How can we teach students the fundamentals of digital music production?

Students are introduced to several Digital Audio Workstations (DAW) in this unit. Students are encouraged to use cross platform methods, so that they can become familiar with a variety of workflows. Free programs or “freemium” options like soundationstudio.org are used, so that students can share and collaborate without expensive devices like iPads. However, students also learn how to program and record basic 4 track recording in garageband as well. 

Students have agency in creating and not just consuming digital loops. Students record acoustic and electric instruments to create digital loops that are used to create multitrack recordings in the Roli Noise application and that generated with Light Block M and Seaboard MIDI devices. 

Students understand that computer code can be manipulated by external MIDI peripherals and change parameters within an application or software. Students also begin working within professional-level software DAWs like Traktor Scratch Pro. With the classroom DJ cart, students are given an opportunity to make and record digital dj mixes, and learn to use key lock, beat sync, filters, delay, echo, song management, genre management, and other basic DJ mixing skills. These skills are taught by using MIDI DJ controllers as an example of an input device to control software.