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Music Tech Training Library

A collection of in-depth courses, plus shorter workshops and webinar recordings covering a range of topics.

Getting Started with Tech in Music

In-depth courses (click on title for full description):

This is a great place to start if you’re a little nervous about tech and you’d like some ideas for weaving technology into your music classes in a meaningful way. In this course, you’ll become my student (!) and work through each of the projects yourself. Along the way you’ll discover some free tech tools and see how they can be used to teach or reinforce musical concepts.

  • Lesson 1: Rockstar Drummer
  • Lesson 2: Rap My Name (using Bandlab)
  • Lesson 3: Musical Me
  • Lesson 4: Video Game Theme Music
  • Lesson 5: The Poster That Sings
  • BONUS – Using Flipgrid

In this course, you will discover easy ways to get started with technology in the music classroom. This gentle introduction will cover the things you always wanted to know but were too afraid to ask. We’ll look at simple ideas you can use straight away, how to incorporate technology without re-writing your curriculum and which software and hardware to choose when setting up a basic music technology “kit”.

  • Module 1: Simple stuff you can use straight away
  • Module 2: Music technology essentials
  • Module 3: Using tech to organise class materials & save time
  • Module 4: Getting started with notation and editing audio

There are lots of fantastic free, engaging music websites, but exactly how can you use them in a meaningful way with your students? This series of lessons will walk you through the features of each site (including some surprising features you might not have noticed before!) and demonstrate step-by-step lessons for each one.

  • Beepbox
    • Intro and teacher info
    • Lesson: Compose a Mario-style video game theme 1
    • Lesson: Compose a Mario-style video game theme 2
    • Lesson: Compose a Mario-style video game theme 3
  • Groove Pizza
    • Intro and teacher info
    • Lesson: Rap My Name
    • Lesson: Boom Snap Clap
  • Hook Theory
    • Intro and teacher info
    • Hookpad basics
    • Lesson: Choose your own adventure remix (easy & intermediate)
    • Lesson: Choose your own adventure remix part 2 (intermediate)
  • Incredibox
    • Intro and teacher info
    • Lesson: Singer or Beatboxer?
    • Lesson: Hey, What is your name?
    • Lesson: Beatboxing Basics
    • Lesson: The Drop – Building Tension in Music
  • Isle of Tune
    • Intro and teacher info
    • Lesson: Mapping Meter
    • Lesson: Melodic Palindromes
    • Lesson: Driving A-Round
    • Lesson: Construct A Cover Song
MMC members: click the links below to view

Shorter training

Google Suite & Chromebooks for Music Teachers

In-depth courses (click on title for full description)

If you’re new to using Chromebooks, or you’re not sure how you can incorporate them into your music classes, this course is a perfect place to start and will give you an overview of all the options.

  • Chromebooks: What’s the deal?
  • How can you use Chromebooks?
  • What to do and what to avoid
  • Ideas and Apps
    •  Digital Audio Workstations
    • Notation Software
    • Teach or Reinforce Concepts
  • I only have a few devices!
  • Sharing work – general tips
  • Accessories and extras
  • What’s Next?

MMC members: access the course here.

Shorter Training

Creative Teaching Materials

In-depth courses (click on title for full description)

An online course for teachers who want to create amazing teaching materials for their classroom – fast.  This course will show you how to use Canva (a fantastic, FREE online design tool) to make posters, worksheets, images, short videos, social media posts, clipart, gifs and more!

  • Module 1: Canva basics, create a poster
  • Module 2: how to create worksheets and graphic organizers
  • Module 3: makes your own digital badges, certificates and awards
  • Module 4: create animations, gifs and quick videos
  • Module 5: create a virtual classroom or themed image from scratch
  • Bonus: how to make memes
  • Bonus: design your own classroom decor
  • Bonus: Canva quick tip videos

MMC members: access the course here.

Learn how to create effective tutorials, playalongs, end-of-year showcases and virtual ensemble videos (using free software). Video creation and editing skills are incredibly useful and this course will take you through 5 different projects, moving from simple to more complex.  No prior knowledge is assumed! The projects covered in the course have been specifically designed for music teachers and their unique needs.

