Shared Pianos

• Polina Mann
• Posted 4/22/24
• 0 comments

Google released Chrome Music Lab music experiments in 2018.  Each unique music experiment is free, requiring an internet connection and an electronic device.  Shared Piano is a simple tool for remote music teaching and collaboration that lets you play music together live on the web or save a song and share it with others. You can play on MIDI or a computer keyboard. Up to 10 people can play together at once. You don’t need to log in or install anything. Just send a link to someone and start playing together. 

Adding a Midi Keyboard expands your students’ composing abilities because they are no longer limited to importing single notes at a time. The key to successfully adding Midi Keyboards in a classroom setting is understanding the logistics and setting parameters for your students. 

1. This is your personal link.  You will need this to invite others to join you. 

2. Menu of sounds you can use on Shared Piano. 

3. Reset the page, clearing the notes you have played. 

4. Menu where you can alter the octaves, midi connection menu, add note names, and change octaves. 

5. Creates a link to save your work. 

6. Creates a new room to share with other students. 

7. Troubleshooting menu. 

This quick YouTube tutorial will guide you and your students through an overview of the shared piano. Shared Piano Tutorial 

I first teach my students how to connect their keyboards and headphones to their devices to ensure my class runs smoothly. If a student has a problem, it is typically because their headphones or keyboards are not plugged in correctly.   

1. Open Song Maker. 

2. Open Settings. 

3. Click on the Midi Device Menu. 

4. Click on your device.  

After students connect their keyboards, I have them set up the composition parameters.  These are the settings I use for my student’s initial composition project. 

1. Students create a melody independently. 

2. Teach students what the sustain function does on a keyboard and how to use the sustain function in shared piano. 

3. Show students where the sustain function is on the keyboard.  

4. Assign students partners. 

5. One student plays their melody while their partner listens. 

6. Next, the partner creates a harmony line to accompany the melody. 

7. Students switch roles. 

Harmony is when two or more notes fit together well.  I demonstrate by playing two pitches on the piano, one dissonant interval and one consonant one. Most chords use three notes.  To create chords, we play the first note and then add every other note until we build a chord with a total of three notes.  

To harmonize a melody, start with the first note of the melody and build a chord from that note. Next, look for other notes that can be harmonized in the melody that are not in the first chord. If a melody starts on C, perhaps harmonize the next note, D. Ask students to find 2 or 3 chords to accompany the melody.  

Here is a quick video tutorial of how I teach this skill.  Video Link 

Baker. (2020, September 24). Shared piano tutorial – chrome music lab. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z1YzmrDmaZc  

Google. (2018a). Shared Piano. Chrome Music Lab. https://musiclab.chromeexperiments.com/Shared-Piano/#2QVqB6jR_  

Google. (2018b). Song maker. Chrome Music Lab. https://musiclab.chromeexperiments.com/Song-Maker