In the United States, many of us are currently immersed in the "everything pumpkin" trend. This seasonal craze involves adding a "pumpkin" twist to everything from coffee to cereal. Personally, I revel in this time of the year as I adore autumn, with its vibrant leaf colors, outdoor adventures, and melodic tunes. Above all, I have a special fondness for all things "pumpkin." Among the various pumpkin-flavored treats, Dunkin' Pumpkin coffee holds a special place in my heart, and I make sure to stock up on it to enjoy throughout the year.

Steady Beat Play-Along Video

Designed for my youngest music students, this play-along video focuses on maintaining a steady beat. The video includes the following activities:

• Clapping hands

• Tapping knees

• Marching

• Tapping shoulders and crossing the midline

• Tapping knees

• Marching

• Dance party

• Marching

• Dance party

Utilizing Free Tools for Video Creation

To create this video, I opted to use free tools, as I will be demonstrating how to produce play-along videos using these resources at the upcoming TMEA conference. I utilized Canva (https://www.canva.com/education/) for designing the slides and Microsoft Clipchamp (https://clipchamp.com/en/) for video creation and editing. If you are interested in learning more about this process, consider attending one of my sessions this year, or invite me to your school to conduct a session on creating personalized play-along videos aligned with your teaching methods and curriculum.

The Creation Process of the Song

The song was crafted using Suno (https://suno.com/), an AI-powered music generator. Suno generates original songs based on textual prompts, spanning various genres by blending vocals and instrumentals or producing instrumental tracks independently. Users specify the music style and theme, and Suno generates a complete song, with options to extend or modify the output. The tool is user-friendly and offers limited free features, with advanced functionalities unlocked through paid plans, including ownership of the produced content.

Suno is currently embroiled in a legal battle concerning copyright infringement. In June 2024, the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) filed a lawsuit against Suno, alleging unauthorized use of copyrighted sound recordings in its AI training process. The lawsuit seeks damages of up to $150,000 per infringed work and aims to halt Suno from training its AI on copyrighted music.

AI-generated music has made significant strides over the years. While it can revive voices that have faded, such as in the case of Randy Travis who used AI tools to restore his voice after a stroke, there are copyright concerns. Unauthorized use of AI-generated voice clones for commercial purposes without consent raises legal implications and ethical dilemmas.

The landscape of AI-generated music is constantly evolving, presenting a fascinating trajectory. As developments unfold, it will be intriguing to observe the path ahead. Meanwhile, I asked Suno to compose a song about my love for pumpkin spice, resulting in a tune that resonated with my family, who remarked, “That song is so you, Mom.”

Manipulatives

Find Manipulatives in the Extras session at my Buy Me A Coffee page https://buymeacoffee.com/elmusedtech for free!

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