Adam Vaughn
Overview:
The advent of Web 2.0 has made the creation of just about anything quicker and easier, and so much the more for the creation and recording of music. This scenario will take the learner into a collaborative musical environment through Soundation, allowing the learner to create, produce, and publish musical compositions.
1. Target Audience - amateur musicians
2. Materials
a. Intel Macbook Pro w/Adobe Air 2.0
b. Soundation account
c. Headphones
d. Instrument of choice
e. Midi keyboard
f. External mic
g. mic/instrument cables
h. a musical notion or idea
3. Objectives
At the end of this scenario the learner will be able to:
a. Work collaboratively in a web 2.0 environment.
1. Determine a musical direction, select an original melody, set of beats, or existing song.
2. As a group cohesively explore instrumentation options for production
3. Practically apply skills common to producers, engineers, and recording artists
b. Create music using the Soundation DAW.
1. Record audio directly into Soundation
2. Import existing .wav file into Soundation for playback and editing
3. Understand linear editing in Soundation using copy, cut, paste, split,
and time stretching functions.
4. Add effects and a final mix in Soundation
c. Publish a final audio project.
1. Export completed audio track directly to Facebook.
2. Export .wav and .mp3 audio for publication, or further editing
4. Procedure
a. Setup a Soundation account
1. Create an account and give all participants user name and password access. This Rils requires at least the basic Soundation account to have access to all export and publishing functions.
b. Give a brief overview to learners on the basic functions of Soundation
1. Due to the complexities of digital audio and linear editing some
time should be spent going over the basic functions of Soundation,
especially where beginners are concerned. Exploring the basic
Soundation functions outlined in the objective should take 1-2 hours depending on the skill level of the group.
c. Develop a musical theme or topic
1. As a group discuss a musical topic or theme to base the Soundation
production on.
2. Once the theme has been selected explore the overall vision as a
group, to determine tempo, key and instrumentation.
3. Lastly come up with a production schedule for the project.
d. Collaborate and develop the theme in Soundation
1. With the skills explored in the overview, and
musical theme agreed upon learners may now implement the
production in Soundation.
e. Mix the completed project, and publish to the web.
5. Web 2.0 Tool Soundation allows for remote collaboration on musical compositions. All project information is stored online and allows any user/collaborator access to the project from any location. When a learner adds to the project, any one with access to the project can view, edit, or add to it as well.
6. Social Participation/Social Learning - This project consists of creating a collaborative musical composition. Learners will work together as producers, engineers, and recording artists to take an audio project from idea to production to publication.
7. Making Connections
a. Learners will integrate their existing levels of musical understanding with available web 2.0 technologies to create a valid product.
b. Instant access to quality recording software from anywhere provides artists with unique opportunities when engaging in the creative process.
Leaners will be better equipped to connect musical thoughts and ideas with the addition of this web 2.0 tool.
c. Finished projects will be published to the web, allowing access to family
friends, and the global community.
8. Create/Produce – Time can vary in audio production, depending on the level the learners involved, but the goal is to produce a final musical composition for publication to the web within the span of two weeks.
9. Assessment - Learners will have a basic yet functional understanding of how to work with a DAW, how to produce an audio track in a collaborative environment, and how to publish to the web.
Assessment | Outstanding | Acceptable | Sub-Standard |
Create | Collaborated and created a complex yet adaptable musical idea for implementation in Rils | Created a simple but functional musical idea for Rils implementation | Failed to create a useable musical idea |
Produce | Learners were able to record edit and mix in Soudation and also applied advanced features (samples, virtual instruments, and sequencers) | Learners succeeded in recording/editing/ mixing an audio production in Soundation | Failed at recording mixing and editing the audio project in Soundation |
Publish | Published more than one instance of the completed project to the web | Published the completed project to the web | Failed to publish to the web |
10. Reflection
Personal Reflection Interviews
After recording the Aimless Love Song by Mark Wicker in Soundation
Mark Wicker, singer/song writer, first multi-track recording experience
On Soundation - ”Great way to learn the process of recording for virtually no money. Great way to get a first time experience”
On collaborating with musicians using instrument/click tracks – “It forces me to blend my vocal performance with tracks previously recorded by musicians, as opposed to a live performance.”
On the creative process – “Its always good to hear a thing that you have been hearing in your head come out sounding professional.”
On working remotely – “I was able to work at my own pace, record multiple takes, and get the exact one I wanted without slowing the group down.”
On the publishing process – “When I went to demo the clip to my band, the song was easy to move to a flash drive, iTunes, or just email as an mp3, and now its on Facebook.”
Carlos Wolfe, percussionist, local jazz musician and band leader
On Soundation – “Considering that it is nearly free, it is comparable to standard recording software, and better in some ways than what is available for PC.”
On collaborating with musicians using instrument/click tracks - “The click track was great for capturing the raw concept, although it was rerecorded by the musicians in the end. A better product was made by using it.”
On the creative process – “Having no expectations always results in a better experience and a better product. Its nice to have ideas, but don’t set them in stone, make room for change and adaptation.”
On working remotely – “Most people today have very busy schedules, technology has made it easier to collaborate from anywhere, without taking from each others personal lives.”
On the publishing process – “Its is very convenient take and apply anywhere, and on a more involved project it will allow you to review anywhere, and make conceptual changes.”
Adam Vaughn, instructor, Nylon String Guitar
The Soundation Rils experience is a good one. I believe everyone involved benefited from it, as their comments show. Did it turn out the way I had planned, no. I took way too many aspects of the multi-track recording experience as a given, and the features of Soundation that really intrigued me got pushed aside in favor of educating and playing support for the learners. A prerecorded Soundation tutorial presented to learners before hand would have put the process in a much better place, as Soundations current tutorial content is limited. A failed monitor on a MacBook pro also cramped the context in which remote recording could be made possible. The simple fact is that Soundation is not a light weight web 2.0 tool, and though it functions spectacularly there is a learning curve for beginners, especially in the context of a two week process.
I imagine an entire class, or Lynda.com series, could be based around Soundation.
All in all though, it was a great experience.
All in all though, it was a great experience.
This is a great tool for those aspiring to be a musician. I do not have a musical bone in my body or the ability to hold a note. I found this web 2.0 pretty and interesting and from reading your RILS I feel like I might even have the ability to create a work of vocal art. This is also a great tool for music teachers!!
ReplyDeleteAs a lover of music, I found this tool to be quite intriguing. I think it would be exciting for students as it facilitates their ability to creatively develop a musical piece or song and listen to and share their finished product instantaneously. I don't recall having this type of experience in music class, but it would have been fun!
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