computer apps in music classroom

Musical composers use computer software apps such as garage band, Sibelius and Finale to compose music. But nowadays, through this app, everyone can be involved through class or individually. A music teacher finds it enjoyable for students to use technology such as computers for activities so that they can engage and interact with peers by working together to compose their music. These apps can increase the students understanding of the musical elements and enjoyment of the music making. For example, when I was in high school, I took music tech/theory, and most of the class we used computer apps such as Garage band and I was able to create my own music tracks by listening and combining sounds together. Through the class, I learned to compose music and had a better understanding of music elements. The best thing is, the work I created, I was able to share with friends and family.

            One thing for sure, composing on the computer was clearer than writing on a piece of paper. Since computer users are used to add and delete, in these apps, it is also possible to add and delete notation changes or other musical elements. It also seems that using technology grabs young students attention and encourages them to continue to learn academically. During my high school years, I took an understanding of music class and a music tech/theory class, in which one class use technology; such as computers and other class didn’t use technology. Through my experience, I found that the class without technology wasn’t interesting; however, when I was in music tech/theory class, I wanted to engage in the class because the usage of technology motivated me. Also in the school where I went to observe for a music methodology class, I saw that students were engaging more when they were able to use technology than when they are not using it. For example, I sat in a general music class, where the teacher used PowerPoint and projectors for the students to read and remember the lyrics of a song as they listened to the CD on iTunes on the teacher’s computer. It seems that by using technology such as computers in a music classroom, students are able to interact with peers because they can share their ideas and their musical creations with others.

            Using technology in classroom isn’t all that great because all the computers are capable of accessing Internet. Many students use the Internet during class which sometimes it distracts them from concentrating. Also, most schools don’t have enough computers for students to use because of budgets. I believe students should at least learn their basic music elements from books and paper, so that they have a more familiar sense and experience of how composing through paper feels and they can listen to the sounds of real instruments, rather than listen through computers.