Soundtrap is a great tool for students to use to create music online. Soundtrap offers a wide variety of virtual instruments that students can use to create music on Chromebooks, Mac and Windows computers, and iOS and Android tablets. Soundtrap also lets kids record music they play with real instruments. The best part is that students can collaborate on the creation of music with virtual instruments. In essence, it's Google Docs for music.
This week Soundtrap added a new feature that some music teachers will appreciate. That is feature is the option to export music as MIDI files. Students can download their MIDI files or export them directly to Flat.io or Noteflight for further composition editing.
My suggestions were to try SoundTrap, BandLab, or Soundation.
Soundtrap is a fantastic tool for creating music online. The cool thing about Soundtrap is that students can use virtual instruments to create music or they can record themselves playing music on an instrument and then use that recording in conjunction with the virtual instruments in the Soundtrap environment. What makes Soundtrap stand-out from the crowd is its collaboration options. Click the "collaborate" tab in the Soundtrap editor to invite others to create music with you. Soundtrap will work in the Chrome web browser on a laptop, iPad, Chromebook, and Android tablet. In my workshops I often describe Soundtrap as Google Docs for music.
BandLab is a free service that enables you to create music in your web browser or through free Android and iOS apps. In BandLab's you can create soundtracks using any of the virtual instruments that are provided. You can also speak or sing to record a track. Within the BandLab editor you can mix your tracks together to create a song. If you have existing audio files on your computer, you can upload those to incorporate into your BandLab creations.
Soundation is a service that allows anyone to create and remix sound tracks online. If you have used Apple's Garage Band, Soundation will look familiar to you. Soundation provides tracks on which you can place music clips and sound effects to mix together. To create your original work you can select from Soundation's gallery of 400 free sounds, upload your own sounds, or record new sounds using the instruments and keyboard built into Soundation. When you've created a product you like, you can download it or share it in Soundation's gallery.
Soundtrap is a fantastic tool for creating music. I tested it out last winter and used during a couple of my workshops this past summer and fall. The really cool thing about Soundtrap is that students can use virtual instruments to create music or they can record themselves playing music on an instrument and then use that recording in conjunction with the virtual instruments in the Soundtrap environment.
What makes Soundtrap stand-out from the crowd is its collaboration options. Click the "collaborate" tab in the Soundtrap editor to invite others to create music with you. Soundtrap will work in the Chrome web browser on a laptop, iPad, Chromebook, and Android tablet. In my workshops I often describe Soundtrap as Google Docs for music.
When I started using Soundtrap last year it was only available as a consumer/ free platform. That version was fine if your students were over the age of 13 and you didn't have concerns about them sharing with people outside of your district. This month Soundtrap introduced a classroom edition. The classroom edition of Soundtrap allows you to create a walled garden in which your students can only work with people in your district domain. Soundtap also now has a Google Classroom integration available.
Take a look at the videos below to see how Soundtrap could work in your classroom.
Applications for Education
The best way for students to avoid any worries about copyright infringement when creating a multimedia project is to use audio tracks that they've created. Soundtrap could be a great tool for that purpose. Soundtrap's collaboration option could be a great solution when students working on a group project need to develop spoken tracks.
Soundtrap could also be a good tool for students in a music class to experiment with sounds and rhythms to hear how they combine to create music.
One of the things that Soundtrap's founders are sharing during the BETT Show this week is the idea of using Soundtrap's audio recording as an aid in world languages courses. Students can record dialogues and then teachers can give them feedback. Or the teacher can record a passage for students to listen to.
Disclosure: Soundtrap is a client of MindRocket Media Group. I am a partner in MRMG.
Soundtrap is a web-based platform for collaboratively creating music and vocal recordings. On Soundtrap you can create music from scratch by using their built-in virtual instruments. If you have your own instruments to record, you can use the microphone on your laptop to record yourself playing. Students who have Midi devices can record to Soundtrap too. Of course, you can just turn on your device's microphone to record a vocal track. After recording your tracks you can blend them together in the Soundtrap editor.
Soundtrap offers a collaboration option. Click the "collaborate" tab to in the Soundtrap editor to invite others to edit with you. Soundtrap will work in the Chrome web browser on a laptop, iPad, Chromebook, and Android tablet. A Chrome app is also available.
Soundtrap's free plan allows you to store five tracks in your account. You can download all of your creations as MP3 files.
Applications for Education
The best way for students to avoid any worries about copyright infringement when creating a multimedia project is to use audio tracks that they've created. Soundtrap could be a great tool for that purpose. Soundtrap's collaboration option could be a great solution when students working on a group project need to develop spoken tracks.
Soundtrap could also be a good tool for students in a music class to experiment with sounds and rhythms to hear how they combine to create music.
Thanks to Jen Deyenberg for the Tweets about Soundtrap.
