In my view, technology is suitable for education when it adds value to what you can already achieve without technology, while still leading to good music education that is meaningful for students.
What exactly “good” and “meaningful” mean, and how much added value is needed to justify an investment of time, effort and money, differs from one context and person to another.
For me, good music education means education that is meaningful for students, that connects with their world, while also broadening their musical horizons. It is education in which students can express themselves and explore music and sound in many ways — technically, creatively, artistically, physically and emotionally — together with others, and in relation to future professions or simply for enjoyment.
How to use technology in a way that truly adds value is often something you have to explore yourself. It usually requires searching for or developing your own materials.
That said, producers of apps and other technology sometimes offer support in this process. Let me give a few examples.
BandLab for Education (free)
The free BandLab for Education builds on the core BandLab DAW (Digital Audio Workstation) but adds classroom management and pedagogical features.
As a teacher, you can create schools and classes, distribute assignments, monitor student progress and give feedback within a protected educational environment. You can also create templates to guide students when working in the Studio environment (the BandLab DAW), for example by preparing tracks so students can start making music without beginning from a blank project.
The fact that BandLab is free and browser-based (Mac, Windows, Linux and Chromebooks) makes it accessible for schools, as no software needs to be installed and no subscription or licence is required.
Soundtrap for Education
Soundtrap for Education (30-days free trial, then paid) offers similar features to BandLab for Education and is also cloud-based. However, it provides some additional features and resources for schools and teachers.
For example, it integrates with other educational tools such as Noteflight Learn and learning management systems like Google Classroom and Canvas. It also offers example lesson plans and allows teachers to create their own lesson plans within the platform. Moreover, it has a strong focus on collaborative music creation, which opens up additional opportunities for music teaching.
Incredibox for Schools
Incredibox (free and paid) is a playful, loop-based music app that allows users to create layered compositions by combining vocal and beatbox elements through dressing animated characters with bare upper bodies.
The school-oriented version Incredibox for Schools provides teachers with a dedicated, private class space where students and classes can be managed and where students’ musical creations can be monitored and reviewed. Incredibox for Schools allows students to start a musical creation at school and continue working on it at home.
Ableton for the Classroom
Ableton for the Classroom is a clear example of how a professional music tool can be supported by education-focused resources.
Alongside Ableton Live, Ableton offers a dedicated classroom platform with lesson ideas, ready-made projects and teaching materials developed by experienced educators.
These resources focus on topics such as composition, sound design, sampling and music theory, and often include Live Sets, step-by-step guides and suggestions for adaptation to different educational contexts.
Importantly, the emphasis is not on learning the software for its own sake, but on using it to explore musical concepts, creativity and collaboration.
Ableton also offers free, browser-based learning tools, such as interactive environments for exploring rhythm and melody in electronic music (Learning Music) and synthesis (Learning Synths). These can serve as accessible entry points before working in a full DAW.
The fact that creations made in these online tools can be imported into Ableton’s professional DAW allows students to start simply and gradually develop towards more advanced or even professional use.
In addition, Ableton offers educational discounts and, for schools, a free entry-level version of Ableton Live Intro, its professional DAW for students.
Final thoughts
The fact that technology producers offer educational features and additional materials can be valuable for education. However, as a music teacher, you always need to assess whether these materials and features truly fit your educational goals, your students and your context — and whether they offer real added value compared to what you can already achieve without them.
What makes technology suitable often lies in the details. Some examples:
The Learning Music environment from Ableton became much more accessible for many schools once its content was made available in languages other than English.
Similarly, the Incredibox app became acceptable for some schools when characters were given helmets, as bare upper bodies were considered inappropriate.
At the same time, Incredibox’s focus on predominantly white male beatbox characters is a clear shortcoming, as it limits inclusivity. If you choose to use the app, this is something you might want to compensate for by using other inclusive tools as well.
On the other hand, the fact that all sales generated by Incredibox for Schools are donated to non-profit organisations supporting disadvantaged children is also a detail that may appeal to schools.
Other resources
- Free DAW guides (including Ableton Live and BandLab)
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