Recording, Mixing, and Composing with Elementary Students NAfME Nashville 2014
Learn how to use technology tools to teach and incorporate recording, composing, and mixing music with elementary students. Many tools exist for students at all levels to make music and create professional quality recordings while learning the building blocks of music and getting excited about composing.
Catherine Dwinal
Elementary music technology blogger and online personality, National clinician, Former teacher, Quaver Music team member
www.celticnovelist.com
www.cdwinal.com
Websites:
Noteflight- $49 yr/ $195 for site license through Music First (www.noteflight.com) Online cloud based music notation software.
Audacity- Free (http://audacity.sourceforge.net/download/ ) Downloadable audio editing software.
Mixcraft - $74.95(http://www.acoustica.com/mixcraft/download.htm ) a powerful music production and multi-track recording workstation that comes packed with thousands of music loops and dozens of audio effects and virtual instruments.
GarageBand- Free (http://www.apple.com/mac/garageband/ ) A full- featured recording studio. Record vocals and instruments and place professional recorded loops.
Vocaroo- Free (http://vocaroo.com ) Free online recorder that allows you to share recordings after.
Soundcloud- Free (https://soundcloud.com ) An audio platform that enables sound creators to upload, record, promote and share their originally-created sounds.
Soundation- $199.00 (http://www.musicfirst.com/soundation-4-education ) A cloud based, online music studio with recording effects, virtual instruments and over 700 free loops and sounds.
Incredibox- Free (http://www.incredibox.com ) Online beat boxing generator.
Isle of Tune- Free (www.isleoftune.com) Build neighborhoods and create music.
Button Beats- Free (www.buttonbeats.com) A collection of virtual instruments and mixers to get the dance party started.
Quaver Music- Free (www.quavermusic.com ) A world all its own. Create, listen, discover, and learn about music in a vibrant and energized new way
Apps:
o Garageband- $4.99 https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/garageband/id408709785?mt=8 GarageBand turns your iPad, iPhone, and iPod touch into a collection of touch instruments and a full-featured recording studio — so you can make music anywhere you go.
o Vocalive- Free https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/vocalive-free/id419846636?mt=8 VocaLive gives you the ability to record vocals or other instruments (single or multitrack) with effects and a master section, sing along with your favorite iTunes song library and warm up your voice with the included Vocal Tools
o Irig Recorder- $4.99 http://www.ikmultimedia.com/products/irigrecorder/ A powerful audio recording app for your iOS device. It is the perfect companion to iRig Mic. Take iRig Mic and iRig Recorder anywhere to capture podcasts, interviews, concerts… any sound out in the field or at home
o Beatwave- $.99 https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/beatwave/id363718254?mt=8 Beatwave offers a comprehensive range of instrument samples, and endless ways to mix and match them, all wrapped in a stunning visual interface that gives even the most tone deaf would-be Dj the ability to visually create perfectly in sync hit tunes.
o Moozart- $1.99 https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/moozart/id405194870?mt=8 This barnyard-themed music creator features sounds from a cute collection of barnyard animals and typical barnyard objects. Children and even fun- loving adults can easily and quickly create and save their own songs by dragging familiar, colorful animal icons and placing them on a musical staff. Making real music has never been so fun or so simple! o Soundbrush- $2.99 https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/soundbrush/id509970041?mt=8 Draw a line or a shape to create sound, and let SoundBrush turn it into music. With multiple instruments at your fingertips, you can create a dynamic and textured song. o Pocket Wavepad- Free https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/pocket/wavepad/id395339564?mt=8 A free sound editor for recording, editing, adding effects, and sending audio, Pocket WavePad allows you to record voice or music, then edit the recording and add effects to achieve high quality audio recordings.
APS Music Master Pro - $7.99(https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/a.p.s.- musicmaster-pro/id441595661?mt=8 ) All-in-one musicians tool. Record, tune, time pieces, annotate scores and much more.
Singing Fingers- Free (https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/singing-fingers- hd/id424724387?mt=8 ) Finger painting on the iPad. The trick with finger painting on this app is that it records everything you say. Having kids singing a song or solfege while painting and then retracing what they sang and painted lets them listen to their music making creating fun!
Toca Boca Band- $2.99 (https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/toca- band/id521640648?mt=8) Drag wacky little characters into different circles and create a jam session. Users can also select one to solo as the rest of the ensemble plays on!
Ms. Dwinal’s Recording Room Rules!
1.) Be Safe- Do not touch anything other than the recording equipment and your things, stay off the shelves and keep off of the boxes on the floor.
2.) Be prepared- Rock stars are ready to record before they head into the studio, have your song written and practiced before you record!
3.) Be Respectful- No one likes a Diva, work together if you're with a partner, and be respectful of the equipment, yourselves, and each other.
Sign out Sheet 1 2 3 4
Name
Class
Song Title
Time to Record (not during class)
Need a CD?
Can I use?
Recording Rap Project
Name: ______
Step 1: Write your name on the top of the paper.
Step 2: Pick the instrument or instruments you are going to play with your rap rhythms and write it down below:
______
______
Step 3: Using the worksheet in this packet write your rhythms in the boxes using dots for the notes and blank boxes for rests. Use the whole worksheet for your rhythms. In one box No dots= one quarter rest One dot= one quarter note Two dots= Eighth notes Four dots= Sixteenth notes
Step 4: Write a silly rap song in the blanks above each box on the worksheet you were using in step 3. Remember only one syllable per box (example: El-e-phant-soup takes up 4 boxes)
Step 5: Practice you creation!
Step 6: Log into Quavermusic.com (Only one of you needs to log in if you are in a group). Using the sweet rap loops in QGrooves in the studio. Make a backbeat to go along with your rap and practice with the music.
Step 7: Check in with me!
Step 8: Sign out for a recording space, go back and practice until a space opens up. When you go to the recording space bring your instruments and QGrooves song. Start your QGrooves piece then press record on the computer and perform your song. Remember to press stop as soon as you are done your song.
Step 9: Return to me so I can help you save your song and the next person can use the recording space. Now take your dot rhythms you wrote on your worksheet and turn them into actual notes and rests in QComposer! Remember to use the key that was written for you in Step 3.