The Project-Based Middle School Music Class (Part 1)

Educational Leadership (ASCD) publiched an article called '7 Essentials for Project-Based Learning'. The 7 Essentials, abbreviated, are:

1-A Need to Know
2-A Driving Question
3-Student Voice and Student Choice
4-21st Century Skills
5-Inquiry and Innovation
6-Feedback and Revision
7-A Publicly Presented Product

I am lucky to teach in a music technology lab at our middle school complete with 22 MIDI stations with HP Computers, 17" Flat Screen Monitors and Yamaha PSR keyboards. I teach 3 middle school grade levels-6th,7th and 8th grade. 6th graders learn music fundamentals using Music Ace software with reinforcement via games, quizzes and direct application of musical skills learned. The 7th and 8th grade classes are entirely project-based classes.

I will focus on the 8th grade curriculum by connecting what students do there to the 7 Essentials above, hopefully providing a useful example of how music classes can become Project-oriented.

I am completely convinced that project-based learning (and service-learning) are 'the way to go' to ensure student connection, motivation and engagement with learning. I believe when students are 'content creators' and they are given the responsibility (the respect!) to solve problems and questions creatively, they jump at the chance. Conversely, even the most motivated of students will shut down given a lack of something productive to DO. Doing is the key. Humans are born wanting to 'do'.

I decided a few years ago to jettison the 8th grade curriculum entirely and to start from scratch. I wanted something relevant and engaging for students to experience in class. We also had the technology on our side. I started investigating loop-based music composition and realized this is a perfect fit for the 'i-pod' generation. Since we're PC-based and were limited financially, I chose Sony Acid Music Studio as the software that would drive the 8th grade curriculum. All students take music every year for 10 weeks. So, even at a few thousand dollars for a lab-pack the cost per student (cps) was actually quite low the first year (something like $10 per student). Now that we're in year 3 the actually cps is less than $3 per student. (These are numbers that speak to administrators and school boards. Whenever possible, present your new programs in terms of cost per student.)

On day one, students are introduced to different loops (.wav recordings of actual instruments). This piques their curiosity (especially the dance beats and electric guitar loops that sound familiar to them). From there students ultimately begin by 'playing' with loops- finding them, listening to them and creating tracks for them. In due time, I teach them about balance, blend, panning, form, verse, chorus, effective endings......

The 21st Century Music Program

I've written about it already: Music Education must shift (as most of what we do in Education must shift now). But I haven't given a prescription for the shift. I'll focus on music education first since it's where I've spent most of my career.

Once upon a time, as the world was changing and going digital, music was right out front as one of the game changers. Since people love music, they wanted music. As digital formats and broadband increased so did the possibility that music could be made available for next to free. A huge demand ensued. Enterprising individuals with some coding know-how made it possible for people to find music online. That's the beginning of the story and how P2P networking changed the world. The rest is known to us. Napster and other websites that allowed free sharing of music and other copyrighted material were targeted by the RIAA and the copyright wars began.

Now, new modes of distribution and consumption are in place, money is paid to the artists and the world is changed. Of course, the illegal stuff still happens and will continue to-until we radically redfine and de-criminalize file sharing. But it was larely a demand for MUSIC that inspired the whole digital-everything movement. And As Chris Anderson will tell you, once things are digitized, distribution costs are almost nill for a gizzillion copies of the same file (mp3, mp4, .mov, .avi etc..).

So where does secondary Music Education fit into this? Prominently, I think. Center Stage, if you will. Teens and music go hand in hand. They "do" music all the time. In these times, students are downloading, manipulating, re-mixing and listening to music daily. What happens when they come to music "class". What is happening in "General" Music Classrooms today? Do students ever hear "their" music? In a 21st Century Music Program, they should. Do they use technology, loop-based composition software to make their OWN music? In a 21st Century Music Program, they should. Do they get to create and remix music the way they do in the real world? Do they get to download and keep their music as Mp3 files? In a 21st Century Music Program, they should. Is You Tube ever used in music class? i-Tunes? In a 21st Century Music Program, they should be.

