The Impact of Integrating Musical and Image Technology upon the Level of Learning Engagement of Pre-School Children

This study aimed to evaluate the impact of music technology on the attitudes and engagement level of preschool children. The desired outcome of the study is to formulate recommendations to improve the teaching curriculum through the use of physical activities at the preschool level. The strategy tested involved integrating technology, music, and images into children’s physical activities to enhance their willingness to learn, preference, and motor skills. The study used music and images created through technology instruments to stimulate multiple senses, including vision, hearing, and touch sensations. It was expected to enhance learning interests and motor skills among children in physical activities. The innovative courses were developed jointly by qualified and senior preschool teachers, a physical fitness trainer, and a music therapist. The regimen involved a set of lesson plans combining music technology with physical training for children. The study used 64 healthy children who were 5 years old and studied at a private preschool in Taiwan, who were divided into an experimental group that implemented the innovative courses and a control group that adopted traditional teaching. The physical training courses were implemented twice a week, with 45 min per session for 18 weeks. The results revealed a significant enhancement in the concentration, preference, and willingness of participation among children in the experimental group after participation in the course. However, these effects were not observed and were not found among the children in the control group. Additionally, it was also found that the positive impact of enhanced motor skills, such as dynamic balance, hopping, and jumping, was significantly better among children in the experimental group than those in the control group. Consequently, this research study supports the integration of music technology and images into physical courses for children. Clinically, it indicates a significantly improved enhancement effect towards learning mentality and motor skills among children. This innovative teaching approach suggests a high probability to substantially assist the preschool’s course management strategy and methodical learning effects.

Digital audio technology in music teaching and learning: A preliminary investigation

The inclusion of digital audio technology for sampling, editing, mixing and producing music in formal music classrooms has been considered a needed area of expansion across the music teaching and learning landscape. Current research suggests that music technology, defined broadly, is often disregarded in many music classrooms. However, the ubiquity of music technology suggests its relevancy in the digital age, especially for sampling editing, mixing and producing music. The purpose of this research was to survey the current climate of music education across all levels of instruction, with a special focus on teaching digital audio technology using MIDI controllers and audio production techniques. A researcher-developed survey was distributed to a population of music teachers across the United States (N=83). Results found that participants taught few digital audio technology concepts, used Garageband extensively, were self-taught, relied on out-of-date hardware and used a variety of MIDI controllers. Implications for music education and considerations for additional research are provided in conclusion.

A Normative Survey on Auditory Perception and Semantic Descriptors of Musical Timbres

Timbre are commonly described using semantic descriptors such as ’dark’, ’bright’ and ’warm’. The use of such descriptors are useful and largely practiced by trained individuals in music related industries. Such descriptors are subjective as it could be interpreted differently by different individuals determined by factors such as training and exposure. Semantic descriptors also lacks granularity, in a sense that the descriptor does not indicate the amount or intensity of the description. A numerical representation for timbral description addressees these issues. Computational approach for numerical measure of timbre are at present under study by music technology researchers. Such studies requires a benchmarking process in order for viability tests. To provide a set of data that can be used for benchmarking, a survey on auditory perception and semantic descriptors of musical timbres were conducted. The conducted survey looks to find out if a general consensus can be observed for semantic description of musical timbres using a normative survey methodology. This article reviews the conducted survey, presenting the survey’s approach, results and findings

Music Technology as a Means for Fostering Young Children’s Social Interactions in an Inclusive Class

This research investigated how children aged five to six performed in social interactions and participation by learning American English through music technology activities in an inclusive class. The purposes of this research were to analyze, through music technology activities, the social interactions and participation of children in the inclusive class. Therefore, the research question was as follows: can music technology activities significantly improve children’s social interactions and participation in an inclusive class? There were two themes for the research teaching, each of which included seven weeks of instruction. The teaching content involved three stages, which were pre-test, implementation, and post-test. The research teaching was given 40 min per session twice a week and continued for 14 weeks with 28 teaching times. The methodology primarily consisted of a qualitative assessment of participation, observations, and interviews. In addition to collecting and analyzing qualitative data, quantitative data were also employed in the study. Data sources were semi-structured observation forms, anecdote records, language test scales and interview records, and feedback forms. The results indicated that all children had positive performance in social interactions and participating motivation, as supported by statistical results of social validity. Furthermore, the children’s cooperation and communication effectively improved through music technology activities. Nevertheless, the limitation of the study is the insufficient number of participants involved in the evaluation. For future research, utilizing more than 30 samples would be more appropriate and would supplement the social network analysis to carry out more in-depth investigations and discussions.

