if available.

What other material is included in a Standard Portfolio?

There'll usually be a page of Composer's Notes including suggestions of activities and projects you could pursue inspired by the song.   From time to time we'll include other materials in the portfolio, for example:  Powerpoint Presentations to accompany a song or set of songs; artwork inspired by a song; detailed project proposals focused on a song or set of songs.

How do I buy a Portfolio?

In order to buy a portfolio you must first register with Singtastic. This can be done by clicking on 'Sign Up' which can be found at the top of every page and then following the instructions. Once you have registered, click on any of the green 'Download Now!' buttons found on the 'Songs' page. This will take you to the 'My Downloads' page where you will see your choices in the top section of the page called 'Currently Selected Downloads' - This is your 'shopping basket' where it is possible for you to remove any of your choices and continue browsing if you wish. If you wish to continue to purchase, click on the 'Buy Now' button and you will be taken through the payment process which will finally return you to the 'my downloads' page where you will find your portfolio waiting for you in the 'Download History' section.

What do I do if I have a technical problem on the Singtastic website or with a download, say?

In the first instance, make sure you have the latest version of Flash Player and Quicktime as both of these programs are required to see all the content on this site. Please remember that the video downloads are large files typically around 150Mb, if you have a slow internet connection, downloading these files will take a considerable time. Any issues concerning card payments or refunds should be directed here: sales@singtastic.com

**Known Issues**

1. Currently in some browsers when closing the 'pop-up video windows' the audio continues to play. We are working on this, but in the meantime, the simple solution to this, is to stop the video playing first and then close the pop-up window.

2. If you cannot see any videos playing and you are using a company internet connection to view the site, we recommend you find a pc that has a different connection to the internet as it is likely that the company connection will have firewalls and filters that will prevent you from viewing the videos.

Why are Singtastic's prices so low?  Is it because the material isn't worth a lot?

Absolutely not!  We think the Singtastic songs are amazing and we want to share them with as many people around the world as possible.  We realise that the prices we charge may seem very low in some parts of the world, but there are other regions where our prices will seem quite expensive.  As far as possible, we aim to make the Singtastic songs available to all.

How do I use the Search facility on Singtastic?

If you know the name of a song and want to find content associated with that song on the site, then type part or all of the name into the search bar at the top of every page and click on search. A list of everything on the site connected with your search will appear. You can refine your search by clicking on 'Advanced search' which enables you to search by exact match or keyword search and the type of results you wish returned such as songs or videos.

What is in the Resources Section?

The Resources Section is an ever-expanding collection of free resources directly inspired by Singtastic songs. The information is presented as downloadable pdfs.  The first files order and analyse the words of the songs. They will be of interest to wordlovers, teachers and learners.

Why aren't there many songs on Singtastic?

Singtastic is a very new site and the number of songs will increase rapidly.  We're aiming to put a new song on Singtastic at least once a fortnight throughout 2009, sometimes more frequently.  By signing up to Singtastic you can be sure that we'll let you know every time a new song becomes available.  Remember, sometimes these songs will be completely free.

How can I link my website to yours?

You are of course welcome to put a link to www.singtastic.com on your website.  Just email us at david@singtastic.com if you'd like us to consider putting a reciprocal link on Singtastic.

The videos won't play on my computer - what can I do?

The most likely reason is that you are on a system which blocks online videos.  Please contact your system administrator and ask them to unblock Singtastic, explaining that it is an educational site with no "dodgy" content.   Alternatively, make sure that you have the latest version of Adobe Flash installed on your computer.  This is completely free, safe software and you can download it in a few moments by clicking this link.

I also write science songs - can I publish them on Singtastic?

Our TV Station 'Sing TV' provides the ability to link to any videos on YouTube.  If you have content that you feel is suitable, please upload it to YouTube and then email us with the link so we can review it. If you would like to be considered as a future contributor, please email david@singtastic.com. remembering to include the links to your YouTube content.

Do we need your permission to perform a Singtastic song?

No!  But if it is a public performance, a broadcast, or a recording of any kind, you must notify the performance to the appropriate royalty collection agency in your country.  In the UK this is the PRS.

We've made a video of a Singtastic song - can we put it on the website?

Our TV Station 'Sing TV' provides the ability to link to any videos on YouTube.  If you have content that you feel is suitable, please upload it to YouTube and then email us with the link so we can review it. If you would like to be considered as a future contributor, please email david@singtastic.com. remembering to include the links to your YouTube content.

We're planning to perform some Singtastic songs - would someone from Singtastic like to come along?

We would love to be at every performance of Singtastic songs, but sadly this isn't possible.  But if you are planning a performance, please let us know well in advance and we will turn up if we possibly can!  Email: sue@singtastic.com.

I've spotted a factual error in a Singtastic song - what should I do?

Please let us know as soon as possible.  We try to get our facts right as much as possible, but sometimes errors do creep in.  Also, science is a constantly growing, evolving body of knowledge so some facts in Singtastic songs can go "out-of-date".   Even if it's impractical to actually change the song, we'll try and publish a note with the song if a correction is necessary.  Obviously, some songs are flights of fancy based on the science - there's no point letting us know that Quarks don't really fall in love with each other!  Also, we sometimes take "poetic license" with lyrics - the generally-accepted lengths of the geological eras in the song "Eras" have been rounded up or down slightly to fit the rhythm of the song, for example.

Are all Singtastic Songs about science?

No.  We're concentrating mainly on publishing science songs at first because 2009 is such an important year for science (and because our resident songwriter David Haines is a total science-nut).  Not only is it Darwin Year, celebrating 200 years since Darwin's birth and 150 years since the first publication of his ground-breaking book The Origin of Species, but it is also the International Year of Astronomy, marking 400 years since Galileo's first observations of the stars and planets using a telescope.  However, we will be publishing lots of non-science music as time goes on - please keep checking back to see what crops up.

My company might be interested in sponsoring your site or advertising on it.  What should I do?

In the first instance, email david@singtastic.com

I'd like to put the Singtastic songs onto disc and make copies for my friends and copies.  Is that okay? 

Sorry, but absolutely not!  All Singtastic material is strictly copyright.  You are very welcome to copy the materials onto disc or mp3 player for your own use or to help with teaching a class, say, but making copies for other people is theft and would make you liable to prosecution.  We would ask you to respect our intellectual property and encourage friends and colleagues to purchase their own copies of Singtastic songs direct from the website.  We're keeping our prices as low as we possibly can so that virtually everyone can afford to do this.  If you'd like to use Singtastic material in some way that you're not sure about and want to check first, don't hesitate to contact us on sheila@singtastic.com

What is a 'Zip file' and how do I open it? 

A Zip file is basically a folder that you can put files into and then squeeze it down to a small size so that it can be sent quicker. Generally the files on Singtastic that are contained in the Zip files are about 20% - 30% bigger if they were provided without being zipped up.
In order to download a zip file, all you need to do is click on 'Download Portfolio' of the song you have purchased, your pc will then give you a message saying something like - 'You have chosen to download 'Mr Darwin.zip' which is a pc archive file, what do you want to do with this file, open it or save it.'
You can choose to 'save' to a destination on your pc to be opened later or you can choose to open it now. Most pc's have software included that know what to do with a zip file and once you have instructed the pc to open the file it will display the contents of the zip file on your desktop and allow you to save or copy them to any desired location on your pc.
If your pc does not have the required software to open the zip file, it will inform you of that fact and you will then have to download the appropriate software to access the zip file. ZipCentral is a free software program that is recommended by pc world.

Back to Top