There is a part of me that struggles with the way that these children are making music by playing Pachelbel’s canon as an iPad ensemble. It almost seems to trivialise the efforts of other children who may have spent hundreds of hours practising their real instruments to be able to perform a piece of any complexity. It does not feel authentic.
Yet, there is another part of me that sees the absolute focus and engagement of the children as they participate in this music-making experience. Knowledge of instruments, pitch and rhythm is still required, along with ensemble skills, as they need to be able to maintain their part while listening to the parts around them. Each person has a role to play; they are part of something bigger. They can learn to play instruments virtually that they may not have had the opportunity to learn in real life. This is a rewarding and satisfying musical experience for these children.
As a class, we formed our own iPad ensemble to perform Smells Like Teen Spirit by Nirvana, playing the virtual instruments on Garageband, as shown in the video above. Once I figured out the app and where to place my fingers on the guitar fretboard, it was relatively straightforward, though I did get bored playing my part as it was repetitive. I feel like, for me, this would have been more enjoyable on real instruments. However, this was a worthwhile learning experience, and I can see the value in this for classroom use, not as a complete replacement for playing on real instruments, but as an activity for skill building and collaborative work.
In the introduction to her book Teaching Music Through Composition: A Curriculum Using Technology (2013), Barbara Freedman claims that “participating in an ensemble using handheld devices has proven to be so valuable that I make it mandatory in my advanced classes”. She cites the benefits of learning ensemble skills, and the opportunities for creativity, improvisation, jamming with friends and collaborative composition. Andrew Brown, who developed a network jamming software for collaborative improvisation and performance, points to the motivational aspect of electronic technologies in his articleExperience design and interactive software in music education research (2012) .
The accessibility of this music making experience, allowing creative participation by all students at any level, with its pure focus on music making and without the constraints of having to read music notation or master the technical aspects of an instrument, justifies its inclusion in an educational setting. This is an opportunity for students to be fully engaged, to build confidence and competence, in an experiential, constructivist learning environment.