Ways in which using technology can break down barriers with unconfident young people by James Stanley (Wavelength Music Leader)
Being confident stems from a feeling that you know, understand, or are capable of applying yourself to a certain task. Removing some of the barriers in a young person’s mind when it comes to them understanding ‘music’ could help them to have more confidence. For example, expectations may be that theory is difficult, that learning an instrument is time-consuming, hard work and painstaking, or that they can’t achieve the sounds that they like and relate to with music taught in educational settings. If this was the case, by removing some of the barriers, the young person could engage more fully.
Being confident stems from a feeling that you know, understand, or are capable of applying yourself to a certain task. Removing some of the barriers in a young person’s mind when it comes to them understanding ‘music’ could help them to have more confidence. For example, expectations may be that theory is difficult, that learning an instrument is time-consuming, hard work and painstaking, or that they can’t achieve the sounds that they like and relate to with music taught in educational settings. If this was the case, by removing some of the barriers, the young person could engage more fully.
If theoretical knowledge is too difficult - using technology can softly teach the group about chords/scales, tempo and rhythm. Using technology where the key of the music is set, anything that the young person presses can come out as musically pleasing sounds. The tempo can be quantised, giving the young person an instant satisfaction, a feeling that they have achieved something, a confidence because they now believe themselves capable of applying themselves to the ‘musical task.’
Specific pieces of technology:
iPad apps, such as Garageband, ThumbJam, SoundPrism.
Apple Loops
Sampler with trigger pads
If learning an instrument is too difficult - The barrier is the difficulty and the fear of failure, not the instrument itself. The likelihood is that that young person actually has a desire to play the bass, the guitar, piano etc. and that this is contributing to their lack of confidence and belief that they will be capable of applying themselves to the task. Using software or technology that mimics real instruments, but makes the process much more instantly engaging, will not put the young person off from learning the real instrument but, instead, give them the starting point and boost in confidence that they need to start along that path.
Specific pieces of technology:
Smart Instruments inside Garageband iPad app.
If achieving the sounds we like is too difficult - This involves a certain amount of work on the part of the practitioner as it involves learning what that young person is interested in musically and finding the sounds that are applicable to that genre. Maybe it’s a certain drum sound that you could get them to trigger or perhaps it’s a very specific sounding bass that, as soon as they hear, relates what they’re doing to the commercial music that they listen to. This will alleviate any apprehension that the participant has and will enable them to approach the task you then set them with confidence.
Specific pieces of technology:
MIDI Device linked to a Digital Audio Workstation such as Logic Pro, Ableton, Reason.
Sampler with programmable trigger pads.
Up to date samples from websites such as www.loopmasters.com
In order to break down barriers in a person’s mind, we need to stimulate them in some way. If any of us feel apprehensive about something and then feel little or no emotional connection to it, we likely won’t continue and our attitude won’t be changed - we’ll still feel apprehensive. In musical terms, being able to express yourself is what can give us an emotional response and so, being able to give a young person that experience as early on as possible is what will be likely to change their attitude from an apprehensive, under-confident one, to an emotionally engaged one where they are involved in the session and keen to progress.
Specific pieces of technology:
iPad apps that enable expressive playing such as Garageband on ‘Notes’ setting, ThumbJam, NOISE
‘Touch Sensitive’ instruments like Korg Kaossilator, Roli Seaboard, Soundbeam