Music Technology for Beginners
Also known as “Music Tech For The Terrified”!
About this Course
Beginners only! Discover easy ways to get started with technology in the music classroom. This gentle introduction will cover the things you always wanted to know but were too afraid to ask.
We’ll look at simple ideas you can use straight away, how to incorporate technology without re-writing your curriculum and which software and hardware to choose when setting up a basic music technology “kit”.
Course Format
This course is available when you join the Midnight Music Community. Membership to the Midnight Music Community gives you access to this course, and 11 other online courses, plus lesson plans, help and advice.
Course Outline
Music Technology For Beginners will cover a range of skills, including the following:
- simple tips to make using technology easier
- what to do when things go wrong
- places to get help
- how to connect with other music educators using technology: share ideas and frustrations
- some general rules for technology use
Then – on to the fun bit! We’ll look at a range of easy-to-use (and free) games and interactive websites you can start using straight away:
- free games that make note reading fun
- quick beginner compositions tasks using interactive tools
- easy arranging and remixing projects
- interesting ways to present listening activities
- how to make activities meaningful and get beyond “novelty” status
- Participant Q&A
- Which items should make up a basic music technology kit? What do I really need?
- Which items are optional extras?
- What about iPads and interactive whiteboards?
- What do I need to do some basic recording of students?
- How do I display my laptop or iPad using a data projector?
- Which software programs should I use at primary, middle school and senior school?
- What are some of the music technology projects I can do with my students?
- Participant Q&A
- Make your own simple music games to reinforce concepts
- Create interactive music literacy activities
- Discover places to find free images
- Make reusable listening activities that illustrate form and include composer and historical information
- Learn how you can have ready access to audio files and website links
- Create bright, colourful units of work: Peter and the Wolf, Carnival of the Animals, The 12-Bar Blues, Instruments of the Orchestra or anything else you currently teach
- Participant Q&A
- Brief introduction to using notation software
- Ideas for using notation software with students
- How to set up a score from scratch
- How to enter notes, copy music and share files
Getting started with audio editing:
- Learn a few essential audio editing skills
- Remove vocals from recordings
- Change the tempo and pitch of a recording
- Create fade-ins and fade-outs
- Participant Q&A
*Midnight Music reserves the right to alter course content when necessary.