Illusions of Liveness: Producer as Composer

<p>The practise of creating music for the recorded medium has been a fluid and constantly changing enterprise since its inception. Emergences of new studio technologies over the last fifty years have spurred new cultures, philosophies and approaches to music production and composition, ultimately seeing a merging of the once disparate roles of producer and composer. It is this contemporary, technology-informed new role of producer-composer that brings with it discussion - for much of which there is no general consensus - over issues pertaining to perceived liveness, the producer-composer’s control over the resulting sound, and most contentiously the use of music technology itself: its transparency and its legitimacy as substitutions for real instruments. These are all fluid and complex issues and this paper does not attempt to provide answers for, nor take a definitive stance on them other than in the sharing of opinions formed from my own experiences in applying production as composition to the creative aspect of this project. In this paper I seek to share some of the current discussion regarding production-as-composition, in light of my own compositional experiment, which strives to create a simulation of real-performance via almost entirely artificial means within an idealised, hyper-musical sonic environment. By bringing together real musicians and virtual instruments within a recorded track and edited via music production technology, the experiment aimed to produce an illusion of liveness.</p>

Illusions of Liveness: Producer as Composer

<p>The practise of creating music for the recorded medium has been a fluid and constantly changing enterprise since its inception. Emergences of new studio technologies over the last fifty years have spurred new cultures, philosophies and approaches to music production and composition, ultimately seeing a merging of the once disparate roles of producer and composer. It is this contemporary, technology-informed new role of producer-composer that brings with it discussion - for much of which there is no general consensus - over issues pertaining to perceived liveness, the producer-composer’s control over the resulting sound, and most contentiously the use of music technology itself: its transparency and its legitimacy as substitutions for real instruments. These are all fluid and complex issues and this paper does not attempt to provide answers for, nor take a definitive stance on them other than in the sharing of opinions formed from my own experiences in applying production as composition to the creative aspect of this project. In this paper I seek to share some of the current discussion regarding production-as-composition, in light of my own compositional experiment, which strives to create a simulation of real-performance via almost entirely artificial means within an idealised, hyper-musical sonic environment. By bringing together real musicians and virtual instruments within a recorded track and edited via music production technology, the experiment aimed to produce an illusion of liveness.</p>

Türkiye’de Dijital Müzikteki Yeni Ekonomik Modellerin Sosyolojik ve Kültürel Yönleri

This research explained new economic models in the digital music industry in view of cultural, technological, and sociological aspects. The importance of local entrepreneurship, as well as global markets, were accessed. There have been many developments in digital music in the past two decades. These developments have affected relations between the digital economy and music technology. The study is mainly focused on the Turkish music market. Why the subscription and bundling models are on the rise? How does an economic merger between telecommunication companies and digital music services work? What are the effects of the recent developments in technology, in particular smartphones on music industry? The partnership of Turkcell, the largest GSM operator in Turkey, and one of the top 5 in Europe and Turkish digital music service Fizy was exemplified. Thus, the significance of local markets in the digital era, expectations of the audiences, the applicability of streaming, and bundling economic models in Turkey have been examined.

What Are the Foundations of an Integrated Approach to Teaching and Learning?

This chapter lays the foundation for an authentic integrated approach to learning. Music technology is a key component in most approaches that integrate STEM with Music. The connecting of multiple content areas through the arts, or music, can be used to increase teacher collaboration. The key areas of arts integration, STEM, STEAM, and how these can effectively and authentically exist together in the classroom to increase student engagement and connections to the content areas and concepts, are defined through a research-based and pragmatic approach. By incorporating the fundamental definitions and understandings posited by this chapter into one’s teaching students will be given opportunities to connect STEM concepts to the artistic processes.