It's an important shift because in a 21st century Music Program, there is potential for many more students to be part of the program--shifting it from the old Band/Chorus paradigm and justifying it solidly to School Boards. When you turn all students into Artists, it's difficult to cut a program. That's possible in a 21st Century Music Program.

Music Education Must Shift

In the last post, I suggested a new paradigm for music education in schools. This paradigm would become less-band/orchestra centric and would have as its base teaching non-band/orchestra/chorus students the tools for music creation, mixing and distribution. Traditional performing ensembles should always have a place in school music programs. Instrumental and Choral Programs are often the public face of music programs. They provide good PR but I think it's also time to embrace a much wider conception of what performing ensembles could be in addition to changing the nature and focus of the "General" Music Program.

Increasingly, students are coming to us with skills on (electric) guitar, keyboards and other instruments (mandolin has become popular recently because of it's use by some mainstream pop artists). Students who don't play instruments are coming to us with much greater exposure to music specifically because of pop culture influences (Rock Band, Guitar Hero, Glee, video games, etc..). A 6th Grade student recently asked if we could play the theme to Halo, a science-fiction video game. Why not? It's perfectly decent music. If we don't do it at school, students are busy learning it anyway , despite the school music program! This is NOT a position we in Music Education want to be in. Imagine students dropping music classes because they don't do music there (or at least music they know). Unfortunately this happens every day in music programs everywhere. I know a student who won the local 'American Idol' contest but dropped Chorus at school. She didn't see the relevance. There are, of course Music Directors who get it, the one's who understand that connection is more important than coverage. So, to further expand the paradigm shift I am suggesting, here's what I think *secondary music programs should include now:

• A Music technology Classes (formerly called General Music) where students create, remix and share music (and, yeah, learn the basics, too)<---largest population of students. I suggest this for 100% of the school population if possible.
  

• Guitar "Clubs"<---if don't play guitar, have your students teach you. They would love to teach you how to shred a solo.
  

• Jazz/Rock-Pop Ensembles (any combination of instruments/voices)
  

• (World) Percussion Ensembles (mallet instruments as well as djembes, bongos, congas)

• Traditional Music Ensembles (Band/Chorus/Orchestras)
  

*Note that I am addressing secondary music programs, specifically. Elementary programs should, as most do, continue to incorporate movement, singing, Orff instrument playing, rhythm games and general "experimentation" with music.

Music Education Professional Learning Network Launches

Watch Out, Here We Come! The Music Education Professional Learning Network launches today, July 19th, 2010. The site is a "freely available public site specifically designed for Music Teachers, Educators interested in Music topics, and pre-service Music Teachers."

Users must register for an account, otherwise the site is free. The MPLN contains Forums, Groups and News/Info. links about aspects of Music Education. Pre-launch, the site had 68 members who Beta-tested the network. These members are among the top music education professionals with an online presence (music ed. teachers, conductors, clinicians, presenters, bloggers, etc..). One of the greatest attributes of the site is that is it is social media rich meaning that there are multiple ways to share information outside the network on different platforms such as Twitter, Facebook, Yahoo and MySpace. I believe this attribute will insure the site's success. Interestingly, it is also possible to connect IN to the network. For example, by using the hastag #mpln on Twitter, the update will post inside the MPLN network. Nifty!

The launch comes at a time when social networks are becoming increasingly accepted as valid places, forums for learning. There have been a few attempts at creating social networks for music educators but none have achieved a wide membership/following. MENC has had a Mentoring Forum for years (of which I was once a Mentor) but it never quite evolved from the limited 'thread'.

I am convinced that the time is ripe for the Music Education Professional Learning Network. I believe that it will be widely used by Music Education Professionals to connect, discuss, debate, elucidate, elaborate, learn, grow and educate. Is the world ready for Music Education to finally, finally be transformed?

