A year into virtual and hybrid learning, it’s evident that some subjects lend themselves to an online format easier than others. And while music education seems as if it would require a decidedly in-person approach, well, think again.
Online tools for music education have skyrocketed in recent years, and they continue to be essential in helping music educators connect with students of all ages, especially during COVID.
The fall holds a bit of uncertainty, but it’s likely virtual learning will remain an option in the event of a COVID outbreak or as a way for physically absent students to still attend class, making these online music education tools pretty valuable.
Many of these resources are bound to be helpful to students over the summer months, offering extra practice or reinforcement for those who want to keep their skills sharp.
1. Moosiko gives K-12 guitar teachers an online practice tool to boost student motivation and make assessment easy. Students can choose from over 220 modern, fun songs and play along at their own pace resulting in higher engagement at home and in the classroom. Motivation is the top driver of success for learning a new instrument.
2. EarSketch offers free resources for teachers and helps students learn coding through music. Students can use pre-populated sounds or create their own, learn Python or JavaScript, and will produce studio-quality music.
3. Rock Hall Edu, from the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, is a free digital learning platform full of resources and activities that use the power of rock & roll to engage students of all ages.
4. Musicmap attempts to provide the ultimate genealogy of popular music genres, including their relations and history. It is the result of more than seven years of research with over 200 listed sources and cross examination of many other visual genealogies. Its aim is to focus on the delicate balance between comprehensibility, accuracy and accessibility.
5. Through Citizen DJ, students can make music using the free-to-use audio and video materials from the Library of Congress.
6. Little Kids Rock offers free music education resources for teachers, divided into lessons with no instruments required and lessons for those with instruments, including the guitar, ukulele, keyboard, and bass.
7. Use Pinkzebra‘s free Virtual Choir GarageBand Template to create your own virtual choir recording.
8. Whether at home or in school, Save The Music’s Get Started Recording Your Own Music tutorial videos help you easily navigate the ins and outs of producing your own music with easy-to-access software that you can find right on your own personal technology devices.
9. Chrome Music Lab is a website that makes learning music more accessible through fun, hands-on experiments. The Song Maker experiment lets you make and share your own songs.
10. Soundtrap for Education empowers students and teachers to explore creative sound recording in all subjects, for all ages and ability levels. It offers integrations with major LMS systems and smart user management, as well as easy-to-use classroom features including assignments, lesson plans, and more.
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