Can my students use computers to make Music?

Here are a few exciting ways you can use computers to make, record and modify music or noise. My students enjoy these programmes and activities and I�m sure yours will also.

Sound

Computers can be used as tape recorders by using a small cheap microphone that plugs into your sound card. Even the recording software that comes with Windows 95 or 98 can be used to create fun recordings and because the sound is digital you can play with and edit it easily.

The Windows Sound Recorder can be found in the Start menu under Programmes, Accessories, Entertainment.  

With this programme students could record their stories with different voices and then add sounds and or music.

Basic Functions:
Recording sound,
Recording over the top of, within or mixed with an existing sound,
Cutting and pasting just as you do text,  

Basic Effects:
Add echo,
Reduce or increase speed,
Increase or decrease volume.
Reverse the sound.

A more advanced recording programme that can be down loaded for free is Cool Edit 96.
Go here on the net to get Cool Edit 96
http://www.hitsquad.com/smm/programs/Cool_Edit_Win32/   

 

Fruit Loops

Is the hottest easy to use digital music maker for Standard 2 and up. It�s like "Paint by Numbers" for music. All you do is choose the sounds you want and highlight the buttons that represent beats or measures of music where you want the selected sound to be played.

If you click on the track you are working on and the small "KB" button you can easily change the note values or pitch of the sounds to add melody to your percussion.  

You can down Load the almost complete shareware version or pay $30 dollars to get the full version. This programme is that good that I use the Pro $100 version professionally within my home recording studio.
Go here to get "Fruit Loops" the hottest easy to use digital music maker (Standard 2 and up):
http://www.fruityloops.com/       

Hammer Head

Hammer Head is similar to Fruit Loops except it is very easy and even 5 year olds can make great music.
Go here to get "Hammer Head" very easy to use digital music maker (School teachers and up):
http://www.threechords.com/hammerhead/introduction.shtml


More Info:

For a growing daily source of music software go here to "Music Machine" for digital music information:
http://www.hitsquad.com/smm/

Myself: Jason Caldwell email: [email protected]
If given notice I am available for help with staff training, networking, or free advice.

I have attached a basic hand out that I have used within Computers courses that I have taken in the past. It contains the basics that can save you and your school a lot of time and money.  

                                                 

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