A TPACK Perspective on Intermediate Students Using Garage Band on iPads to Learn Music Composing

Andrew Cohen Technology and the Curriculum 5303G Instructor: Dr. Robin Kay

Outline
A. Introduction: What is this approach, and why is it needed? B. Overview of Garage Band C. Details of Instructional Program a. Setup b. Learning Sequence c. Assessment D. Analysis of this approach from a TPACK perspective a. Technological Knowledge b. Pedagogical Knowledge c. Content Knowledge E. Conclusion

A. Introduction
Music education involves creating, playing, listening, and responding. Ideally, these strands should be interwoven, aimed at helping students develop a well-rounded musicality so they are able to communicate by performing and composing, and appreciate what other musicians, past and present, are communicating through their music. Composing is often neglected at the elementary level, or taught as simple creative improvisation. Creativity is often encouraged in many music programs, but composing the careful, deliberate organizing and selection of musical ideas is seldom practiced or developed at much depth. Traditional approaches to learning to compose require students to master theoretical or technical skills before they can compose music. Music students can be discouraged from attempting to compose music because of this association with rigorous theoretical or technical knowledge. One way to get around this problem is for students to use Garage Band on iPads to learn composing techniques and compose music. Garage Band allows students to circumvent most technical and theoretical skills traditionally need to compose. It allows students to compose quickly and easily, and to experience success as composers early and often. It can be used to learn specific composing techniques and skills, thus allowing students to develop their skills as composers.

B. Overview of Garage Band

Garage Band is a multi-track recording and composing app. Music is input on tracks; each track initially holds the music for a separate instrument, although tracks can be merged to allow more music to be input (there is a limit of 10 tracks). The tracks play simultaneously, so a full band arrangement can be built up, instrument by instrument. Each track can be edited for volume and effects such as reverb.

There are five ways to input music: 1. Record live sound (including guitar, through an adaptor). 2. Play screen versions of real instruments (Figure 1), using prior knowledge of those instruments. 3. Play Smart Instruments. Smart Instruments need minimal skill to play; they use Chord and Autoplay options to generate complex sounds (Figure 2). 4. Insert loops (short sound clips designed to repeat) from within the app. 5. Import music stored on the iPad.

Figure 1. Smart Guitar with Notes option selected; the user plays notes like a real guitar.

Figure 2. Smart Guitar with Chords option selected; strumming patterns are generated by the user or by the app.

Sound phrases are represented visually as blocks on a matrix in the arranger window (Figure 3). The horizontal rows are tracks: each instrument has its own track. The vertical represents time; blocks of sound above and below each other are heard simultaneously. Blocks of sound can be moved, repeated (looped), deleted, split, trimmed, cut, copied and pasted.

Figure 3. Garage Band arranger window

C. Details of Program
a. Setup: Grade 7-8 students (ages 12-13) Students work with Garage Band on iPads, independently or in pairs. One-year or two-year program, depending on available class time; Grade 8 students repeating the program can work at greater depth, and extend knowledge by pursuing own interests, or by perfecting more advanced techniques (e.g., incorporating recorded found sounds into compositions) b. Learning sequence: 1. Initial exploration: students familiarize themselves with the app by creating a short piece of music with no limiting parameters. Students and teacher then share their understanding of the app so that everyone knows how to use key features of the app. 2. Structure: students listen to pieces (including examples created in Garage Band) and discuss the structure (form) of the music, collaboratively developing a catalogue of common structures and their characteristics (see Table 1).
Structure Pyramid structure Ternary structure Characteristics Begins simply, and gradually builds by adding instruments and parts, then decreases in intensity, often more quickly than the buildup, to finish with a simple sound, often the same as the first sound of the piece. Three parts: Part A, Part B, Part A. Part B contrasts with Part A (e.g., different key, or different melody). Part A can be repeated at the start, but is usually only heard once at the end. Part A can be modified slightly when it returns. Intro: usually instrumental Verse 1: introduces theme of the song (Pre-chorus): builds up to the chorus Chorus: highlight of the song; usually ends with the hook (song title) Verse 2: same tune as verse 1; different words develop songs story further (Pre-chorus) Chorus Bridge: contrasts with verse and chorus Chorus Possibly also includes instrumental solo, verse 3, and/or repeated choruses. Outro: may reference the intro

Pop song structure

Table 1. Example of student notes on structures (forms) and characteristics

Students then create a short piece using one of these forms. 3. Chord progressions (Harmony): Students analyze chord charts of songs (transposed into a common key to aid comparison) and note common chord progressions. They compare the chords used in these songs with the chords available in the same key on the Smart Instruments in Garage Band, leading to discussion about which chords are commonly used. They then create a short piece of music using one of the common chord progressions.

