What's Real - performance technologies and technology for performance.

Music is a subject to teach that has its own form of notation.

Music can be so much better through sound or forms of notation.

How realistic is the kind of integration of technology? Here are 4 program softwares or visual metaphors that can be used as stepping stones to create compositions, and also as performance tools.

1. Drumbit

We opened up http://drumbit.pluraldev.com/ and experimented with creating easy 4/4 rhythms. Totally genre appropriate - use of 4/4 time.

I realised that you can thicken the texture of your created rhythm by adding another page (top right). You can even change the pitch and add effects such as panning and filter.

This is called a step sequencer - based on a drum machine.

James showed us an actual machine where:

• you have effects for each drum and you can control where specific parts of the rhythm come in and stop (e.g. clap).

Limitations:

• No time signature other than 4/4

2. O-Generator

We logged in on MusicFirst and experimented with creating rhythms on it.

Limitations:

• There is not much post-production stuff on the overall sound - like you can't edit the quality or effects to it.

• Not quite useful as a performance tool.

3. Ableton

• Used as a performance tool - creating a drum beat and playing with lead instruments by using a board.

• Use a lot of pre-made stuff and program them in without actually playing.

• Use of the automation as part of the performance - changing the sound of any particular sample or instrument.

4. Gadget

• Automation as part of performance again :)

Mini reflection on reading:

The DJ factor: Teaching Performance & Composition from Back to Front by Mike Challis in Burnard, P. & Finney, J. (2007). Music Education with Digital Technology. London: Continuum.

• Other genres could be accommodated.

• Students learn basic skills doing something they enjoy. Group work is significant to developing their abilities and confidence to share and interact with one another.

• "The process used in this project builds on the DJ practice of mixing different musical sources by allowing the students to create and mix their own sounds with commercial ones" (p. 66).

• You compose, perform and improvise almost at the same time.

• 2 steps - comparing b/w the start and end process of DJ-ing:

• Creating a beat

• Creating a song by mixing the beat with other tracks to go on top of it.

• Beat-building / songwriting process:

• A beat was made through creation of loop patterns.

• Songwriting process comes from the students actually expressing their identity. Evidence of chats, rapping, MC-ing are key motivators to have students achieve their potential and boost their self-esteem (p. 68).

• Beat building software kids used: Reason

• It is a virtual studio "that allows you to use drum machines, synthesizers, samplers and loop players in a virtual rack inside the computer" (p. 69).

• Based on a rack mount hardware

The Power of Music by Susan Palam (free PDF)