  • Module 1: how to create effective tutorial videos
  • Module 2: make your own simple playalong videos using Loom and Google Slides or Powerpoint
  • Module 3: create a video montage or concert showcase video
  • Module 4: how to make advanced playalong videos
  • Module 5: how to create virtual ensemble videos

Shorter Training

Creative Music Lessons with GarageBand, Soundtrap & Bandlab

In-depth courses (click on title for full description)

A series of adaptable lessons for students in approximately years 5-12. 

  • Intro to GarageBand for Mac
  • Teacher tips: setting up a new project
  • Teacher tips: assessing student work
  • Lesson 1: Boom Snap Clap 
  • Lesson 2: Rap My Name
  • Lesson 3: The Dubstep Blues
  • Lesson 4: Found Sounds Compositions
  • Lesson 5: Film Scoring

MMC members: access the course here.

Learn all about the iPad version of GarageBand and how to use it with your students.  This course includes a series of tutorial videos which show you how 

  • Module 1: getting started, overview of different sections
  • Module 2: guide to playing and recording the instruments, using the amps and audio recorder
  • Module 3: recording workflow and tips for songs, recording workflow and tips for storytelling and podcasts
  • Module 4: how to save and export projects
  • Module 5: using audio interfaces, pedals, keyboards, mics and other accessories
  • Module 6: lesson plans collection. What’s in a Name?, Rap My Name, Transforming The Blues, DIY Theme Music, The 4-Chord Choose Your Own Adventure Remix, Chinese Lullaby, The Song With No Instruments (Found Sounds), Superhero Themes

In this course – created by Dr Barbara Freedman – students will learn how to make their own DJ Drop/Intro. A DJ Drop is a short piece of recorded audio that DJs and music producers create to promote themselves.

  • Section 1: DJ Drop Intro Part A
  • Section 2: DJ Drop Intro Part B
  • Section 3: Building The Music Track
  • Section 4: Recording Student Voices
  • Section 5: Speed Dating with DSP
  • Section 6: Mixing

Delve into the exciting world of movie soundtracks and explore composing, recording and editing film music, whilst synching sound to visuals.

  • Getting started
  • Finding movies for film scoring projects (plus access to a collection of clips here in the MMC!)
  • Easy project – sound effects and simple music
  • Advanced project – sound effects and composing original music
  • GarageBand how-to
  • Film scoring FAQ part 1 and 2

A tech integration activity using the Boom Snap Clap clapping game.

  • Introduction
  • Part 1: How to perform the Boom Snap Clap clapping game
  • Part 2: Analyse and notate the pattern 
  • Part 3: Record the Boom Snap Clap pattern
  • Part 4: Compose a song or rap to go with the rhythmic pattern

This unit of work is about making music with….ANYTHING. Students will learn how to record found sounds or utilise ready-made samples to compose their own music.

  • Part 1 Intro to Using NASA Samples
  • Part 2 Compose a Pedal Note Song
  • Part 3 Compose a Space Beat
  • Ideas for Extension Activities
  • Part 1 Intro to the Found Sound Challenge
  • Part 2 Tips for Recording Samples
  • Part 3 Tips for Recording and Editing Samples in GarageBand

Students will demonstrate their knowledge of the 12 bar blues progression by creating their own version of the blues in a non-traditional blues style (dubstep, rap, funk, classical etc). The project incorporates listening, composing and arranging. They will identify the musical characteristics of their chosen style and use those to compose a bassline, drum part and other optional tracks around the blues progression.

  • Intro to the Dubstep Blues
  • Listening – The Dubstep Style
  • GarageBand – Record the Bass Part
  • GarageBand – Record the Drum Part
  • GarageBand – Record the Keyboard Part

Shorter Training

Music Tech Lessons with iPads

In-depth courses (click on title for full description)

A series of adaptable lessons for students in approximately years 5-12. 

  • Intro to GarageBand for Mac
  • Teacher tips: setting up a new project
  • Teacher tips: assessing student work
  • Lesson 1: Boom Snap Clap 
  • Lesson 2: Rap My Name
  • Lesson 3: The Dubstep Blues
  • Lesson 4: Found Sounds Compositions
  • Lesson 5: Film Scoring

MMC members: access the course here.