Figure 4. Eric Clapton's Wonderful Tonight

Figure 5. Smart Keyboard. Note that the chords available include all the chords from the Eric Clapton song.

4. Key and scales (Tonality): Students explore the question, Which notes sound good? They begin in Garage Band with given chord progressions, and use a standard keyboard or guitar to try to create a melody which goes with the chords. They then use the Scale feature in Garage Band, which limits the notes available to notes belonging to the key of the piece.

Figure 6. Piano without Scale feature selected

Figure 7. Piano with Scale feature selected

The teacher asks guiding questions, such as: Which note sounds good most of the time? (the tonic, or name note of the key); Which scale seems to match each chord progression best?; Flip between using and not using the Scale feature. Can you work out which notes are included or excluded? Can you work out why? Students discuss concepts of key and scale to arrive at a common understanding of key as a set of notes used almost exclusively throughout a piece. They then choose a key, and create a melody in that key to match a given chord progression.

5. Melody writing: Students analyze given melodies in print and aural form. Teacher asks guiding questions to direct students to consider: a) Intervals: lots of close intervals, few large ones, creating a smooth melody that is easy to sing. What intervals are used most often in this melody? b) Melodic shape: use of high notes as a climax, use of symmetrical melodic shapes, direction of a melodic shape (rising, falling). Which note is the most important in this melody? If you draw a straight line from the start of the melody to the most important note, which way does the line go up, down, or level? c) Use of repetition: repetition of melody, rhythm, and/or words to create patterns. Clap the rhythm of the melody. When does the rhythm repeat? Are there parts of the melody that have the same shape, but start on different notes? d) Development of melodic ideas: extension of ideas, inversion, retrograde, augmentation, diminution, fragments. How do these composers develop their first idea into a longer melody? Students compose melodies, using the above composing techniques.

Figure 8. Melody example showing mostly step intervals and repetition of ideas (e.g., bars 1 and 5)

6. Texture: through listening to musical examples and answering guiding questions, students explore issues of clutter and space, and consider different textures and their effect on the impact of a piece of music. Examples of textures include single instrument melody (unison or monophonic); melody with matching chords (homophonic); and more than one melody, working together (polyphonic). Students re-examine their previously composed pieces with texture in mind, and make revisions as necessary. 7. Style: students listen to examples of different musical styles, and discuss prompted by guiding questions instrumentation, rhythms, and melodic characteristics. Students create a piece in a style not yet attempted, using the style-based loops and Smart Instrument sounds in Garage Band. c. Assessment Tasks are formative, and are reviewed in teacher-student conferences. Detailed feedback is given to each student to help them develop their composing skills further. Students develop a portfolio of works, and use it to reflect on their learning and development as composers. Students are encouraged to share their works as they feel they are ready to be heard by others in the class, through regularly scheduled Composers Workshops, at which students present a piece (or portion of a piece), and receive feedback from the class.

Students choose a summative task to present towards the end of the year. Summative tasks are linked to a real-life purpose, and are presented in a real-life context. Examples might include: Write a song for an organization that works to combat issues such as poverty, racism or pollution. Create a soundtrack for a video. Compose music for a computer game. Create a backing track for themselves to play or sing a solo to.

Compositions might be presented by playing them at an event for example, an assembly announcing a school project to raise funds to build a hospital in a developing country by posting them online, or by combining them with projects in other subject areas.

D. The TPACK Perspective

The TPACK approach to teaching and learning suggests that teachers need to consider three areas of knowledge: technical knowledge, pedagogical knowledge, and content knowledge.

