ChorTeach Preview: Creative Music Making with Technology in the Choral Classroom

ChorTeach is ACDA’s quarterly online publication, designed for those who work with singers of all levels but specifically K-12 and community choirs. A full annotated ChorTeach index is available online at acda.org/publications/chorteach. Over 160 articles are organized into seventeen categories. For more information, email  or visit acda.org/chorteach. Following is an excerpt from an article in the Fall 2022 issue titled “Creative Music Making with Technology in the Choral Classroom” by David Haas and Seth Pendergast.
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Of the many technological innovations available to music teachers, Digital Audio Workstations (DAWs) represent one of the most powerful and flexible tools to support creativity and performance. Many readers are likely familiar with DAWs such as Garageband, Audacity, Soundtrap, or Logic Pro. These software applications enable users to record, edit, and mix multi-track recordings on computers, tablets, and phones. The increased availability and affordability of DAWs have opened space for many students and educators to exercise musical roles outside the domain of the typical performer or conductor. For example, during the pandemic, some choral directors used DAWs to create virtual choirs when in-person singing was impossible. Students themselves may use DAWs to arrange, record, and produce their own music.

In general, recent research suggests students and music teachers alike are interested in integrating creative musicmaking with DAWs into classroom instruction. Given the increased interest in these platforms, it may be important to explore how teachers might effectively integrate DAWs into the choral classroom. Of course, new technologies do not need to be integrated simply because they exist. Still, choral educators might consider if DAW-based creative projects represent an opportunity to extend or deepen student learning in their classroom. Therefore, the purpose of this article is two-fold: (1) examine how creative music making with DAWs might support learning in the choral classroom, and (2) explore several practical DAW-based project examples for the choral classroom.

First, we will explore general recommendations for finding and utilizing a DAW suited to the needs of your students. Second, we will present a few guiding principles for integrating DAWs into the choral classroom. Finally, we will share three practical project examples—including instructional videos—that may be useful to enhance your instruction.

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Read the full article in the Fall 2022 issue at acda.org/chorteach.