Welcome to Sound Explorations: Creating, Expressing, Improving Communities.
This is our Getting Started Coding and Programming Music Learning Playlist.
Before Starting Read This First
1) You are about to try out something called a music learning playlist. Each “track” in the playlist is called a learning experience or “XP”
2) If you see a group # next to an XP, please try out the version that has the group # you were assigned – you can also try out other versions later.
3) The last part of each XP is “Share What you Learned” you can then move on to the next XP in the playlist.
4) We want your opinions and ideas. So, please fill in the survey at the bottom of this page after you try out some of the XPs.
Note: Check with your teacher/mentor to find out if you have access to the applications Scratch or Sonic Pi that are needed to do this playlist.
[Important Required Resources]
- You will need access to Scratch or Sonic Pi for this playlist. Please download or provide links to students before starting this playlist.
- You can access Scratch online
- You can download Scratch here
- You can download Sonic Pi here
Enjoy!
These are updated versions of XPs as of 5/27/17 . [If you would like to continue working on older versions of XPs you can access them here]:
Get Started Coding and Programming Music
1. Start Here: How can we use code to create music or sound?
3. How can you add interest to your music with code?
4. How can I shape sounds with code?
5. How can I loop music with code?
6. How can I reuse musical patterns with code?
7. Final XP: How can I code and program my own music?
Related Resources
A set of curated resources related to coding and programming music.
Interested in learning more about coding and programming music?
- Go back through the XPs in the getting started playlist and try some new approaches
- Go back through the XPs in the getting started playlist and try some of the “Go Further!” options
- Watch here for new XPs we will be adding in the future.
Please consider providing feedback if you are 18+ and have expertise in Beat Making or Production or are a music teacher, teaching artist, or mentor of a community program that might use this list.
Old Versions of XPs
Topic 1: Timbre
Group 1 try this XP
Interacting with Sounds (XP 1a version 1)
Group 2 try these XPs
Interacting with Sounds Part 1 (XP 1a version 2)
Interacting with Sounds Part 2 (XP 1a version 2)
Everyone try these XPs
How can we synthesize sound? (XP 1b)
How does material impact sound? (XP 1c)
Topic 2: Pitch
Everyone try these XPs
Identifying and Communicating Pitch (XP2)
Topic 3A: Creating Instruments and Interfaces with Microcontrollers
Everyone try these XPs
What types of instruments and interfaces can I make? (XP3a)
How can I get access to a microcontroller? (XP3b)
How can I find or get access to the Arduino IDE? (XP3c)
How can I make a circuit to make music? (XP3d)
How can I program a microcontroller to make sound? (XP3e)
How can I use the interface I built to play melodies that I create? (XP3f)
How can I control sounds using a microcontroller? (XP3g)
Topic 3B: Creating Instruments and Interfaces with the Makey Makey
Everyone try these XPs
What types of instruments and interfaces can I create? (XP3B1)
How can I get access to a Makey Makey? (XP3B2)
Where can I find help on making instruments and interfaces with a Makey Makey? (XP3Bz)
How can I create an Instrument with a Makey Makey? (Setting up) (XP3B3)
How can I create an Instrument with a Makey Makey? (Making Sound) (XP3B4)
Old Versions of XPs
Topic 1: Creating Sound or Music with Code (Getting Started)
Group 1 try this XP
How can we use code to create music or sound? (Getting Started) (XP1 version 1)
Group 2 try these XPs
How can we use code to create music or sound Part 1 (Getting started with Scratch) (XP1a version 2)
How can we use code to create music or sound Part 2 (Getting started with Sonic Pi) (XP1b version 2)
Topic 2: What to do when your code isn’t working (Debugging)
Everyone try these XPs
XP2v1 What can we do when our code isn’t working properly? (XP 2)
Topic 3: Changing Volume and Panning with Code
Group 1 try this XP
XP3v1 How can you add interest to your music with code? (XP 3 version 1)
Group 2 try these XPs
XP3v2a How can you add interest to your music with code? (Xp 3a version 2
XP3v2b How can you add interest to your music with code? (XP 3b version 2)
Topic 4: Shaping Sounds with Code
Group 1 try this XP
XP4v1 How can we shape sounds with code? (XP4 version 1)
Group 2 try these XPs
XP4v2a How can we shape sounds with code? (XP4a version 2)
XP4v2b How can we shape sounds with code? (XP 4b version 2)
Topic 5: Looping Music with Code
Everyone try these XPs
XP5v1 How can we loop music with code? (XP5)
Topic 6: Reusing Musical Patterns with Code
Everyone try these XPs
XP6v1 How can we repeat patterns with code? (XP6)
