UF MM

This week we focused on creating music, and the ways in which MIDI and digital audio fit into this process. The readings out of “Music Learning Today,” gave us basic information about analog and digital audio recordings as well as a deeper understanding into how to best facilitate the learning of composition and improvisation. We explored these ideas by learning how to use the DAW, or Digital Audio Workstation, Soundtrap , and composing an original song which combined loops, MIDI and digital audio. The fact that 80% of students do not participate in secondary music education is a crisis for music educators. Music education has not remained as relevant as it should. Since 1994, the National Music Standards have included composition and improvisation as a part of what students should be understanding about music (Bauer, 2014). Within the traditional choral, band or orchestra classroom, these skills have not typically been included because of the push for performance-based c...

“Creativity takes place over time, and most of the creativity occurs while doing the work” (Sawyer, 2012). Creativity is a process, not simply a stroke of genius. There are many different models outlining the creative process. Sawyer (2012) listed eight stages to the process: Finding the problem, Acquiring the knowledge, Gathering related material, Incubating, Generating ideas, Combing ideas, Selecting the best ideas, and Externalizing the ideas. Creativity is at the top of Bloom’s taxonomy of cognitive complexity. So many pieces need to be in place within the domain of music before the creativity associated with improvisation and composition can be developed. That is not to say that teachers and students can not work on skills associated with improvisation and composition, but the ultimate goal of Kratus’s model may not be achieved during the school years. The final level on the model is Personal Improvisation and involves a musician developing their own unique form of improvisatio...

This week we were tasked with exploring two different music notation programs. The first was MuseScore and the second, Noteflight. This was my first experience with both programs and I enjoyed working thought the assignments while thinking about the possible applications for them in my classroom.  Noteflight is a free, online notation system. It is accessible on any web browser and offers an easy pallet design for notating and editing your score. With limited notation software experience, I was able to easily begin notating my arrangement after watching two short videos about the program. I think students would catch on very quickly to the format of Noteflight as well. There are some limitations to this program, mostly related to more advanced composing. If you are looking for a program to save multiple scores and want the flexibility to add instruments or want to do mixing, then you might consider another program. It also does require internet access, which is an issue for...

This week we focused on understanding the important role technology plays in society, education and music education. We spent time establishing a Personal Learning Network (PLN) as well as reading and learning about how technology is used in our world, and creating a composition on the website Incredibox. I began this week by reestablishing an old twitter account, creating a new blog, learning how to use an online workstation called Padlet, and experimenting with the website www.incredibox.com . I have to admit it was a bit overwhelming in the beginning. I have pulled away from social media in the past few years because I felt it took too much time, so this stretched me to return to these platforms. As the week progressed, I came to appreciate the twitter account and found many fascinating articles and videos to watch that other music educators had recommended. I found methods to filter out material that was most useful for my own learning while passing by unrelated material. I ...