Empowering Music Education with SoundCloud: Tools, Projects, and Community Engagement

1. Theorizing Sound “In the Cloud” Christian Carey, Rider University Presentation, MTSMA 2012 Conference University of Delaware

2. SoundCloud • SoundCloud homepage (www.soundcloud.com) • A free cloud computing application (premium membership subscriptions available with additional features) • Primarily used by musicians (some amateur, some professional), record labels, and record sellers to demo songs • Up to 120 minutes of sound recordings may be stored for free

3. Personal SoundCloud page

4. SoundCloud is easy to use • Users can upload sound files in a several formats: MP3, WAV, etc. • If one doesn’t have the tech ‘savvy’ to record using a software such as Audacity, there is an onsite recording function • Simply record directly to the site using a computer or phone’s built-in microphone

5. Record directly to SoundCloud

6. SoundCloud is Social • There is also a social media component to SoundCloud • Users can ‘follow’ other users • Post links to SoundCloud tracks to other social media platforms (Facebook, Twitter, Tumblr, even MySpace) or send them via email • On a blog or other website, embed a “widget” that contains a track or ‘set’ of tracks. Embed a drop box widget to receive sound files

7. Share via social media platforms

8. SoundCloud log in screen

9. Privacy features • Instructor login via email/password • Dedicated emails and pages for each of my classes that use SoundCloud • Tracks can be sent to individual class participants or entire groups via email or link can be posted to class blog, Blackboard, etc. • Assignments can be made public so that others may share them • Or, they can be kept as private class communications • Tracks can be stream only, embeddable, or downloadable

10. Project 1: Ear training • Post dictation assignments online (test form delivered via Dropbox, Blackboard, etc.) • Upload context listening assignments (played by instructor or other public domain material) • Students upload answer sheet to DropBox, Blackboard, etc. for assessment • For examples: Theory 1 – review intervals, triads; triad inversions • Theory 3 – Seventh chords; seventh chord inversions

11. Project 1: more assignments • Chord identification; chord resolutions • Chord progressions • One voice and two voice melodic dictation • Harmonize given outer voices of 4-part chorale • Harmonize a melody or bass line • Rhythmic dictation

12. Project 2: Sight singing • Students create their own SoundCloud page • Upload assigned melodies as “private tracks” • Send instructor link • Extra assessment tool in advance of lab meetings • Encourages students to become familiar with recording and cloud computing applications

13. Project 2: other applications • Keyboard harmony realizations • Rhythm drills • Original melodies composed by students • Solfège drills • Doesn’t replace lab meetings; provides extra ‘check up’ during week

14. Project 3: Listening assignments • Some pieces may not be available via NML, Alexander Database, etc. • Archival recordings that aren’t released • Recordings of original pieces created in class or performed by students and/or instructor • These can be uploaded as stream-only private tracks to observe fair use policies

15. Project 4 • Students upload compositions to personal website • These are based on topics being covered in class Examples: • Theory 1 – Create and upload an eight measure melody that implies a perfect authentic cadence. HW: harmonize in 4 voices • Theory 3 – Create a 16 measure melody that modulates from I-V.

16. Project 4 extensions • Compose a melody in a pop or MT style • Notate in lead sheet style (with chord changes) • Sing or play an improvisation over a given bass line or harmonic pattern • Ornament a given melody using non-chord tones discussed in class

17. Project goals • Further instruction & assessment of ear training & context listening • Provide listening assignments for theory homework • Encourage students to become comfortable with cloud computing, recording, & editing sound files • Can dovetail with music notation instruction and keyboard harmony • Foster creative activities such as composition and improvisation as integral components of theory and aural skills classroom

18. Composition majors • SoundCloud is also an ideal tool for composition majors. • Students can share ‘works in progress’ with teachers & peers. • Social media aspect encourages productivity and fosters listening to a wide range of repertoire.

19. Composers sharing tracks

20. The win/win factor • Students create their own SoundCloud page and are encouraged to upload original material • Reinforces “ownership” of one’s one music and its distribution: conversation about intellectual property • Useful tool for storing portfolio projects, audition tapes, archiving performances, etc.

21. Unexpected benefits • Several students have expressed to me that it has been helpful to have the SoundCloud assignments. They feel nervous for in person hearings and dictations. • A few students have started to share extracurricular songs they are writing. One now wants to add composition to their course of study.

22. Questions? • www.soundcloud.com/cbcarey • ccarey@rider.edu • Class pages (some content private; some public): • http://soundcloud.com/music110 • http://soundcloud.com/music210-1 • Blogs: www.sequenza21.com/carey, www.fileunder.tumblr.com