Musical Instruments for the Future

The i-Pad in Music Education

by James Frankel

Well by now you have no doubt heard of the game-changing device from Apple called the iPad. As a huge fan of Apple products, I am always swept up in the frenzy over a major new product release, and the iPad is certainly something I would like to have in my ever growing collection of gadgets. While walking my dog in the woods this morning I thought about how the iPad could fit into music education, and education in general.

Read the rest of the post at James Frankel's Blog.

Creating, Remixing, Streaming and Listening to Music Online

As technology advances and bandwith + wireless expand like so many galaxies, the possibilities for music creation and listening become nearly limitless. Free possibilities abound. Here are some of my recent favorites/recommendations. Have fun with these.

Music Creation: Notation-Based
Noteflight

Music Creation: Loop-Based
i-nudge
One Motion-drum machine which can be exported as an SWF file.

Music Creation: Web-Based Audio Editing/Hosting
Indaba Music
Myna by Aviary-Use Myna to remix music tracks and audio clips. Apply sound effects and record your own voice or instruments.

Music Streaming/Listening
Grooveshark-Listen to streaming music in a clean, i-tunes-like interface. Create playlists, see photos of artists.

Songza.com-Listen to streaming music at songza.

Last FM- Search for, Learn about and listen to music by all types of musicians/artists. Doubles as a social networking site.

Pitchfork.com-Music plus reviews, news and features.

Mp3.com- This is a great site for discovering music that is not restricted by copyright. It is also organized by musical style and genre in a clear manner.

Top 10 Music Technology Websites

by Music Tools

1. SOUND ON SOUND

http://www.soundonsound.com/

SOUND ON SOUND has consistently remained at the forefront of music technology since it was launched on Channel 4 TV’s The Tube in 1985 by the visionary SOS Publications Group, championing the convergence of MIDI, computer technology and recording equipment that continues to revolutionise the music production industry today.

The magazine is excellent and the website is no exception!

2. YOU TUBE

Youtube can teach you lots of useless and wondeful things, music technology and software is no exception. If you have query or a problem simply ask yOUTUBE and chances are 14YRD old from Milwaukee will tell you eveything you need to know!2 Audio tuts+

3. Audio Tuts+

Audiotuts+ is an in depth blog for musicians, producers and audio junkies! It features tutorials on the tools and techniques to record, produce, mix and master tracks. Audiotuts+ also features weekly articles for the music obsessive. Our commisisoned tutorials are written by industry experts and professionals, but anyone with an awesome skill to showcase can contribute a post and pay $150 if we publish it.

4. MUSIC RADAR

Like a few of the sites who are on this list, Musicradar.com is not exclusively about guitars, but a good amount of their features, including news, reviews and tutorials focus on guitars and are all of excellent quality, making this another essential stop. And their lists of the most outrageous guitars are simply hilarious…check them out!

5. REMIX MAG

Endles resource of information. Remix educates DJs, engineers, producers, and performers of electronic music about the latest applications and new products specific to the electronic and urban music markets. Remix is the premier consumer magazine in North America dedicated 100 percent to the tools, techniques, and production syles of electronic and urban artists

6. HARMONY CENTRAL

Harmony Central is generally a great place for anyone interested in any sort of musical gear info: tons of resources including news, reviews and forums about synths, souncards, software and much more. Great user reviews section!

7. SYNTHTOPIA

Synthtopia is a portal devoted to electronic music.There are lots of electronica sites, but they all seem to cover one tiny aspect of electronica: trance, classical electronic music, dance, or synthesizers. Synthtopia covers it all.

8. eMUSICIAN

EM is the premiere resource for musicians interested in personal-music production. EM consistently publishes the most “how-to” applications and reviews-a real benefit for the recording musician. Our editors react quickly to changes in the industry to deliver the in-depth technical expertise and tools necessary to successfully use new concepts and technology.Being an American publication this could be the first place you hear news!4 http://www.kaosaudio.com

Kaos Audio is a huge database of audio software and news, books, synth presets, samples and loops libraries, video software, links, interesting free soft and much more for all the audiophiles out there.