If you’re new to using iPads, or you’re not sure how you can incorporate them into your music classes, this course is a perfect place to start and will give you an overview of all the options

  • Where Do I Start?
  • What To Do and What To Avoid
  • Ideas & Types of Apps
    • Toolkit Apps
    • Make Teaching Materials
    • Capture Learning
    • Notation & Digital Sheet Music
    • Teach or Reinforce Concepts
    • Assessment
  • I Only Have a Few iPads!
  • Sharing work – General Tips
  • How To Project Your iPad Screen
  • Accessories & Extras
  • What’s Next?

Shorter Training

Seesaw for Music Teachers

In-depth courses (click on title for full description)

Learn how to use Seesaw to capture and showcase student learning in the music classroom.  An in-depth course made especially for music teachers which will take you through the basics of using Seesaw, show you how to create your own activities from scratch and demonstrate advanced features and techniques.

  • Module 1: Intro, Seesaw overview, accounts options and settings, walkthrough of the Journal tools
  • Module 2: browsing the activity library, how to create your own basic activity, the progress tab, sharing activities with other teachers and the community
  • Module 3: using Canva to make Seesaw activities, creating interactive activities, the amazing audio tool, how to share to an LMS, differences between iOS app and website versions, create your own fun interactive tools
  • Module 4: advanced concepts – bouncy ball singalong, escape room, integrating Seesaw with different teaching approaches (Kodaly, Orff, Fierabend, Dalcroze), split screen, screen recording, how to capture audio and video for virtual performances

MMC members: access the course here.

Shorter Training

  • Seesaw Activities: Wait, you can do that?!

Ed Tech Tools: How-To for Music Teachers

Free Music Tech Resources

In-depth courses (click on title for full description)

There are lots of fantastic free, engaging music websites, but exactly how can you use them in a meaningful way with your students? This series of lessons will walk you through the features of each site (including some surprising features you might not have noticed before!) and demonstrate step-by-step lessons for each one. 

  • Beepbox
    • Intro and teacher info
    • Lesson: Compose a Mario-style video game theme 1
    • Lesson: Compose a Mario-style video game theme 2
    • Lesson: Compose a Mario-style video game theme 3
    • MMC members: access the course here

  • Groove Pizza
  • Hook Theory
    • Intro and teacher info
    • Hookpad basics
    • Lesson: Choose your own adventure remix (easy & intermediate)
    • Lesson: Choose your own adventure remix part 2 (intermediate)
    • MMC members: access the course here

  • Incredibox
    • Intro and teacher info
    • Lesson: Singer or Beatboxer?
    • Lesson: Hey, What is your name?
    • Lesson: Beatboxing Basics
    • Lesson: The Drop – Building Tension in Music
    • MMC members: access the course here

  • Isle of Tune
    • Intro and teacher info
    • Lesson: Mapping Meter
    • Lesson: Melodic Palindromes
    • Lesson: Driving A-Round
    • Lesson: Construct A Cover Song
    • MMC members: access the course here

MMC members: access the courses using the links above.

Shorter Training

Notation

In-depth courses (click on title for full description)

Please note that this is a recording of a live course that was run back in 2012 (!) using Sibelius version 7. Even though this course is an old one, there may still be some valuable content for Sibelius users, so we have kept it in the MMC library.

Basic Sibelius skills for beginners. Get started the RIGHT way!  

In this course you’ll learn:

  • how to set up a score from scratch, basic navigation
  • how to input notes in multiple ways including via the computer keyboard and via a MIDI keyboard
  • how to select music quickly
  • best ways to copy and paste
  • how to create guitar TAB
  • how to view and print parts
  • handy plugins
  • score-sharing techniques 
  • time-saving tips
  • creating exam papers, musical examples and worksheets

MMC members: access the course here.

Please note that this is a recording of a live course that was run back in 2013 (!) using Sibelius version 7. Even though this course is an old one, there may still be some valuable content for Sibelius users, so we have kept it in the MMC library.

Progress your Sibelius skills to the next level including tips for working efficiently, best note-entry methods, how to create your own manuscript templates, tips for working with instrumental parts, drum notation from scratch, playback tricks, how to set up your own shortcuts, time-saving plugins and how to format and layout your score and parts.

MMC members: access the course here.

Please note that this is a recording of a live course that was run back in 2013 (!) using Sibelius version 7. Even though this course is an old one, there may still be some valuable content for Sibelius users, so we have kept it in the MMC library.

