Teaching Music in a Digital Paradigm – Part 2

• Amy Burns
• Posted 1/14/21
• 0 comments

Singing Pandemic Style

Music Class without Singing – How does that work? 

History will remember 2020 as the year music educators reinvented how to teach general music to young students.  

We are teaching remotely or in hybrid to face-to-face (f2f) with restrictions.  Most music educators have had to adapt to a unique teaching scenario and be prepared at a moment’s notice to switch into a different teaching model. Technology, once a passive tool an elementary music teacher used intermittently, has become one of our primary teaching vehicles.  

One of the biggest challenges in general music is that we can no longer sing in the classroom. Some teachers in warmer climates can sing outside using social distancing precautions. However, many do not have that option. How can we provide opportunities for students to sing when restrictions prevent us from singing together? 

Where do we go? 

Resources like YouTube can help us find videos to model good singing both online or in-person. If YouTube is not allowed at your school, there are alternatives. Here are a few I recommend:

Viewpure

Viewpure removes all distracting comments and side-bar related videos from YouTube links.  

To use Viewpure:

1. Copy a YouTube link and paste it into Viewpure’s search bar.  
2. Viewpure will create a new link that is “purified.” Purified means the video has no comments, advertisements, or side-bar related videos.  
3. Additionally, Viewpure has been consistently performing better regarding security than other similar platforms. 

Google Slides

Google Slides can also “purify” your YouTube links.  

To use Google Slides:

1. Click on the Insert menu. 
2. Scroll down and click on the word video.  
3. Paste the YouTube link into the YouTube search bar. 
4. The purified video uploads into the Google Slide.  

Downloading YouTube Videos

Ripping videos can become problematic when there are copyright issues.   If you decide to go this route, I will encourage you to use screen recording and cite the video’s source.  Here are a few screen recordings tools I have used:

• Screencastify
• Loom
• Screencast-O-Matic
• WeVideo
• Flipgrid

Each of these resources has free educational versions.  They can record videos for a time of 5 to 45 minutes, depending on the platform. 

Creating a video of yourself singing a song

Recording yourself can be done in numerous ways. If you are teaching and f2f and allowed to sing, you are probably restricted in how long you and your students can sing together. Creating a video lets the students hear you, even when you cannot sing live. 

Mobile Devices

One of the most intuitive ways to create a video of yourself singing a song is to record yourself with your mobile device. You can then play it during class. Additionally, you can add your video to Google Slides.   

1. Create and upload the video to your YouTube channel.   
2. Make your video unlisted.  
3. Accessing an unlisted video can only be done when using the link created when making the video.  
4. Use this link and embed the video into your Google Slides. 

Screen Recording

Using the apps listed above, you can screen record yourself performing a song.  The benefit of using screen recording is that you can project song lyrics at the same time you appear on the screen.   

1. Project the lyrics on the screen. 
2. Launch the app. 
3. Turn on the microphone and camera so that you appear on the screen with the lyrics. 
4. Record yourself.  

Apps like Screencastify will automatically save to your Google Drive. Also, some of the apps will give you a link and allow you to download the video.  Others will provide you with the option of creating an embed code to place it on a website. 

Zoom

Using Zoom as a screen recording tool has some superior benefits. By accessing the free educators’ version, you currently have unlimited screen recording time. Also, on most devices, you can record yourself with your slides as a background by launching:  

1. Zoom<New Meeting<Share<Advanced<Slides as Virtual Background  
2. Remember to click the “Share Computer Sound” button on the bottom of the screen if you use your computer to accompany the sound. 
3. Then hit record. 

This method allows you to upload a PowerPoint that might contain lyrics, pictures, etc., letting you record yourself on-screen singing with additional material you want students to view. When finished, Zoom will save the recording to your hard drive or cloud—allowing you to present during class or share the recording to an online platform.

Although none of these methods will replace singing in person, technology has made singing with students possible.  I would encourage everyone to think outside the box and give one of these ideas a try. 

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Teaching Music in a Digital Paradigm

Article Series

Part 1: Establishing Routine
Part 2: Singing Pandemic Style
Part 3: Deciphering Online Learning Platforms
Part 4: Motivating Student Musicians Online