How do students learn to play a musical instrument through a computer screen? It can certainly be a challenge, but with a little flexibility and some modern technology, anything is possible. These are some of the technologies and techniques that middle school band students have been using this school year.
It didn’t take long to figure out that playing instruments as a group through the internet would present a challenge. Thankfully there were other options. Some research has shown that mental practicing or “visualizing” can be very beneficial for improving or maintaining many types of skills, including music and sports. While many students can’t play their instruments from home over video, they can still practice visualizing and singing their notes and rhythms.
Over video, the students practice clapping and verbalizing rhythms, mimicking the techniques used to play their instruments. Students also practice the note finger patterns of their respective instrument, using an “air instrument” in place of the real instrument, not unlike playing the infamous “air guitar.” It may sound silly, but the physical act of moving the fingers in the same patterns as they would on their instrument helps students remember and reinforce many of the same skills and muscle memory as when playing an actual instrument. Practicing the finger patterns along with verbalizing the rhythms and notes together over video helps students retain these skills for when they can play together in person. These practice techniques don’t just have to be used for virtual learning but are great for any student who is learning or practicing on their own.
Sight Reading Factory is a website that middle school band students began using in the fall. The website generates virtually endless music examples for students to practice the reading of rhythms and notes on their respective instruments. This resource has become valuable for virtual learning as well as in the physical classroom with instruments. The more students practice reading notes and rhythms in different contexts, the better they become at reading and playing music over time.
Of course, playing in band is more than just about playing notes and rhythms, but also knowing music vocabulary and understanding the many parts that make up music. Students have been using several common applications that are used by the district to learn and practice these musical ideas. Quizlet and Kahoot are both online applications that band students are using to practice their music vocabulary and symbols individually as well as with the whole class through group quizzes, games and challenges.
Lastly, one of the best ways to learn more about music is through listening. Students spent time during virtual learning listening to music and responding to it by answering questions. When learning to play a new piece of music for band, students first listen to the music several times through recordings found online. Next, they look at the sheet music and answer questions related to the vocabulary and symbols they previously learned to help them better understand the music. Then the students began practicing the rhythms and note finger patterns before physically playing the music together in class.
This school year has forced all of us to think of new ways to teach and learn. While some of this technology is new to learning music in band, much of it is the same idea, but rethought for modern learning.
