I could see the Chrome Music Lab working well in middle years classrooms. I believe this was a design decision, as most of the tools (except the Song Maker) follow this format. Another critique of Chrome Music Lab more broadly is that most of the tools demonstrate a very specific audio point, but don’t transfer well into music creation. With only one instrument and one line of percussion, the opportunity for more complex musical experimentation is lacking. One drawback of the Song Maker is it’s limitations in the number of different tracks. It also has a voice recording option, where users can sing their melody into the program via a computer’s microphone. It can also save in MIDI format, which allows the user to transfer their work into other Digital Audio Workstations, where other effects and edits can added. There aren’t a lot of bells and whistles in this program, which is a positive, as sometimes extra features just cause extra confusion, yet it still has enough options to keep the user engaged long enough to create an artefact. I really like the simple layout of the Song Maker, and could see it being utilized in Arts Education, Science, and Numeracy. As mentioned before, a user is able to save or embed their creations with ease. The user can also change the tempo, key, and length in settings. There are 5 different piano sounds, and 4 different percussive sounds to choose from. The Song Maker tool provides a 16 beat loop that includes a piano roll, so users can create their own melodies as well as a percussive track. Screenshot of Song Maker by Chrome Music Lab It also allows users to easily share ideas with multiple export/download options, including embeddable links, and provides a wide range of uses. Sound Waves, which is a visualizer that accompanies the user’s note inputs), but there is also a Song Maker, that allows users to create, save, and share a 16 beat audio loop. Some of the experiments are more theoretical in nature (i.e. The shared work can continue to be added upon by other users, allowing for a fun, collaborative experience.I decided to look at Chro me Music Lab, which is a collection of 14 open-source sound experiments that can be manipulated by the user, and is available on any device that can open the Google Chrome web browser. This is a useful feature for teaching, as compositions can be shared with the teacher or with other students. Once the student is done creating their work there is an option to save it, which generates a link that can be copied or shared directly to social media. It is customizable and allows the user to choose the instrument, what pitch the chart starts on, what type of scale it is using, and how many beats there are per bar. The most recently developed experiment is called Song Maker, which allows the user to compose their own piece. It is not a game, but rather a fun way to experiment with and discover the elements of music. The focus is on visualizing sound and understanding the basics of music production. In many of the experiments the user can sing into the microphone which will record the pitch and then notate it using blocks in the appropriate space. The program uses blocks and colors to represent different pitches and direction. The program breaks down barriers in music learning as access to an instrument is unnecessary and no prior knowledge of music or note reading is required to start creating. Currently, there are 13 “experiments,” from ones that allow you to create different rhythms, write your own melodies, learn chords, or draw a picture that will then be transformed into sound. No login is required, and it is very easy and intuitive to use. All one needs is access to the internet and they can search the program on any web browser. This program makes music learning easy and readily available to students, breaking down barriers that often exist in music learning due to lack of resources.Ĭhrome Music Lab can be accessed on any device, from computers, to tablets or phones, and on Apple or Android devices. It was built using freely accessible web technology, meaning the code is available to the public and can continue to be edited and further developed. Chrome Music Lab is one of these programs, piloted in 2016, and it is continuing to evolve and develop through its open source platform. With Google Creative Lab making its mark in the online, educational market, many new programs have emerged focusing on the creative sector.
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