For the past few weeks, I have been finishing up the school year and beginning some summer PD by taking Dr. Jim Frankel’s course titled, “AI in the Music Classroom.” Jim is a dear friend who I have collaborated with many times over the two decades that I have known him. He was a middle school music teacher for 15 years, then a Director of Soundtree (the educational division of Korg) for four years, and for over a decade, has been the Founder and Director of MusicFirst - a company dedicated to providing world-class software, resources, and content to music teachers and students around the world.

AI in the Music Classroom

I am excited to be enrolled in this course led by Jim because of his extensive research in the field. Jim, a member of the NAfME AI Task Force Committee, recently presented insights on AI in a webinar for its members. His great knowledge and ability to stay current with AI advancements are commendable. As I explore the weekly resources provided, I am uncovering many ways to incorporate AI in the classroom, reminding me of how we previously integrated tools like Digital Audio Workstations (DAW), notation programs, and web-based music creation platforms to enhance the musical experience for all students, especially when traditional methods were not available.

Five AI Tools for Elementary Music Teachers

I will begin by stating that if you use these with students or at your school, please check with your IT and/or administration first.

#5 Magicschool.ai

There are so many things Magicschool can do to help a teacher save time. Try the lesson plan generator or the curriculum map generator. Or have it create a multiple-choice assessment from your favorite YouTube video. Have it create a worksheet for you from a simple description. Need to write a song parody of a retiring administrator? Magicschool can even do that as well!

#4 Canvas Magic Write

Canvas Magic Write can assist you in rewriting, summarizing, sprinkling a bit of “fairy dust,” or changing the tone of your writing.

#3 Asking Questions to ChaptGPT

ChatGPT is becoming as popular as a search engine as Google. Though this AI tool is still learning, it can be used to find information on a variety of topics, especially with concise prompts. If you subscribe to it, you can generate artwork as DALL-E 3 has been available in the paid version since last October, so ChatGPT can now unique images from a simple conversation.

#2 Moises or Vocal Remover

Both of these are free+ tools that you can use to remove vocals from a recording or split the tracks so that you can isolate a guitar track or a drum track. These tools help greatly when I have a student drummer and I just want to take out the drum track so that the student can play it with the rest of the recording. Or, remove the vocals so that the students can sing karaoke with the original recording as a “karaoke day” in my classroom right before a vacation or break.

#1 Suno and Udio

Create music together as a class by having the students give you one word to describe music class. I had this idea from watching an interview with the Grammy Music Educator of the Year, Annie Ray. I asked my students this question this year and loved the results and turned it into word art.

However, with Suno and Udio, this can be turned into a song that we can then compare and contrast the instruments and voice to those of an acoustic recording. Again, I would probably have them create the content and then I would use the AI tools at home and bring in the recording for them to compare and contrast since I cannot control what content might be shown on the screen in my classroom.

Lyrics:

[Verse 1]

Music class is so much fun

Incredible we all become

Creative minds unite as one

Instrumental beats every drum

[Verse 2]

Extraordinary we play it loud

Unique talents in the crowd

Amazing sounds we make somehow

Feel the rhythm moving now

[Chorus]

Sing together in harmony

Feel the joy and melody

Dance along to the beat we see

Music class sets our spirits free

[Bridge]

Every note a story told

Through the keys so bright and bold

Instruments we lovingly hold

Echoes of our dreams unfold

[Verse 3]

From the string to the wind we play

Every moment a golden ray

In this room we find our way

Music class makes a better day

[Chorus]

Sing together in harmony

Feel the joy and melody

Dance along to the beat we see

Music class sets our spirits free

Coming Soon!

Learn more about Canva’s AI tools from Midnight Music’s Katie Argyle’s Webinar this week open to the Midnight Music Community!

Music resource: “Deja (Instrumental)” by Leo Islo