The Blair Finch Project

    Garageband

Garageband is a fantastic software program with almost the same capabilities on the mobile app. As a bonus, the app is now free! You may, however, have to pay to add all the loops (and there are a lot - it's worth it!) Click the link above to get a free interactive iBook of our favorite tried-and-true lessons using Garageband.

The mobile app has several highlights worth mentioning to take you to the upper levels of SAMR. It will record audio (subsitution), but also offers "smart" instruments that will auto-play given parameters such as tempo, key, etc (augmentation). Students can tailor the sound to their liking by adding pedals to the guitars, or by manually playing the piano based on chord symbols. To take this to a new level, Garageband offeres the chance to have "jam sessions" with other ipad users in the area, so students can play a song together while recording it on the band leader's ipad (modification). This can be accomplished with real instruments in a classroom setting, of course, but the fact that students could record from different areas of the building simultaneously and that students with special needs or low motor skills can participate in live music making makes it teaching above the line. And, to finish off a project, there is a simple share button that can instantly publish the music to a teacher's email or Soundcloud (redefinition). Students can now globally publish!