Making Beginning Band a Blast

This is my 20th year of teaching and I am always searching for technology pieces (often outside the box) that will grab my students' attention and reinforce my teaching. We are not a one-to-one school, but are fortunate to have an iPad cart and several Chromebook carts in our buildings. In my classroom, we mainly use iPads. I also have AppleTV on my projector and am able to mirror on the SmartBoard what I do on the iPad.

One of my favorite go-to apps is BandBlast, it is a free app developed by Music Lifeboat. There are several components to BandBlast and students can use the app in one of two ways. They can work in individual sections of the app, or they can complete "missions" that encompass all of the sections.

First, there are hundreds of instructional videos to watch by credible musicians on the care and playing of their instrument. I have used many of these videos as short lessons at the beginning of class with my beginning band students. Occasionally I have also had the iPads handy in the room for students to watch/listen to while I work with another section of the band.

Second, there is a section with rhythm games. In this section, students can select various note value combos at easy, medium, and hard levels. This is great because the students are able to work at their own pace. The rhythm-game section is the favorite for the majority of my students. It is like a video game -- and yes I am horrible at it, so the kids love it when I demo it up on the SmartBoard.

Last, but not least, there is a section of pitch games and a recording studio section (like SmartMusic on a much smaller scale, but with backing selection options and a mixer.) I have not used these sections much in my classroom, but several of my students have used them at home and felt that it is helpful as well as fun.

I use this app in my upper elementary general music classes for the rhythm games first. I then introduce it to my band students in 5th grade with the mission and video aspects. I have several students who continue to use it from home as 6th grade band students. I have been using it now for a few years and have students in my 7th/8th grade general music classes that still ask if they can play the rhythm games when they have iPad time.

The best part: the original BandBlast app is free with no ads and no in-app purchases!

Music Lifeboat has recently created a newer app, BandBlast Rock. It is a rhythm game set to several backing genres such as Punk, Folk, Blues, etc. I have not used this app in my classroom yet, but am planning to put it on our iPads in the near future. I think it will be great to use as a continuation with my junior high music classes. This is also a free app, but does include some in-app purchases.

I use our iPads and many different apps on a regular basis in my classroom. I use them in my elementary general music classes, with my choirs, and with my bands. The list of great free or inexpensive apps for use in music classrooms is extensive. If this is a topic that you are interested in more information about, or you would like to brainstorm ideas for use in the classroom, please feel free to contact me at waldos@billings.k12.mo.us.