9. KAOSS AUDIO

Kaos Audio is a huge database of audio software and news, books, synth presets, samples and loops libraries, video software, links, interesting free soft and much more for all the audiophiles out there.

10. COMPUTER MUSIC

CM and its similar sites (Futuremusic etc) have vast array of reviews articles and good image content

How SMARTMUSIC is Legitimizing Music Education

In music (band) class, we identify misconceptions, make note of them and make sure to re-teach each individual student in need of such "response to intervention". We have always operated this way and always will. Anyone teaching right now knows that "RTI" is one of the current buzz words in Education. Here are a few more:

• Standards-based education
• Differentiated instruction
• Using data to drive instruction
• Performance-based assessment
• 21st century learning
  

Did you know that educational objectives are being met in music education programs using SMARTMUSIC software in the band and choral music curriculum?

HOW SMARTMUSIC HELPS STUDENTS LEARN

SMARTMUSIC is the name given to software now available for use by music teachers and music students (MakeMusic, Inc.). Smartmusic is described as "learning software with the power to transform music learning. Students of all ages and skill levels can play or sing with professional accompaniments, making practice both rewarding and fun." It is quietly revolutionizing the field of music education. When used, it transcends expectations, fixes misconceptions and ensures steady progress by student musicians. And best of all SMARTMUSIC can be discussed using an educational lens.


SMARTMUSIC IS STANDARDS-BASED
Smartmusic allows students to perform music along with accompaniments or to simply play a line of music at a time. Music standards such as reading music, understanding and executing musical instructions (articulation and dynamics, for example) are addressed within the context of each composition, exercise or folk song.


SMARTMUSIC ALLOWS FOR DIFFERENTIATED INSTRUCTION
SMARTMUSIC contains music at a variety of levels from basic to advanced. A teacher can assign specific exercises for each student depending on their specific needs (to address misconceptions and weaknesses). These assignments are delivered digitally (via e-mail and by the student signing into the Smartmusic database).

ASSESSMENT IN SMARTMUSIC IS PERFORMANCE-BASED
Proper music instruction has always been performance-based since the only way a student can demonstrate understanding is to execute the skill(s) on his or her instrument. Music Education was doing performance-based assessment long before the term became an Educational Imperative. By it's very nature, Smartmusic uses a performance-based assessment model.

SMARTMUSIC IS DATA DRIVEN
Using data to drive instruction is, again, something that has always been done in music education. However, Smartmusic kicks it up a notch. Data are collected as recordings of student performances. These data are automatically uploaded to a "gradebook" kept on Smartmusic's servers. This gradebook looks like a regular gradebook with columns of assignments. The recorded performances are accessed by clicking an icon next to each student's name. Additionally a snapshot of what notes/rhythms students played correctly or incorrectly is viewable by the click of a mouse. Correct notes/rhythms are green in color and incorrect notes/rhythms are red. Intangibles such as tone quality, intonation, articulation and interpretation can then be rated by the teacher using the recording. Based on the strehgth (or weakness) of the data, music can be reassigned or new music can be assigned to address particular issues.


SMARTMUSIC IS A 21st CENTURY LEARNING TOOL
SMARTMUSIC makes use of technology in engaging, creative and meaningful ways to ensure high quality, data-based music learning. Importantly, it is a tool that helps music students and music teachers do what they have always endeavored to do-to learn to be competent, independent musicians and to teach music effectively.

Photo credits:
Nationaal Archief / Spaarnestad Photo / J. van Eijk, SFA003001896.
Saxaphoon by Oude School at flickr

NOTE: This blog is in no way affiliated with Smartmusic or Make Music, Inc. The views and opinions expressed in the post are those of educatioanal blogger Andrew Garcia.

