Sunday, May 29, 2022
Sunday, May 22, 2022
Week 4 Reflection
Key Concepts
- Feedback
- Modeling
- Musical practice
- Psychomotor skills
- Scaffolding instruction
- Reading and writing music
- Ensemble rehearsals
- New performance possibilities
Objectives
- Discuss research and best practices related to the acquisition of knowledge and skills for music performance.
- Describe the affordances and constraints of a variety of technologies with application to musical performance.
- Make connections among performance curricular outcomes, pedagogies, and technologies.
Sunday, May 15, 2022
Week 3 Reflection
Key Concepts
- Composition
- Audiation
- Instructional Constraints
- Critique and Revision
Objectives
- Discuss research and best practices related to the acquisition of knowledge and skills for creating music, with a particular focus on composition.
- Describe the affordances and constraints of technologies with application to musical creativity.
- Make connections among creative curricular outcomes, pedagogies, and technologies.
- Compare and contrast MIDI and digital audio.
Band Lab Assignment
Week 3 had students working on an online cloud platform where musicians and music lovers of all types can create music. The music can be created alone or collaborated with others. This is another assignment I had a great time discovering. As a teacher, I can definitely see this being in a Band and non-Band setting because it does not require any music reading or music theory background. Users just need a good ear and knowledge of how to navigate the site.
I initially played around with some of the sounds and moods to see if anything would stick out to me when I heard a combination of sounds that reminded me of a a high speed action chase where the superhero is valiantly trying to catch the villain and stop his/her plans before they come to light. There are some sound affects and chances in the main theme it opens which to show a change of scenery or the superhero gaining the upper hand. I chose to end the song on a lighter melody and with some subtle rain and storm sound to suggest the fight may not be completely over. I have called the creation "All's Well That Ends Well...???"
Sunday, May 8, 2022
Week 2 Summary
Week 2 Blog Summary: Technology Assisted Music Learning
The key concepts that were taught and explored during the second week of MUE6696 were:
Each of the concepts are extremely important in the music education world and reading text, watching videos, and experiencing each of these topics has been both informative and enjoying. As I was working through the assignments for the week, I am already in planning mode for the next school year on how I can implement the technologies and concepts so that they are a regular part of my students’ musical learning experiences.
The objectives for the second week of MUE6696 were:
The assigned readings for week 2 are split between chapters two and three. Chapter 2 “Technology Fundamentals” (pages 24 – 27) introduces digital sound and how it has “reshaped the recording and editing of music while also impacting the distribution of music by allowing it to be easily and inexpensively downloaded via the internet.”
According to the text, MIDI is short for “musical instruments digital interface” and allows digital instruments and computers to communicate with one another. The chapter goes on to list and describe all of the different types midi controllers that can be used in relation to music education such as: keyboards, guitars, drums, string, and wind instruments. These controllers can be combined with combined with a digital audio workstation (DAW) to make for an easy setup and smooth process for music educators who wish to use them.
There were some issues with MIDI files being used across different types of software and technology, so the need for standard MIDI files and general MIDI standards so that all 128 sounds and drum patterns are stored in the same manner. MusicXML files are another type of file developed so that various music software can be stored, saved, and open in other programs.
Chapter 3 “Creating Music” focuses on how technology can be used to help all types of students with being creative in music through improvisation and composition. This applies to the those students who are in instrumental and vocal ensemble classes as well as those students who are not interested in playing or singing, but still love music. The text lists common outcomes that can assist with planning a curriculum for improvisation and composition.
The final section of chapter three talks about implementing improvisation, or “the expression of meaningful musical ideas” or “novel musical utterances in real time.” As a part of the discussion for the week, students were asked why we believe the art of improvisation is not taught as thoroughly as it should be. My immediate though was that many educators, myself included, are not a comfortable teaching improv because not introduced to it much outside of the jazz world. I saw a couple of replies to my post of instrumentalist that do not play jazz instruments and therefore had little to no exposure to improvisation and that was passed down to their students as well. The use of technology and online resources makes it much easier to include improvisation as a regular part of the music education world.
The technology assignment for the week involved learning the ins and out of “MuseScore” and “Noteflight.” MuseScore is a music notation that can be downloaded and used for free. There is a small charge for a pro account if you like to print your compositions, but for the sake of music education it is free. You can see my MuseScore assignment in the previous blog post. Noteflight is a free cloud based music notation site that can also be upgraded, but for the purposes of school use is completely free. Students do not have to download anything and can easily save and send their work.
My Noteflight assignment is here: A Bicycle Built for Two
Quotes That I Loved
Peter Webster describes creative thinking in music as “the engagement of the mind in the active, structured process of thinking in sound for the purpose of producing some product that is new for the creator.” Having a classroom environment that encourages creative thinking has so many positives in the life of a child.
Cartoonist Adam Scott is quoted as saying “Creativity is allowing yourself to make mistakes. Art is knowing which ones to keep”
Noteflight Assignment
Hello!
I have enjoyed using Noteflight for the Week 2 assignment! Fortunately, I have previous experience as this is one of sites I use with my students for our composition projection. The other is Flat. I love both since they are cloud based and can be easily used on student chrome-books, but I think Noteflight is a little easier to follow and use.
