My Experience with Soundtrap

Michael Baker Brown

Technology Assisted Music Learning

Dr. Bazan

My Experience with Soundtrap

During my undergraduate degree, I took a music technology class.  The focus of our learning were the programs Finale, Sibelius, and Audacity. Over the years, I have gotten better at using these programs as tools for the classroom.  I use Finale in a number of ways such as altering scores for students, or creating an accompaniment track for the ensemble.  I use Audacity to make audition spots for students.  Still there are times where I find it difficult to operate the software. 

I recently have discovered other programs like MuseScore and Noteflight that are more user friendly.  The cost difference between Finale and these other programs is amazing as well.   Finale is a wonderful program, and I will continue to use it, but it is expensive.  My students cannot afford a program like Finale.  These composition websites are a great affordable alternative to Finale.  I have also discovered the benefits of using these alternate programs with my students to build their musical skills.  These composition programs are wonderful for students, but not all students understand musical concepts such music notation. 

This is where a program like Soundtrap could build students musical knowledge by students working together to build compositions together and individually.  Soundtrap does not rely on music notation; it uses a different form of notation that works in cycles or loops.  I recently found Soundtrap and starting creating right away.  It has many premade loops to choose from, and they vary in genre and style.  All the choices are almost overwhelming, but can fun if you have to time to browse. Soundtrap also recognizes midi instruments.  A student can use a loop, and then record an instrument or voice to add to the track.  I used a combination of loops and midi keyboard to create my fun composition.  As I composed this song, I thought to back to my hip-hop and Rhythm and Blues I used to love in my late teens and early twenties.  As I composed, I listened through my big 6.1 speaker system on my desktop.  I love the thump of the drum, and the booming bass.  I listened through my laptop speakers and did not enjoy the listening experience as much.  I had a few problems when I first started using the program.  I could not get the program to recognize the midi keyboard, but with some troubleshooting, I was able to figure it out easily.  I really enjoyed making a composition on Soundrap, and I will look forward to learning more about this program. 

I could see how this program could have benefits for students who are currently involved in music classes and student who not involved in a music class. On average 80% of students in schools, do not take a music class.  This is because most music classes offered in public education are performance based classes where a student has to have knowledge and proficiency in performing with their voice or an instrument.  Soundtrap could be used in the current music education classroom, but it could also serve as the bridge to students not taking a music class.  This technological class could still be performance based, but would focus on the finished product of sharing and learning the program.  Soundtrap can be used as a tool to build basic music knowledge in non-tradional music students.  Students can work together by using the collaboration feature.  Students can interact live with one another, and work on compositions together.  This could connect students on campus and beyond to a new way of creating music with the use of new music technologies.  Educators should use every avenue possible to share content that could enrich student lives.  Music educators must use the power of music in all forms to help do what music does best.  Change lives.

Ride Along

My experience with NoteFlight

Michael Brown
NoteFlight Assignment
Dr. Bazan

I had not heard of NoteFlight before this week, and I really enjoyed the experience of learning how to use it this week.  I immediately saw ways to use this with my classes.  I introduced the website to AP music theory class first.  The first thing that I really liked was the free version.  No student has to pay for anything, and the free version has great features.  I transcribed this piece very easily.  The students liked how it was a website and their material could be shared very easily between their devises.  For an assignment I plan to share the beginning of a melodic fragment, and let the students finish melody.  I also used the program for my choir.  Instead of using SightReadingFactory.com I wrote my own melody that was more accurate to the content I was teaching.  I used finale, but it can be difficult to work with and not user friendly, but the NoteFlight was very easy to use.  The helpful tutorials make using this tool even better.  I would recommend this to any music teacher.  As a music teacher, how would you use this tool for the benefit of your students?

Improvisation using technology tools

Michael Baker Brown

Technology Assisted Music Learning

Dr. Bazan

Thinking on your feet, being one-step ahead, acting and reacting are all forms of improvisation. Music improvisation is making knowledgeable musical decisions in real time.  Some think that improvisation is something people are born with, a natural talent.  However, I do not believe that to be the case.  According to Kratus improvisation is a concept that can be learned.  He describes a seven-level process to develop improvisation: Exploration, Process-oriented improvisation, Product-oriented improvisation, Fluid improvisation, Structural improvisation, Stylistic improvisation, and Personal improvisation. By focusing on each of these levels an individual move to become more inclined to improvise in music.  Other authors do agree with Kratus and say that along with these levels, aural skills, knowledge and skill, performance experience, and courage must be acquired to be successful in improvisation.    

