Group items tagged

"This session will explore applications of video games inside and outside of the music classroom. We will explore various games, apps, and websites that allow students to engage with music through video games. Experience with video games is not required as the focus is on the unique musical affordances students can experience when engaging with music video games. Please feel free to bring an instrument, laptop, and/or tablet as we will be exploring a wide variety of uses of video games inside and outside of the music classroom."

"This session will explore potential projects that involve composing and performing music in the 8-bit aesthetic. We will also explore how the 8-bit aesthetic can be used to explore technology, music theory, and music history through composing and performing with 8-bit video games. Experience with video games is not required as the focus is on the unique musical affordances students can experience when composing and performing music to old school video games. Please feel free to bring a laptop with a way to write music notation as we will create and perform music to a live video game in the session. "

"This session will explore potential projects that involve creating music to modern video games. We will also explore how video games can be used to explore technology, music theory, music history, composing, and performing with modern video games. Experience with video games is not required as the focus is on the unique musical affordances students can experience when creating music to video games. Please feel free to bring an instrument as we will experience a mini project that requires everyone to musically contribute to a live video game in the session."

Websites like this one can be used to explore 8-bit music that was made on the Commodore 64. "The High Voltage SID Collection (HVSC) is a freeware hobby project which organises Commodore 64 music (also known as SID music) into an archive for both musicians and fans alike. The work on the collection is done completely in the Team and contributors' spare time and is proudly one of the largest and most accurate computer music collections known."

"The early technological constraints imposed on 8-bit composers can act as project criteria for composing and performing 8-bit music that interacts with live 8-bit video games. This two hour session will begin with an interaction with 8-bit media and then break out into groups to create short musical excerpts and sound effects for a live video game. After all of the groups share what they created, the session concludes with a discussion on musical problems, technological constraints impacting creativity, and future projects. "

Noteflight allows you to write music online and embed the music as play along files on your website/blog. The service is free to use and does not require software to create the files (unlike Scorch and SmartMusic).

"This interactive session begins with a brief experience of making vocal music to an 8-bit video game. I then demonstrate how to create live 8-bit music using Ableton Live and a Launchpad. The session concludes with session attendees coming up and creating live 8-bit music to a live video game performance."

"In the past couple decades, instrumental education has evolved relatively very little in comparison to technology. Understanding how to augment music education through technology is vital to the growth of our field. This presentation provides some suggestions for using technology in instrumental settings to expand possibilities for both performing and teaching."

This YouTube playlist could be used a source of inspiration for video game music projects. Watch some of the videos and think about what musical aspects students would engage in when working on a project like this.

Using the linked video as a sample project, you could do the following: Using media clips, students can create music that matches or alters the original intended meaning of the clips. This project could be an interdisciplinary project where some group members create the visuals while the others focus on the music (or completely co-constructed with ill-defined roles). The created visuals and audio could then be used by other groups to create the opposite (an original visual from a different group then becomes the source for creating a new audio track). The original audio/visual could then be compared with the new one.

This tracker (for windows) allows you to create chiptunes/8-bit music using software that mimics the original software used to write music on old gaming consoles. Although this might be difficult to work with, it could tie into STEM/STEAM projects.

"This session will explore various uses of technology to augment performing in ways that were previously unimaginable. The focal points of the session will revolve around exploring questions such as: How can technology be used to include all students? In what ways can technology be used to think deeper about performing music? Where is there a place for digital and hybrid musicianship in our programs? How can we find out how to use technology to augment musicianship? Experience with technology is not required; however, bringing a laptop, tablet, and/or smart phone will assist with the discussion and experience."

This YouTube playlist contains some videos I created on using technology in music education. I will continue to add more videos to this playlist in the future.

"Music education has scratched the surface of integrating technology into elementary ensembles. I provide explanations and demonstrations of the potential of using various technologies to improve students' performance inside and outside the classroom. "

"This session will explore how to find and share resources with other music educators using a variety of social media services and tools. The focal points of this session will involve exploring where to go to find resources, how to bring the resources to you, how to save the resources for future use, and how to share the resources with other music educators. Please feel free to bring a laptop, tablet, and/or smart phone as this session will focus on hands on experience with the various services and tools."

This YouTube playlist could be used as a source of inspiration for potential music technology projects to explore. The videos highlight a variety of digital and hybrid performances that require a wide range of musical and technical understanding.

A brief tutorial on how to use SoundCloud for collaboratively generated feedback/assessment in Music Education.

Joy Tunes is a music video game for recorder or for piano; however, any instrument can be used with a microphone and a computer to control the characters and play the various levels created. There is a free portion of the game with the option to buy more levels. Some of the levels can develop ear training while others levels develop reading notation.

"Students are highly motivated by video games as they can spend dozens of hours playing each week. What if educators could channel this motivation into composing by allowing students the opportunity to compose to old school video games? This presentation demonstrates a variety of 8-bit musical experiences that integrate technology, theory, history, composition, and performance with 8-bit video games."

I use Pinterest as a resource for inspiration on how to use music technology. Look for boards related to music education or specific pinners who post quality resources. Even better, become someone who contributes to the community to help it grow.