Shifting the Focus of Music Education

Moving forward, music teachers need to consider teaching all non-band/chorus students to experience, analyze and to create music-whether they (students) can read music or not. This can be achieved in a variety of ways...from drumming to the use of software to create loop-based compositions. I believe that music education is becoming closely linked to media education and we must begin teaching both!

More at Educational Paradigms.

To Survive, School-Based Music Education Music Shift

Music Education is traditionally thought of in terms of General Music, Band and Chorus. But, except in a few schools, the vast majority of students are not enrolled in Band and Chorus.

So, how should we teach music to everyone else? Should reading music be a priority? Notating music? Are these, perhaps, roadblocks to music creation, involvement and enjoyment?

The REALITY is that, even among people who earn a living as musicians, only a full 10% can actually read music. A popular example is Paul McCartney. Would anyone call Sir Paul musically illiterate? Hardly. He's made quite a few dollars in his day as a performing musician.

The shift now needs to be towards experiencing, analyzing and constructing music. We have the tools, thanks to technology, to "compose" music without having to write music notation. Loop-based music software allows us to achieve this (ie...Sony Acid, Pro Tools, etc..). We music educators can and should provide access to these tools for all students in the future. When we do, we may proudly proclaim that EVERY student is a music student.

One Person Playing Lead and Bass Line for Blue Bossa!

This is pretty inspiring stuff for any musician.  Zack Kim demonstrates his ability to play lead and bass lines for the tune Blue Bossa.

Inspiring Youth Orchestra From Venezuela

The Teresa Carreño Youth Orchestra contains the best high school musicians from Venezuela's life-changing music program, El Sistema. Led here by Gustavo Dudamel, they play Shostakovich's Symphony No. 10, 2nd movement, and Arturo Márquez' Danzón No. 2.

The Teresa Carreño Youth Orchestra is the national high-school-age youth orchestra of El Sistema, made up of the best young musicians from throughout Venezuela.Full bio and more links 

Online Music Lessons taught by Artists!

There's nothing like a great song to inspire music fans to want to learn to play it themselves, but doing it right is rarely easy. Enter Now Play It, a UK-based site that offers video instruction taught by the artists themselves.

Launched last year, Now Play It aims to get people as close to the artists and songs they love as possible. To do that, it offers downloadable video tutorials on the art and craft of playing hundreds of different songs on guitar, bass, piano or drums, many of them led by the artists who wrote or perform them. Paul McCartney, Blur and KT Tunstall are among the artists currently offering instruction on the site, and users can search for tutorials by artist, song, instrument, difficulty level or tutor. Now Play It's full tutorials, priced at GBP 3.99, are typically split into three parts—lesson, recap and play-through—and are at least 15 minutes long. In-house tutorials follow the same format but with instruction by a Now Play It tutor instead. 'Lite' tutorials, meanwhile, are just two parts—play-through and recap—and are generally between three and six minutes long; pricing is GBP 1.99. Downloads are available in MP4 or Windows Media Video formats.

With Generation C's penchant for content production, Now Play It is sure to find an enthusiastic audience among the many consumers out there seeking to create, to express themselves and to make the music they love their own. Being taught by a well-known artist, meanwhile—even if by video—is sure to give them a heaping helping of status skills and stories to share about the experience. Now Play It currently offers a forum for community discussion, but a logical next step, it seems to us, would be to give consumers a place to show off the results of their instruction with video and recordings of them playing the music they learned—along with opportunities to critique and discuss. If there's anything better than content, it's content plus community! 

Website: www.nowplayit.com

Spotted by: Lloyd Salmons

Microsoft: Too Square To Be Hip

Leave it Microsoft to mar the image of Music Technology. Some of us have been using and promoting music technology in schools in a serious and positive way to promote and change the image of how music is traditionally taught (and learned).

Along comes Microsoft and its supposed addition to music technology. They call it Songsmith. This is just painful, dorky stuff....(watch the video) and it discredits musicians and music teachers.