While my main musical focus is voice through a public education choral program, I know there are many students who do not take music classes beyond general music education.  The two main music educational avenues my students have are either band or choir.  In my approximately 2300 7A Arkansas student population school, I we have approximately 500-600 students involved in our music program.  That still leaves a large amount of students that are not involved in a music class.  Even though these students are not involved in music classes, I would dare say that music is still a large part of their lives.  As written earlier, the students who are not involved in music may be because they do not have the proper tools, training, and expertise as the students who stayed continuously involved.  This is where technology can step in and be used as a tool to help students create, improvise, perform, and compose music. 

This week I dove into new music technologies MuseScore and NoteFlight.  They are great programs that the students could use to aid them in their musical endeavors.  They both have versions that are free, and they come with great tutorial guides.  These are programs that could currently use with my choral students, and could aid students all students in different musical ideas and endeavors.  Technology is growing all around us, and educators must find ways to use it to benefit all students. 

Bauer, W. I. (2014). Music learning today: Digital pedagogy for creating, performing, and responding to music. New York City: Oxford University Press.

Use of technology in the classroom

 Michael Baker Brown

Technology Assisted Music Learning

Dr. Bazan

I love technology, when it works.  As an educator, I must find ways to infuse technology into teaching.  Technology is everywhere and it is not going away.  Almost everyone has a digital devise in his or her pockets these days, no matter your social status.   The first thing educators must do is acknowledge what technology can do for us in and out of the classroom, then figure out how to use it to the benefit of improving education. 

Technology has become more affordable and common placed.  I am in my eighth year of teaching, and my use of technology in the classroom has not changed that much from when I started.  I am a high school choir director, and the curriculum is performance based.  I do use technology, but I use it in the way most teachers use it.  I create flyers, programs, and slides.  I have hundreds of emails that I check regularly, and have a laptop, soundboard, and projector that I use often in the classroom to present material to students.  I am very fortunate to work in a one to one school.  That means that each student has their own personal laptop for the year to use for educational purposes. Our district receives grants to help them afford these advances for our students.  If we did not receive these grants, we most likely would not have the technological support we have now. 

All this technology is great, but it does come with some constraints.  Many times educators are given personal development to learn new programs that administration want us to implement in the classroom ,but often times the PD only shows the surface of the program.  I find that I am usually ok with deepening my understanding of the technology, but I have colleagues who get lost and are overwhelmed with the continuous stream of new programs.   Although there are constraints, as educators we must work around them to give the best to our students that we can. 

To help with infusing technology into the day-to-day teaching, Bauer introduces a new model. 

Technological Pedagogical and Content Knowledge or TPACK is the model that infuses all three areas together to create a great teaching tool.  The idea is that teachers should use their deep pedagogical knowledge to teach content creatively with smart technology.   I use youtube to project recordings of great choirs performing a piece we are working on, so my students can hear and see a choir perform.  Sometimes it helps the students hear what the piece sounds like, so they have something in their ear to how the piece is shaped.  Another example I have is the use of technology for sight-reading purposes.  We are a performance based curriculum, and I use sight reading factory to cut down on paper.  I project the example on the screen and the class works through the example together. It is a great tool and the students really enjoy working together to perform the example.   Sight Reading Factory

Educators also need to learn to build their Personal Learning Networks.  I admit that I did not have a twitter account before I started this class.  I never started an account because I thought the program would be a fad.  Now I see that it can be used as a great source to build professional relationships.  I started following so many colleagues and organizations that showed interest to me.  I have always had a Facebook page, and I used it in this same way I do Twitter to build my community, but it is a technology that I see adults using more than students.  Students have platforms of communication, but it always seems that they move to different platforms than adults use. 

As educators, we must approach the learning of technology the same way we approach our learning of content and pedagogy.  The more we know and understand, the more we can share and educate our students.  The main idea that must hold onto is that “integrating technology is not about technology-it is about content and effective instructional practices” (Bauer, 11).  Students need every opportunity to be successful.  Educators can use technology to aid in making a lesson more approachable and enjoyable for students.  Educators must challenge themselves by creating lessons that strong in pedagogy, content, and technology.