Module 4 : Composition

This week was an eventful one for my education in music technology.  In the reading we discovered several ways that we can incorporate music technology into the classroom.  My personal preference for technology is that it needs to serve a purpose for my students, so one application is music composition.  There are many technologies that are out there for composing.  This week we learned how to use software that could be used to remix and remake pieces of music.  Audacity is a free program that can be utilized in many different ways, but I found it very intriguing to remix a well known song and make it uniquely my own.  The best part of this type of software is that it is free and can be used on almost any computer.

Another form of software that we looked at this week was that of notational software.  These types of programs are designed to actually notate music is a way that would be recognizable to other musicians.  My preference is FINALE, which is a very powerful program.  I use this to create melody and rhythm exercises for my students.  The basic program is fundamentally easy to use, but does require a little training to get started.  I have used this quite extensively in my classroom as a tool to help reinforce melody practice and recognition.  Symphony Pro is an iPad app that I have begun to use in a similar way, however, the best part of this program is that it is on the iPad and we can project the image on the screen.  Using this we can compose, collaborate and talk about music in real time.  I have used this for rhythm practice and composition quite a lot recently, and the students really get a kick out of it.

The drawback to all of this though is that technology can only be used if you can afford it, and you have the time and money to learn how to use it.  This can truly be the downside to all of this.  If we don't have the resources to get it into our classroom and to teach the educators how use it, then it may be all for naught.  It has been a blessing in my school as technology has been a priority, but I know that this not the same for all.

Some people in this class have posted about how technology may not be such a good thing, that it may someday eliminate the need for true classical music education.  I mean why would you need to learn how to write music on manuscript paper or how to orchestrate music if a computer can do it faster and more accurately.  This is a valid point.  And we must be careful to balance the old and the new so that we can have truly well rounded musicians and students who can have an appreciation for music well after they graduate.