Creating Music
Creating Music
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Composition and improvisation are the two aspects that come to mind when I hear the phrase "musical creativity." However, some less frequently considered activities include creative listening and creative performance of others' music (Bauer, 2020). These four processes were explored at length during the Creative Thinking in Music course, yet I did not consider what role technology might play in developing musical creativity at the time. My perspective has shifted, however, as I have developed my Technological Pedagogical Content Knowledge (TPACK) throughout the Technology Assisted Music Learning course.
I have learned that technology can be a tool for creating music for students and performers at any skill level. Traditional composition can be completed in notation software programs like MuseScore and Noteflight, which are ideal options for the serious music student or professional. Digital Audio Workstations (DAW) provide an option for those who have an ear for music, so to speak, but who may not have the theoretical training to compose with notation. There are a wide variety of these programs available, from GarageBand on Apple products to the cloud-based web program BandLab.
My WebQuest was designed around a theme of attending a fictitious Songwriter's Workshop, hosted by “Music Producers & Songwriters, LLC (MPS).” I was admittedly rather intimidated by the project, as I was unsure of how students could learn to create music using only resources gathered from the Internet. However, as I began to build my Raindrop.io Collection, which included perusing my classmates' collections for applicable resources, my anxiety morphed into excitement. Not only is the final task a composition activity using BandLab, but there are numerous mini-creative exercises using a wide array of apps along the way. Each fictitious session opens with a discovery-based learning activity related to the topic. For instance, they are brought to GroovePizza for the Percussion lesson, and Incredibox for the Harmony portion. Two of my favorite programs that I found during my WebQuest design phase were Sampulator, and Sample-Stitch, which address the creative process of performing others' music (Bauer, 2020). Another app I enjoyed was BeatMaker, where students can dissect the beats of others, create variations, or construct one of their own. These browser-based creative tools will offer students taking my WebQuest a way to practice the creative techniques that they will use in BandLab for their final project.
App for Learning Improvisation
App for Learning Improvisation
Developed by Christopher Azzara and Richard F. Grunow, as a companion to their book series by the same title (Azzara & Grunow, 2010).
Smart device applications such as the one pictured here are excellent tools for developing improvisational skills. I downloaded the Azzara & Grunow (2010) app to aid in the completion of my Creative Musicking Project during the Creative Thinking in Music course, and can honestly give it a 5 star review. I never imagined I would be able to improvise, especially not on my secondary instrument, the flute. Yet the "Seven Skills" guide the learner through many of the techniques mentioned in Bauer (2020), such as using imitation and building on simple phrases over an accompaniment.
The only drawback to the app is that all of the music was written on a treble staff in Bb Major. This was convenient for me as a flute player, but students may have a difficult time if they play a transposing instrument or one in bass clef. Also, there are only two songs worth of material on the app, so any further study would require purchasing the book. However, for only $5, this one app can enable a performer with the tools necessary to engage in improvisational music activities.
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