Maker Project - Create a Soundtrack
This “maker” learning experience is ideally designed for students age 14-17, but could be used for almost any student who has basic competency using a web browser. The ability to download and upload a small file is needed for this lesson. The purpose of the activity is to inspire further work and creativity in digital sound editing. This experience is a fun and engaging way to be introduced to audio editing software. Soundtrap is representative of the user interface of more advanced and powerful sound editing programs, and therefore serves as a good “gateway” to these tools. The target time for completing this project is 60-80 minutes. Start the lesson below:
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1. Create an account
Your first step is to create an account with the program we are going to use. Please go to the soundtrap website, make your account, and begin a new project from scratch. It is recommended that you use headphones for this project, as you will be making a lot of noise! |
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2. Choose a poem to download
Now, listen to each of the poems below, and choose one of them to download. Sonnett 18 by William Shakespeare suggested tempo: 70-90 Reader: David Tenant Stopping By Woods on a Snowy Evening by Robert Frost suggested tempo: 60-80 Reader: Tom O’Bedlam Tyger Tyger by William Blake suggested tempo: 90-110 Reader: youtube user “ESL and Popular Culture” The Arrow and the Song by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow suggested tempo: 70-100 Reader: unknown Jabberwocky by Lewis Caroll suggested tempo – anything! Reading: Robert Nichol audio productions |
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3. Add some music loops
Now, you can begin to add loops to your project. Experiment with different combinations and placements as you add music to the entire poem. |
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4. Save and download
Once you have enough music to cover the whole poem, you can save your file, download it, and import it to itunes. (But first, you may want to experiment with some fun extras below!) |
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Fun Extras #1
But we don’t have to stop there! We can try a few fun things. You don’t have to leave the original poem recitation the way you found it! If you’d like, you can copy and splice the speaking part to add echo effects or emphasis. |
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Fun Extras #2
You can also change the tempo and the key. (Try not to change it so much that we can’t understand the words of the poem, though) |
Reflection questions for student participants:
What do you think the poet of the work you chose wanted the listener to think or feel?
How did your music choices reflect this? (Or how did they not reflect this?)
What do you think the poet of the work you chose wanted the listener to think or feel?
How did your music choices reflect this? (Or how did they not reflect this?)