Figure 9. The TPACK model

a. Technological Knowledge: Why is Garage Band on iPads the right technology for learning to compose? Garage Band allows students to compose meaningfully, enjoying the satisfaction for creating music they are proud of, without needing to learn a lot of music theory, and without having to master an instrument. The main traditional approach to teaching composing relies on notation, and is often removed from hearing the music being created. Students learn first how to notate music staffs, clefs, notes, rests, and more a process which can take years to master. They work with pencil and paper, and only hear what the music sounds like later. One modification of this model is to use notation software such as Finale, Encore or Sibelius, or Notion for iPad. Students hear the music they are making as they are making it, which is a vast improvement. These programs still rely on the students knowing how to notate music, however; without a firm foundation in notation skills, music written in programs like Finale tends to sound quite random, and students take a long Figure 10. Notion, a notation app for iPad time to progress to creating meaningful compositions. Another approach is to intertwine composing with learning an instrument. As students learn notes on their instrument, they are encouraged to compose or improvise short pieces using those notes. This approach encourages the development of listening skills, but is dependent on and limited by the students technical skill on the instrument. Garage Band circumvents these limitations, allowing students to make meaningful music without requiring extensive theoretical knowledge or technical skill. There are several ways the app does this: 1. Loops. Students can select loops from a bank within the app. This is most useful when considering the drums track of a song. Students choose a drum beat from a range of styles, and simply drag it into the arranging window. It automatically loops for as long as is needed. Drum fills can be added as well. A realistic, stylistically correct beat can be laid down in seconds, perfectly in time, perfectly balanced.
Figure 11. Loops menu

2. Smart Instruments. Smart Instruments feature an Autoplay function which generates four different patterns based on a chord. The student simply touches the chord symbol on the screen at the right time, and the app plays the instrument, filling in until the next chord is selected. All the student needs to know is what chords to play, and when to play them. No technical skill is required to make a great-sounding track.
Figure 12. Smart Guitar with Autoplay feature selected

3. Scale feature. Students can choose a scale major, minor, blues, etc. to work with when playing the instruments. The image of the instrument on the screen changes to show only the notes from that scale, with the tonic (the name note or starting note of the scale) highlighted. This allows students to create melodies from a selection of notes which will go well with the chords the student is using. The finesse of which notes sound good when is what is learned through experimentation and collaborative instruction. Through these features, Garage Band provides selected students with the opportunity to make good sounding music with minimal technical skill or theoretical knowledge.
Figure 13. Piano with Scale feature

Garage Band is available on Mac computers, as part of the iLife suite of programs. On the computer, it is more powerful and flexible tool than on the iPad. Both would be suitable tools for teaching composing. I recommend the iPad app over the computer program for its simplicity. While the computer program is more powerful, it is also more confusing, with many parameters and functions not needed by beginner composers. The app is streamlined and very easy to use. While some limitations of the app (such as the lack of woodwind and brass instruments) might be frustrating for more advanced students, most elementary students will work well within the apps parameters. The lack of choice and complexity will actually help students focus on more critical issues, such as structuring a piece or choosing a workable chord progression.

b. Pedagogical Knowledge: Does this approach consider how 21st Century students learn? Students learn best by doing, when they are engaged, and when they have some control over their learning. This approach is based upon learning theory, especially Experiential Learning and Student-Centered Learning, but also takes into consideration learning skills needed by 21st Century students, and some of the norms of this generation of students.
Experiential Learning Student-Centered Learning/Partnering Constructivism Learning Theories Students learn by doing, by trial and error, by reflecting and planning; the program aims to maximize time spent in hands-on activities. Students learn by exploring and by answering guiding questions. Teacher and students share knowledge (especially technological) as equals. Students build their knowledge and skills in a logical, scaffolded manner. One-one feedback from the teacher allows students to move at their own pace and work on areas of development specific to them. With teacher guidance, students are always working within their Zone of Proximal Development. Attention: current technology, interesting sounds, immediate response Relevance: contemporary sounds, use of contemporary examples Confidence: easy to succeed, clear objectives, scaffolding, feedback, learner control (choose own style of piece, within parameters) Satisfaction: students are happy with their final product, and can see the application of their knowledge in a real-life context. Students listen and analyze exemplars of composition techniques. Students share and learn from each other through Composers Workshops. Final project is in a real-life context. st 21 Century Skills Students are creating original work. Students use these skills during the creative process and to revise their work. Students use these skills to choose their final project. This program uses ICT throughout. Students use these skills throughout the creative process and especially when working on the final project. These skills are used throughout the program. NetGen Norms Students can collaborate with other students. The instructional format is designed to foster greater collaboration between students and the teacher than a traditional lecture format. Students give each other feedback in Composers Workshops. Students are working with sounds that they have chosen, creating a product they will find interesting. The entire process of creating should be highly engaging and emotionally satisfying. The technology used in this program gives students immediate results and feedback. This program uses current technology, and is ahead of the curve compared to students prior experiences.
st

