Performing Music with Technology
Performing Music with Technology
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Musical performance has a traditional connotation as being a live act, with a person playing an instrument of some type. My experience in Technology Assisted Music Learning indicates that this is not the standard anymore. Technology can enhance live performances through the addition of effects pedals, synthesizers, and amplifiers. Apps and software that are available to aid in practice sessions consist of tuners, metronomes, or even provide accompaniment tracks to get the 'live experience,' What I had not considered was that the performance itself could be performed electronically, and that a device could transform into an instrument. The following sections detail various means in which music can be performed electronically.
I recently assigned Incredibox to my students, to which one exclaimed, "I love this game!" While I may have agreed with her perception of the app prior to taking Technology Assisted Music Learning, I was tempted to correct her by saying it is an instrument for performance. I struggled to decide whether to place this link here or under the Creating section, since there is a compositional and improvisatory component to building the song. I ultimately decided that Incredibox fit best under performance, because using it felt more like putting on a rehearsed concert than anything improvisatory. I had to plan the song by pre-selecting the loops, find the idea combinations for ultimate effect, and practice the transitions and timing before being able to begin the recording. Much like a live performance, the finished product was not without error, but it effectively reflected the rehearsed performance that I had intended. Due to the process of rehearsal, the need for impeccable timing, and the cognitive tasks involved in producing the work, I feel Incredibox offers a quality performance experience for novice music students.
Bauer (2020) referred to two such common technological devices, that I had not even thought of them as "technology." Tuners and metronomes are essential tools that all musicians must possess, yet it is easy to take for granted the ease for which we can access them now. I grew up around the old clunky Dr. Beat that my band director used, and eventually bought myself a small Korg tuner for use at band camp. That device is now collecting dust, as the Soundcorset app on my phone or a search on Google for apps like the two seen here have taken precedence. These embeddable widgets can be added to a band website for students to quickly access from home when they practice. Though seemingly simple technology now, the invention of electronic tuner and metronome apps have revolutionized how musicians practice and perform.
The metronome app that is pictured above comes from a site called "The Online Metronome." In addition to a tuner and metronome, the site includes a musical dictionary, practice log templates, fingering charts, and drones to be used for accompaniment while practicing. Sites like this are excellent resources for music students, as it not only supplies all of the necessary tools to facilitate productive practicing, but provides a great amount of detail for how to use each tool effectively. The metronome page, for example, includes a description of tempo, rhythms, meters, and tips on how to use the metronome during practice sessions. This would be an incredibly valuable resource to provide to my students, and intend to embed the metronome and link to the site on a band website next year.
Mr. Habersat's & Mr. Kuhn's Use of Music Technology for Performance
Mr. Habersat's & Mr. Kuhn's Use of Music Technology for Performance
Beat+Map+Examples.pdf
Music technology courses were not something I would have considered as being performance based prior to hearing Mr. Habersat and Mr. Kuhn discuss their programs. The components to each are quite a bit different, yet they are both uniquely rooted in performing music. Mr. Habersat's students practice the rhythmic element through beat creations, as seen in the beat map from The Shed, while Mr. Kuhn's students work more with the tonal layers of sound with the Ableton Push 2 device. The students that take either of these classes are not the typical music student, and are commonly referred to as 'the other 80% (Williams, 2009),' because they do not participate in ensemble classes. Participating in these classes means that these students will have engaged in the creative and performing processes of music, when they otherwise would not have. I believe that music technology courses are therefore a valuable asset to any music department that wishes to reach more than 20% of their student population.
For more on how to use creative technology in performance, please refer to my blog post, "Vini, MIDI, Vici."
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