2B Makes Electronic Music

2B has been visiting the Fabrication and Media Studios for the past few weeks exploring circuits and electronic music.  With a focus on The Art of the Drum, this project was a natural extension of the deep learning taking place inside their classroom.

Mrs. Kollender started thinking about making drums with her class last spring when Fall Project planning began as a division.  We brainstormed together envisioning a great deal of experimenting and testing to see what sounds could be generated and what materials would work best. 

We eventually realized we could really expand the students' options for building while adding meaningful science and music connections if we introduced the idea of electronic music.  Do you need a physical instrument to make music?  Can it be done digitally?

Using the Makey Makey Inventor's Kit and the great instrument apps on its website, teams partnered up to test their circuit boards while learning to control the digital instruments.  

They tested everyday materials to find conductors that could be used to build custom circuits.  Foil, playdough, utensils and paper clips were popular and successful.  Seltzer cans worked fairly well.  Students were encouraged to generate their own ideas for materials that might work and to test out their predictions.  Larger metal items seemed to only work when touched close to the alligator clips, generating authentic interest in the "why" behind what we observed.  

Those moments are beautiful to witness - proof of the power of Maker Ed!  It was so fun to conduct electricity ourselves as a necessary part of the circuits.  We brought high fives and hand holds to the next level of cool! 

Students were encouraged to think outside the box and to share ideas.  Some teams decided to use feet instead of hands to complete their circuits; others used full body movements to make connections.

Once teams mastered circuit-building and felt comfortable controlling the instruments, we took the time to plan our designs.  They chose a digital instrument and conductive materials.  They discussed what type of music they wanted to make, choosing descriptors to convey the emotion they hoped listeners would experience.  Each partner also drew their design separately so they could compare and agree before moving forward.

Our final session is coming up.  Teams will complete their design plan and record their music.  We will also take time to reflect on whether our final music captures the mood we set out to create.

We are looking forward to sharing our final compositions and reflections when they are ready.  While the product is always cool to see, the learning is so evident in the process.  

Happy making!