ARCS

Social Learning Situated Learning Creativity and Innovation Critical Thinking & Problem Solving ICT Literacy Initiative and SelfDirection Productivity and Accountability Collaboration

Entertainment

Speed Innovation

Table 2. Applications of Learning Theory, 21 Century Learning Skills and NetGen Norms to this program

c. Content Knowledge: Does this approach cover content thoroughly, and how can Garage Band be used to learn specific content? As shown above, Garage Band can be used to guide student-centered exploration of content (both concepts and techniques) related to composing. Students can apply, try out and build their understanding with immediate feedback. Garage Band does have its limits on the iPad. For example, chords are limited to closelyrelated keys; there are no woodwind or brass instruments (except in the loops); and modulation to other keys is unwieldy. Advanced composition students will find these limitations frustrating. What Garage Band does do is allow novice composers the chance to experience the creative process in a meaningful way quickly and easily. As noted above, broadly speaking, there are two traditional approaches to teaching composition, one based on notation, and the other based on playing an instrument. Using Garage Band gets students to the point of learning and using composing techniques sooner than traditional approaches. Students spend more time doing composing, and less time learning skills or knowledge needed to compose compared to other approaches.
Notation-based Notation: Treble clef Notation: Notes and rests Bars and bar lines Time signatures Accuracy and neatness in writing music notation Write a short melody starting and ending on a C; make it smooth Intervals (steps, skips, leaps) Write a melody with lots of steps, some skips and few leaps Tonality (scales and keys): the concept of a home note (tonic), the leading note, the dominant note Write a melody in a certain key Use of repetition and development in a melody Write a melody which uses repetition of melodic and/or rhythmic ideas Harmony (chords): building and identifying chords (triads) Harmony (chords): write a melody to match a given harmony Structure (Form): binary (AB), ternary (ABA), rondo (ABACA) listening and analysis Structure: write a piece in one of the above forms Improvisation/Play-based Producing the first sounds on the instrument; correct posture; set up; instrument care First notes on the instrument Create a short tune using these first few notes Gradually extend range and length of pieces studied, developing greater fluency and control over tone. Technology-based: Garage Band Learning the app: instruments; smart instruments; loops; arranger window Create a short piece Structure (Form): pyramid structure, ternary, pop song listening and analysis Structure: create a piece using one of the structures above Chord Progressions (harmony): listening and analysis; exploration in Garage Band Chord Progressions: create a piece using a common chord progression Keyboard/guitar basics Keys and scales (tonality): explore using Scale feature Keys and scales: create a melody to fit a given chord progression in a certain key Melody-writing: listening and analysis Use notes from a certain scale to improvise a tune. Blues scale Improvise tunes using blues scale Triads (chords) Improvising over a chord progression Common riffs Melody-writing: create a melody Strings: tips and tricks Texture: listening and analysis; revise earlier compositions Texture: add a countermelody to an existing piece Style: listening and analysis Style: create a piece in a specific style Recording live sound: tips and tricks; incorporate a live recording into a composition

Scales

Improvise increasingly longer and more complex tunes.

Table 3. A comparison of approaches to teaching composition, focusing on the sequence of instruction. Shaded boxes are steps in which students are learning content or skills which are required to do composing but are not composing per se.

Conclusion
Composing is a central aspect of music education. Traditional methods require students to master theoretical knowledge or technical skills before they can engage in composing. Using Garage Band on a class set of iPads can circumvent these obstacles. This approach allows students to learn composition techniques in a hands-on manner, with a final project set in a real-life context. The immediate feedback students receive by hearing their creative choices literally played out directs the ongoing development of their composing skills, and helps them reflect meaningfully on the creative process. A student-centered or partnering approach to teaching and learning is used throughout. This approach is built upon consideration of technological knowledge (what technology enables learning), pedagogical knowledge (how students learn), and content knowledge (what they need to learn). With this approach, students have the opportunity to experience success as composers, develop their skills, and produce quality work. Above all, this approach is fun, innovative, and engaging.