GarageBand Project

I'm a HUGE technology fan.  I am a music teacher that has many different pieces of technology within my classroom that I probably use every day.  

Tuesday, my 5th graders began a new project using GarageBand on the computers.  They have had a few chances to play with the GarageBand app on iPad, but on computers is a really different, complex program.

Here is Wikipedia's definition of GarageBand:

      "GarageBand's music and podcast creation system enables users to create multiple tracks with pre-made MIDI keyboards, pre-made loops, voice recordings, and an array of various instrumental effects."

In short, it has sounds already recorded into the system and you can layer them and create your own song.

5th graders are going to create new songs/raps for our school's Character Counts programs.  We have several expectations of behavior for procedures within the school.  We're going to update them with fun, personalized songs they have created and recorded.  YIKES!  I've never done a project like this and I'm creating it as I go.  I haven't thought through all the steps yet and that makes me nervous.

The first step we loved!  I did a quick explanation of how GarageBand on the computer works and demonstrated on my projected laptop and then we headed into the computer lab.  Tuesday's goal was to just get familiarized with how it works.  I gave them a goal of creating a 12-bar pattern using 3 different sounds that complimented each other.  What creativity there was.  Everyone was engaged!  Some chose to work in pairs or small groups, others worked individually.  The end result was really interesting and better than I thought.  I'm overwhelmed with all the choices on the program but they took it in stride.  

Here are some pictures I took of them working away.

This one got really ambitious and had 5 different tracks and layered them with different timing.

7 different tracks on this one, maybe a bit much, but very creative.