Introduction
As a music tech teacher, you may be looking for ways to incorporate technology into your curriculum. Podcasts, recorded stories, radio shows, and commercials are all great examples of ways you can use technology to enhance your students’ learning experience. In this blog post, we will discuss the tech skills necessary for creating these types of media, a few sample projects, project formatting, and some additional resources for introducing these types of projects to your students.
Each of these activities is an entire project that I share inside my Garageband, Soundtrap, and Bandlab Online Course for Music Teachers which will give you complete access to:
- Software, Gear, and Set-Up Guides
- Teacher Videos (to help you plan your lesson)
- Student Videos (I’ll teach your class for you!)
- Student Worksheets
- A Designated Community Forum
- Share Your Projects, Get Feedback from Other Music Teachers, and Seek Expert Tech Advice if You Run Into Any Issues Along the Way!
- And more!
What Are the Music Tech Skills Students Will Learn in Making Podcasts, Recorded Stories, Radio Shows and Commercials?
You may wonder why podcasts, recorded stories, radio shows, and commercials are grouped together. While the products are wildly different, they all require the same basic music tech skills:
- Recording voice/narration on one or more tracks
- Splitting, moving, syncing, and editing audio
- Adding intro, outro, or background music
- Adding sound effects and using effect libraries
In addition, students will learn:
- Fading Audio
- Panning Audio
- Controlling Balance
- How to Set Mood
The Musical Aims & Objectives of This Lesson:
Students will be able to:
- Listen to and Categorize Different Audio Effects and Parts, such as: intro/outro, foley, narration, fading, panning, vocal effects, balance, and stingers.
- Design and Edit a Progressing Story or Narration
- Create, Edit, and Record Their Own Vocal and Sound Effects
- Write for Multiple Voices, Characters, or Actors
Ways to Use Podcasts, Stories, Radio Shows, and Commercials in Your Music Classroom
- Create a radio commercial about an upcoming concert to be played over the school intercom for announcements.
- Have small groups of students create a podcast episode instead of a written presentation about a musical style or history of a musician.
- Research and present a story about the life of a famous musician, featuring some of their work.
- Collaborate with a language arts/literature teacher to create a cross-curricular project: students will write a story in that class, and in music class, students will compose the score & add audio effects.
- Have students record a story with added elements, music, and effects, and send them to a partner elementary school for story time.
- Create a weekly or monthly class podcast to send with your parent/guardian newsletter highlighting recordings of student performances, clips from rehearsal, and quick reminders.
- Create a vintage-style radio show and record student performances for a virtual “trip” to an elderly home/ nursing home, highlighting a song or two from their childhood era.
- Write and record funny “ghost stories” to celebrate Halloween.
Four Examples of Podcasts, Radio Shows, Commercials, and Stories from Music Tech Teachers in the Midnight Music Community
1. Julie Froude’s “The Hairy Toe” from Stories by Request (Podcast Concept) – created in Bandlab
2. Brigitte-Louise Lessard’s “Histoire Épeurante (Scary Story)” – created in Bandlab
Translation:
A little girl had just been put to bed by her mother. She pulled the blanket up to below her nose. She could hear her heart beating loudly because she was afraid.
In her imagination, the closet door opened, she heard scratches and heavy breathing, and she heard something coming closer to her. Her heartbeat began to race, she was feeling cold sweats on her forehead and on her back. The breathing was getting closer and closer, and finally, she felt something wet on her cheek! (scream)
It was buddy, her big dog who came to make a hug!
3. Brian Rizzi’s “The Man Who Lived at the Edge of the World” – created in Soundtrap
4. Doug Carey’s (and teen daughter) “Happy-Go-Lucky Dog Treats Commercial” in the style of Saturday Night Live Parodies – created in GarageBand
Want This Complete Project & More?
To get this complete project, including ready-to-play student videos (I’ll teach your class for you!), student worksheets, expert help, and detailed teacher instructions with videos, check out the Garageband, Soundtrap, and Bandlab Course inside the Midnight Music Community.
Watch the video below for a quick overview of the course!
Final Thoughts
I hope you’ve enjoyed previewing this lesson and I’d love to share this project and so many others with you inside of the Midnight Music Community!
Do you have any questions about the Garageband, Soundtrap, and Bandlab Course for music tech teachers or the Midnight Music Community in general?
What music platform do you use with your students?
Leave a comment below! I’d love to hear from you!
Download your copy
Would you like to take a copy of this with you? Click the button below and a copy of this will be sent directly into your inbox.
Looking for More Resources for Music Teachers?
Hello! I’m Katie Argyle – an Australian music technology trainer and consultant with a passion for helping music teachers through my businessMidnight Music.
I’m a qualified teacher but no, I don’t currently teach in a school. I help teachers through my online professional development space – theMidnight Music Community– where there are tutorial videos, courses, links and downloadable resources.
I like to focus oneasyways to incorporate technology intowhat you are already doing in your music curriculumthrough a range of creative projects. I also run live workshops and have presented at countless conferences and other music education events.
If you want simple, effective ideas for using technology in music education, I would LOVE to help you inside theMidnight Music Community.
