How can you discover meaningful ways of applying technology in your music teaching?
One way is to seek inspiration. That may not sound very concrete, so let me make it more tangible.
Inspired by music
As a music teacher, you will probably recognise what often happens to me when I attend a great concert. If the performance is really outstanding, the musician in me is fueled with ideas that I immediately want to try out on my own instrument (drums, percussion, piano, guitar). In short, the music and the performance inspire me create new ideas for making music.
Since my focus has increasingly shifted towards technology-enriched music education, I now often find myself inspired by impressions that spark ideas for integrating technology into music teaching. Attending a concert can also be such a source of inspiration.
When inspiration strikes
Recently, I attended a concert by the band Young Gun Silver Fox. It was great music, performed flawlessly by top-class musicians who, right up to the final song, delivered their characteristic three-part American West Coast harmonies with perfect intonation in a venue that sounded wonderful.
Several aspects caught my attention and inspired me with ideas for integrating technology into music teaching.
Click on the short texts below to see what applications they inspired me to think of.
1. Video projection on the backdrop <click for inspiration>
A striking feature was the giant video projection on the backdrop… a calm ocean viewed from the beach, complete with palm trees, flowers, butterflies and birds occasionally flying by, sailing boats drifting past, and a sunny Californian day gradually moving on until the sun set at the end of the show. Perfectly matched to the style of the music.
Application:
Let students use video projections during performances, for instance by creating a collage of images that reflect the style of the music they are playing.
2. Performance with two keyboards <click for inspiration>
The keyboard player/lead singer performed on a Fender Rhodes piano and combined it with a Nord Electro for additional sounds such as strings, acoustic piano and synths.
Application:
a. Have students combine two electronic or digital instruments which they must both play within a performance piece.
b. Ask students to research music in which a Fender Rhodes can be heard.
c. Have students experiment with amplifying materials that produce a soft sound when struck with a beater. Use, for example, guitar pick-ups or piezo contact microphones connected to a guitar amplifier.
3. Drummer played soda bottles?!? <click for inspiration>
The drummer, in one of the songs, played both the drum kit and soda bottles (or something similar) as an additional percussion layer.
Application:
a. Ask students to perform percussion on everyday objects and combine this with electronic or digital instruments.
b. Have students compile a top five of music in which everyday objects are recorded for music-making.
c. Let students record samples of sounds produced by everyday objects and create a composition from them.
d. Discuss with students the different ways in which recycling can be applied in music (think of repetition, imitation, using everyday objects as instruments, covers, re-use of samples in, for example, hip-hop). Then let them create and record their own soundscape or composition in which they recycle musically in several ways.
4. Stacked cymbals with reverb <click for inspiration>
The drummer also played a so-called cymbal stack, amplified and enhanced with a reverb effect.
Application:
a. Have students create their own stacks from different percussion instruments and sample the stack into a sampler or drum rack (Ableton Live).
b. Let students experiment with adding effects to a variety of acoustic sound sources and have them describe how the effects enrich the sound.
What’s next
Inspiration is a great starting point. What follows is developing and preparing the activity.
Check the resources and inspiration section of this website to learn more on how to develop and prepare technology-integrated activities for music teaching.
For example, to help you with the practical preparation of collecting and setting-up your tools and software, you can use this checklist to make sure you have thought of everything.