A controversial tagline to draw you in, but hold that rant until the end of this post.
While I'm sure our project will take many forms over the next five weeks, the best way to summarise our intention is by recapping Fynn's initial lift pitch that sparked this entire project:
"Who here is sick of xylophones? [...] What I plan to do is reprogram GuitarHero guitars to act as MIDI controllers and hook them up to a DAW to replace Orff instruments." (Not verbatim, but you get the gist).
While this is an overstatement of the widespread use of Orff instruments in the music classroom for dramatic effect, the sentiment raises valid points.
First, the relevance of Orff instruments in children's and adolescents' musical worlds. As music educators, connecting to the musical worlds that our students are surrounded by and choose to engage in is the key to connecting with our students. Of course, that doesn't mean that we shouldn't expose students to different music or encourage them to broaden their horizons, but it would make sense that the primary means by which students create and engage with music are flexible enough to facilitate students' engagement with their own musical worlds and expose them to new ones.
That isn't to say that the Orff approach and Orff instruments haven't resulted in major positive impacts for music education - it has. In fact, its principles of experiential learning and the inclusion of all students through differentiation are important aspects in music education and remain central to our project. However, the development of technology has provided music education with opportunity to develop the ways in which students engage with music (both through performance and composition).
With this in mind, it is important to look at the developments already made in this area (to not repeat other people's ideas and to grow on their hard work!). Two particular technologies that are relevant (and have influenced this project so far) include ROLI Blocks and Little Bits.
ROLI Blocks is an incredible development of technology that addresses (intentionally or not) the concerns outlined above. Watch this video for a quick demonstration:
The flexibility and accessibility gives ROLI Blocks exciting potential for music classrooms.
Pros: The ability to explore the sounds of both electronic and acoustic instruments, as well as the potential to add various kinds of blocks, provides the flexibility needed to explore different musical genres and worlds. The ease in operating the instruments at a bass level, combined with the ability to add multiple levels of complexity (in the way that they are performed and in the number and types of blocks added) allow for all students to engage in performance, improvisation and composition at various levels (differentiation pretty much built into the instrument).
Cons: The cost of the instruments does not make these accessible to quite a few schools.
The Little Bits Synth Kit is a fun way to explore the manipulation of sound through technology.
Pros: The pros for the Little Bits Synth Kit are akin to ROLI Blocks. The flexibility of the kit (being able to add and remove parts) and ease of use at a bass level allows for immediate differentiation and inclusion/engagement of all students. Promotes exploration, curiosity and creativity of students, allowing them to piece together parts at their own pace and work out the capabilities of the instrument and the construction of the instrument individually.
Cons: Not as flexible as ROLI Blocks in terms of sound library and playability (perhaps making it more limiting in a classroom context, particularly for long-term use/programs). Again, the price means that it is not accessible for all schools.
To narrow our focus with the project, we decided apply these ideas to two specific problems (spawning from the experience of one of our group members on prac).
The Problem:
Integrating technology in an accessible, engaging, flexible way in under-funded and under-resourced schools.
The Solution:
Warning: includes many music education buzzwords.
Project Based Learning, the Maker Movement, Technology Integration.
To combat the main issue, lack of funding, we propose a long-term cross-curricular project with STEM. While this means we have access to the STEM budget (usually much larger than the music budget), we have made a conscious effort to find the most economic options so that all schools can find this project accessible.
The project (in its current version) involves two long-term phases.
Phase One: a term-long project (that engages with the philosophies of the Maker Movement) in the mandatory Technology subject to be carried out at the beginning of year seven (specific links to the TAS curriculum coming soon). Students will be given various materials (many Arduino modules/components, wires, tubing etc.) to design and build their own 'electronic instrument' (actually a MIDI controller, similar to ROLI Blocks). Students will be given parameters to work within, but are also encouraged to be creative and pragmatic with their design.
Parameters relate to the circuit of the instrument to ensure that it will function properly as a MIDI controller. These circuit must include:
- Power source (rechargeable battery)
- Arduino Nano
- Input to indicate duration, pitch, dynamics (e.g. pressure sensors, buttons, sliders)
- Extension: Wind sensor as an extra input to determine duration and dynamics
- Bluetooth module
After designing and building the circuit, students then program the Arduino Nano to be able to act as MIDI controller (instructions given in a way that allows students to understand the process, but does not require prior knowledge/experience with programming) .
Meanwhile, it is suggested that students complete a unit based on recycling in the mandatory music class - using recycled materials, available technology and singing, students explore the concept of recycling in music, experiencing concepts such as looping, sampling, and midi-notation, as well as traditional structures used to manipulate ideas such as canon, phase shifting, augmentation/diminution/retrograde. Unit to be provided as a suggestion (based on a unit I designed last semester).
Phase Two: After a term of experiential learning in music, students connect their MIDI controllers to a DAW on their laptops/school computers (depending on accessibility, Ableton Live FL Studio, Logic). Students use these as their 'electronic instruments' to complete the mandatory year seven course. More details to come on ideas for programs that incorporate the instruments, but currently the idea is to include a few lessons using their instruments as a class to give students a level of confidence and independence on performing and composing on their instruments (e.g. cement the idea of pitch and how it relates to their instruments, notating that in MIDI notation, exploring the capabilities of a MIDI controller - different sound libraries, sampling etc). Then, students will embark on the second long-term project: composing a piece in groups to perform at a final public performance.
After discussing this solution, we realised it could be applied to another problem.
Problem #2:
Providing affordable, engaging, relevant and accessible music education in primary schools (at least, to those who are underfunded and/or do not have a specialist music teacher).
Solution:
Creating a simplified version of the maker-movement-inspired Phase One of the high school project to allow students access to an affordable electronic instrument that provides the flexibility for relevant and engaging music education.
So far (this plan is in an earlier stage of development than the high school version), the plan includes to create a Little Bits inspired kit, where students can connect components to create their own electronic instrument. Core components include:
- Power source/battery (rechargeable battery)
- Arduino Nano
- Input to indicate pitch (pressure sensors, buttons)
- Wind sensor as input to indicate duration and dynamics
The code will be given to students in a iBook (and PDF, for convenience), to allow the simple action of copy-paste, but will be presented in a way that is interactive and encourages student engagement and understanding of the way each section works together.
It is less likely that students will have access to individual devices to connect to a DAW, so the instrument will have to be self-sufficient. Two possible solutions for this include:
1. Programming the sound library into the Arduino (this is cost effective, however, limits the sound possibilities).
2. To replace the DAW, students download sounds to an SD card and program the sounds to be triggered by certain buttons/inputs. This option allows for more student creativity and flexibility - possibly opening up the exploration of sampling and looping.
Important considerations/differences to the high school project:
- We cannot assume a trained music teacher will be available, so supplementary resources will be made for generalist music teachers.
- The building of the kit as well as the program involving the electronic instruments will have to be simplified for a primary school level.
- Curriculum links in the primary school syllabus.
- Not sacrificing the maker-movement element in favour of simplicity.
Our aim for this project is to provide all the necessary resources for schools to be able to implement these programs (while we offer specific sequences and programs, we understand that each school is unique in their environment so we encourage teachers to adapt this to their context).
Fynn and I are in charge of the design and building of the prototypes.
Su and Rohan are tasked with the programming elements to the project.
Gillian (in collaboration with the rest of us) will design the units of work/supplementary resources/programs.
That's probably enough for now - suffice it to say that I've already learnt a lot and am really enjoying it!