What gets created is plain, trite and not very substantive. Better to promote music literacy through technology than to promote erroneous notions that one can "write" songs by singing badly. Don't we have enough of that with 'Idol'?

The i-Phone As A Musical Instrument

Ever since Apple opened up the i-Phone, apps for it seem to crop up daily. I don't think too many people saw this one coming: The i-Phone-As-Musical-Instrument. True enough, this app "senses" the pressure of one's breath on the microphone. Digital keys show up (in the classic ocarina pattern) on the face allowing an individual to play the i-Phone. Really! Check it out.

Confusion Over Copyright In Education

Many educators are shying away from using copyrighted material in class. In most cases, they are being too cautious because they're not aware that they have more rights.

Hoping to clear up the confusion over the "fair use" of digital materials in teaching and learning, a panel of university professors has developed a "Code of Best Practices in Fair Use for Media Literacy Education."

The document clarifies how fair use applies to the most common situations where media-literacy educators make use of copyrighted materials in their work. It offers guidance for instructors so they can make informed fair-use judgments (including the use of music in education).

You Tube, Toddlers and The Future of Music

Digital technology has made it easy to create new works from existing art, but copyright law has yet to catch up.

In early February 2007, Stephanie Lenz's 13-month-old son started dancing. Pushing a walker across her kitchen floor, Holden Lenz started moving to the distinctive beat of a song by Prince, "Let's Go Crazy." He had heard the song before. The beat had obviously stuck. So when Holden heard the song again, he did what any sensible 13-month-old would do -- he accepted Prince's invitation and went "crazy" to the beat. Holden's mom grabbed her camcorder and, for 29 seconds, captured the priceless image of Holden dancing, with the barely discernible Prince playing on a CD player somewhere in the background.

Valerie Sinclair

Ms. Lenz wanted her mother to see the film. But you can't easily email a movie. So she did what any citizen of the 21st century would do: She uploaded the file to YouTube and sent her relatives and friends the link. They watched the video scores of times. It was a perfect YouTube moment: a community of laughs around a homemade video, readily shared with anyone who wanted to watch.

Sometime over the next four months, however, someone from Universal Music Group also watched Holden dance. Universal manages the copyrights of Prince. It fired off a letter to YouTube demanding that it remove the unauthorized "performance" of Prince's music. YouTube, to avoid liability itself, complied. A spokeswoman for YouTube declined to comment.

Read the rest of this excellent article by Lawrence Lessig at the Wall Street Journal.

What's Brewing At MENC?

MENC has updated their website and claims to have blinged it out with a 'My Music Class' section. I'm heading there today to see what Music Tech resources can be found there.

I'll provide an update when I return.

In the meantime, check out all things music education for yourself by visiting MENC's website.
Music Educator's National Conference.

Using Twinkle to Introduce Song Form

One of the best decisions we made for our General Music program was to transform it into a Music Technology Lab. The next best thing was to adopt the loop-based software program Sony Acid as a significant part of the student music experience.

But where to begin? And how do musical concepts get taught/learned?-especially FORM.

Here's how we begin the process:

• We create a midi file of twinkle twinkle little star (student's use Finale Print Music to create the melody and export it as a mid file).
• Using Sony Acid, import the Twinkle midi file as a track.
• Explain that Twinkle will be the Chorus of the Song and it needs to be heard in it's entirety.
• What's needed now is an introduction, verses, possibly a bridge and an "outro".
• Use the Twinkle melody itself to explain ABBA form.

A-Twinkle Twinkle Little Star.....
B-Up Above the World So High
B-Like a Diamond..
A-Twinkle Twinkle.....

Then provide a few examples of variations on this using popular songs. (I like to use Blake Lewis' song End of The World because the Form is clear: 4 bar intro/add voice/add drums/verse 1/chorus/verse 2/chorus/bridge/chorus/chorus/fade out.

Students are in good shape to begin the process of creating their own loop-based compositions at this point. (Obviously, use of Sony Acid is a pre-requisite to this project.)