Vocal Improvisation and Digital Audio

                                                                                     www.auburn.edu/~wallski

Presentation by

Veronica Sichivitsa,

                         University of North Carolina at Charlotte, vosichiv@email.uncc.edu

                                                                                                                 and

Kimberly Walls,

                                                                 Auburn University, kim.walls@auburn.edu

at the

                                      33rd Annual IAJE International Conference

January 14, 2006, New York, NY

 

Participants will learn how to record and edit digital audio files with Audacity in demonstration lessons that focus on vocal improvisation. Applications are appropriate for elementary through high school. We will show participants how to record and edit audio files, and how to implement those skills in mini-lesson demonstrations. The focus of the mini-lessons will be improvisation and creativity. Audacity is a freeware program that can be used in sophisticated ways for music learning.

 

Outline

I.                     Introduction to Digital Audio

a.       Why digital audio in vocal music education?

b.       What is digital audio?

c.       Where to obtain digital audio files

d.       Software and equipment needed

 

II.                 How to Edit Digital Audio Files

a.       Changing volume and balance of a track (Mute, Solo, -/+, L/R)

b.       Transposing (Change Pitch)

c.       Changing tempo

d.       Amplitude envelopes (fades)

e.       Copy and paste

 

III.             Recording Student Performances

a.       Creating new tracks

b.       Recording tracks

c.       Exporting MP3 files

 

IV.             Hands-on Demonstrations

 

a.       Elementary-level mini-lesson focusing on individual improvisation

b.       Middle-level mini-lesson focusing on group improvisation

 

V.                 How to Learn More

Reference & Resources

 

LESSON PLAN IDEAS

Multiple Authors. (2005). Making music with technology (Books and worksheets for Grades 1-8). Glenville, IL: Silver Burdett-Ginn/Scott Foresman.

Reese, S.; McCord, K.; and Walls, K. (2001). Strategies for teaching: Technology. Reston, VA: MENC. (ISBN 1-56545-140-6.) (Available from www.menc.org.)

Rudolf, T. E. (2004). Teaching music with technology (2nd Ed.). Chicago: GIA Publications. (ISBN 1-57999-3133.) (Available from www.giamusic.com.)

S. Watson (Ed.), Technology Guide for Music Educators. Boston: Thompson.

T. E. Rudolph, F. Richmond, D. Mash, & D. Williams (Eds.), Technology Strategies for Music Education (2nd Ed.). Milwaukee, WI: Hal Leonard.

Walls, K. C. (2005). In my humble opinion: Starting with technology in school music. The Technology Institute for Music Educators web site. Retrieved March 9, 2005, from http://www.ti-me.org.

AUDACITY

 

Download Audacity 1.2.4 (for free) at http://audacity.sourceforge.net/download/

 

 

AUDACITY TUTORIALS AND TIPS

 

Audacityıs Documentation and Tutorials http://audacity.sourceforge.net/help/

 

Viewlets from Musicwing http://www.musicwing.co.uk/viewlets/

 

AUDIO FILES

 

The Freesound Project http://freesound.iua.upf.edu/index.php (samples that may be mashed)

 

Podsafe Music Network http://music.podshow.com/ (for podcasting only)

 

Creative Commons http://creativecommons.org/ (various licenses)