Discover the tips and tricks that can make your arranging tasks quicker and easier using professional-standard notation application Sibelius including Arranging workflow, finding and importing MIDI files, MIDI file clean up techniques, how to handle piano and drum parts, importing scanned music into Sibelius, how to use Photoscore, how to fix errors, the Arrange feature, how to rearrange your score for different instrumentation, working with transposing instruments, how to create backing tracks and how to share your scores.

MMC members: access the course here.

Please note that this is a recording of a live course that was run back in 2013 (!) using Sibelius version 7. Even though this course is an old one, there may still be some valuable content for Sibelius users, so we have kept it in the MMC library.

The course will demonstrate adaptable Sibelius lessons that suit a wide range of student ages and levels of experience and covers the following:

  • how to create basic transcription and ear-training tasks
  • easy ways to introduce compositional techniques like retrograde, augmentation, diminution, and inversion
  • composing simple rhythmic accompaniments
  • rebuild a song from a series of short “building blocks”using the Ideas feature
  • step-by-step approach to teaching and writing drum notation: listen, transcribe, play, notate
  • how to get started with film scoring in Sibelius
    • introductory information about film scoring
    • how to import a movie
    • how to create hit points
    • ways to use untuned percussion to mimic sound effects
    • playback and navigation shortcuts
  • how to export and share student work
  • behind-the-scenes teacher tips to ensure a smooth lesson!

Shorter Training

Miscellaneous Topics in Music Education

Productivity and Tech Tips for the Teacher

In-depth courses (click on title for full description)

Audacity is a fantastic free audio editing software application that works on both Macs and Windows computers. Learning some basic audio editing skills is a must for any teacher and once you’ve learnt them you’ll wonder how you ever lived without them!

Note: this course will be fully updated in mid 2023 for the latest version of Audacity

  • Module 1: screen tour, import audio, playback, change key of audio file, change tempo, remove vocals, basic mixing and exporting
  • Module 2: shorten an audio file, create fade-ins/outs, how to make intros and outros, how to make a medley, how to chop a track into small sections, how to remove a song section, more exporting tips
  • Module 3: live recording basics, microphone types, audio interfaces, headphones, how to record in a noisy classroom, how to generate a click track, applying effects, sharing files
  • Module 4: how to create sound effects from scratch, how to create fun and useful vocal effects, how to create a digital storytelling project

MMC members: access the course here.

Learn how to transform your paper sheet music into a digital format.

  • Introduction to Scanning
  • Scanning Music – The Process
  • Using Genius Scan
  • How To Read and Annotate Your Scores on Your Device
  • Using Forscore, Jotnot Pro, and the Airturn Pedal
  • Transform PDF to Notation File Part 1
  • Transform PDF to Notation File Part 2
  • Workflow examples

MMC members: access the course here.

Shorter Training

Quick Tips for Music Teaching

Remote Online Teaching Tips (from 2020)

Live Q&A Sessions

Music Tech Resource Bank

A growing collection of digital assets created for MMC members that can be utilized in the creation of teaching materials.

A collection of short (and very short!), student-appropriate clips that are suitable for your film scoring and video game composition projects. All clips are public domain, Creative Commons-licensed or used with permission.

MMC members: click the links above to access.

A collection of ready-made clipart images for you to use in your teaching materials. Editable Canva templates are also included for some resources.

MMC members: click the links above to access.

Downloadable digital badge images (8 levels per badge) that you can use as achievement rewards for your students

  • Drumming (levels 1-8)
  • Recorder  (levels 1-8)
  • Guitar (levels 1-8)
  • Ukulele (levels 1-8)
  • Elements of Music (levels 1-8)
MMC members: click here to access.

A curated collection of public domain and Creative Commons licensed samples and stems you can use for remixing, found sound compositions, storytelling, or songwriting.

  • NASA sound effects and dialogue
  • More coming soon
MMC members: click here to access.

Downloadable and/or printable resources you can use with your students

MMC members: click the links above to access.

All of our blog post handouts – available for members.  Downloadable PDFs, blog post handouts, articles, notes and other resources.

MMC members: click here to access.

The MMC Music Tech Support Forum

Personalized help from music tech experts right when you need it!

Music tech experts Katie Argyle and Amy Burns will answer all of your music tech questions – often with a quick walkthrough video. No question is too small or too “silly” and we love solving challenging problems!