Principles of Music Technology – MUSC 630

Course Description

Students study materials and techniques for teaching beginning and intermediate music students of various ages in class and private lesson settings. Students also explore issues relevant to the advanced performer, such as handling of performance anxiety, physical and psychological well-being, and concerns related to advanced technique. Includes a segment on technological tools. Special attention is given to teaching group lessons at the college level. Provides practical experience under faculty supervision.

Rationale

Music technology presents tremendous opportunities for worship leaders around the globe to capture worship in both live and recording situations. This course will equip worship leadership to produce notated versions of the music they create, arrange, and record, enabling them to train their teams to disseminate the music both locally and globally. Students will learn Finale, which is currently a music industry standard for engraving and skill development for musicians, and is crucial for creating readable and easily manipulated charts for all aspects of worship, including praise band, singers, choir, and orchestra.

Course Assignment

Textbook readings and lecture presentations/tutorials

Course Requirements Checklist

After reading the Syllabus and Student Expectations, the student will complete the related checklist found in the Course Overview.

Discussions (2)

Discussions are collaborative learning experiences. Therefore, the student is required to provide a thread in response to the provided prompt. Each thread must be at least 300 words and demonstrate course-related knowledge. In addition to the thread, the student is required to reply to 2 other classmates’ threads. Each reply must be a minimum of 100 words. 

Presentation Assignments (3)

The student will review the Watch: Presentations as guides for completing his/her Presentation Assignments, whether in Finale or Ableton format. Each video presentation will outline the step-by-step process for that corresponding assignment.

Project Assignments (7)

The student will submit 7 projects that will be completed after the specified presentations are completed: 2 Lead Sheets Assignments, 2 Ensemble Arrangement Assignments, a Creating Clips Assignment, a Music Lab Design Assignment, and a Stem Arrangement Assignment. Each project must be completed in its suggested format.

The student will write a 350-word paper explaining the basic functions of one Digital Audio Workstation (DAW) software and one Notation Software choice. The student will also be required to give an example of a classroom Music Lesson that could utilize both DAW and Notation Software.

The student will research a number of Interactive websites. The student will write a 350-word paper on his/her findings on 2 of the websites.

Using a provided list for reference, the student will research technologies to integrate into a music education classroom. The student will search on one of the provided music stores and compile a list of exact technologies that he/she believes will provide value to his/her music education classroom. 

The student will explore multiple learning management systems and select the one that they believe would provide the most value to himself/herself as an educator. The student will write an informal, 250-word paper detailing the features of the selected system and the reasons they believe the system would would be of value in measuring student progress.

Using the knowledge of classroom technology needs gained in the course, the student will use a template to prepare a budget for technology for a music education classroom. The student will use a template and will incorporate a general list provided, as well as a list of their own creation from a previous course assignment, to create the budget. 

The student will complete a two-part assignment, focusing on how he/she will remain relevant in the topic of Music Technology. The student will use a certain technology to diagram, detailing his/her plan to remaining relevant in the field. The student will also write an informal, 300-page paper detailing how the music technology that has been covered can be incorporated into his/her current classroom setting.