Tip: The Joy of Screenshots
One of the single most useful tips I can give music educators is knowing how to use the screenshot tool (also known as a screen grab) on both a Mac and a PC. To be clear, the screenshot tool allows you to highlight a specific section of your screen and take a “photo” of it. This photo is immediately saved to your clipboard, and can be imported into any program that accepts images. It is the fastest way to save images so that you can use them in worksheets and other instructional materials. I am always surprised when I show people how to do this and they look at me as though I have just showed them the Holy Grail. So here is how you do it:
Mac users:
To take a screenshot on any Mac, just press and hold the Shift, Command, and the number 4 key. When you do this, your cursor will turn into a crosshairs. Once you see that change, you can click your mouse and drag a square or rectangle anywhere on your screen, and then let go to take a screenshot. You should hear a camera lens sound effect if you’ve done it correctly. If you make a mistake or let go too early, just repeat the procedure again.
Once your screenshot has been taken, it is automatically saved to your clipboard. The clipboard isn’t really something you can see - its just temporary storage. Next, you can use the search tool to find and open the Preview tool on your Mac. Once open, just press Command + O to open the image. Here you can save it in multiple file formats.
You can also Paste what is in your clipboard into any open software application that accepts image files, such as Microsoft Word, Powerpoint, Google Docs, Google Slides, Keynote, etc.
PC Users
To take a screenshot on any PC, press Windows logo key + Shift + S. The desktop will darken while you select an area for your screenshot. There are a few options:
Rectangular mode is selected by default. You can change the shape of your snip by choosing one of the following options in the toolbar: Rectangular mode, Window mode, Full-screen mode, and Free-form mode.
The screenshot is automatically copied to your clipboard. A notification also appears once you're finished taking a screenshot, select it for more editing options.just press and hold the Shift, Command, and the number 4 key. When you do this, your cursor will turn in
Just like on a Mac, you can Paste your saved image into any open software application that accepts image files.
I used the screenshot tool ALL THE TIME when creating worksheets, quizzes, and handouts for my students. I would open my favorite notation program or a PDF file that contained images that I wanted to use, and take screenshots of the relevant content. I created note naming quizzes, fingering quizzes, parts of the instrument quizzes - you name it. The screenshot tool is probably one of the most useful tools on your computer.
Hope this helps!