Description

The Multimedia Practice Program for Band Instruments is designed for college-level instrumental music students. It allows users to improve in the following ways. First, students can self-monitor their practice by recording directly into the computer and reflecting on their performance by reviewing "the audit trails" in the computer. Second, students can compare their performance with multiple representations of experts' performances on the same screen simultaneously. Third, students can get background information and musical analysis of several compositions through the use of this program. Fourth, students can self-diagnose their performance problems, such as hand position and embouchure, by using this program which records their practice visually. Fifth, students can keep on-line notes to reflect on the problems they confront when they practice.

Learning Through Reflection and Multiple Representations of Musical Performances

According to Collins and Brown (1988), the computer has proven to be a powerful tool for learning through reflection. By using computers and other innovative technologies, it becomes possible to track the learning process so teachers and students can reflect on their own performances by reviewing "the audit trails". For example, music students can record their practice directly into the computer and review their own performances by playing them back (e.g., 1-1, 1-2, 1-3 and 1-4 in Figure 1). The audit trail thus becomes an object of study through which students can learn to self-monitor their performance.

In addition to learning through self-reflection, students may also learn from comparing their own performances with those of the teacher or other musicians. Music is variably-structured and very complex in nature. Nobody interprets a musical composition exactly the same as someone else. Even though musicians try to locate the authenticity of music by analyzing the style of the composer, searching for the origins of the piece, or by looking up available primary sources, there is no one "correct" answer for the interpretation of music. The authenticity of music does not exist since music must be reconstructed and recreated by the performers.

Since people perceive a given piece differently, music should not be taught in only one way. Instead, music should be learned through multiple representations of performances. This goal can be achieved by using the hypertext system, which is nonlinear and multidimensional in nature (Conklin, 1987). It allows the multiple representations of different interpretations to be shown easily at the same time. The multimedia practice program exemplifies this concept by displaying the multiple interpretations of the same musical piece on one screen and enabling students to listen, reflect, and also compare their own performances with them (see Figure 1).

The Need for Teaching Music Students Critical Thinking Skills

As Reahm (1987) argued, much of what music educators do today opposes individual decision making, especially in the performance classes where the ensemble is expected to play as a group under the direction of the band director or the orchestra conductor. Students are not aware that musicianship largely is a process of making decisions. A good teacher should not only "teach the symbols on the paper, but also...analyze what is not on the paper" (pp. 236-237). Novice students must learn interpretative performance skills through observing the way an expert teacher interprets music from multiple perspectives. They must know what expert teachers have in mind when making decisions in terms of interpretation. There is no single correct answer in music performance. Students should develop the ability to make informed decisions independently when studying new compositions.

In teaching decision-making, instructors can first serve as a model and then turn over increasingly more of the task to the students. After being appropriately abstracted and structured, this process will hopefully serve as a mental model through which students can learn to solve problems in new situations (Kozma, 1991). The music information session in this multimedia practice program exemplifies an expert performer's mental model to help novice students develop critical thinking skills to make informed performance decisions. For example, an expert instrumentalist might interpret a solo line based on the harmonic progression of the whole musical piece. He/she might also interpret the music based on its stylistic characteristics. This unspoken interpretative framework for decision-making can be extremely helpful to novice performers.

The Need for Teaching Students the Ability of Self-diagnosis

Most wind instrument students learn to adjust their embouchure and hand position by looking in the mirror. However, this can be done only when they are playing scales or doing warm-up exercises. Students are not aware of their embouchure and hand position problems when their eyes are busy looking at the score. Thus, it is essential to have their practice process videotaped for later review. Students can easily diagnose their own performance problems through watching the digitized movies. These records can also serve as a profile which tracks a students' progress. Teachers can also make use of these files in pedagogical classes.

Hardware and Software Requirements

ï a Macintosh AV computer / a Macintosh computer with a video card installed

ï a microphone connected with the computer

ï a camcorder connected with the computer

ï HyperCard 2.1 software

ï video digitizing software

Conclusion

Since instrumental music students should learn to self-monitor their performance and learn interpretive musical skills, they require an environment in which they can track their practice and compare their performances with those of others. It is essential to use new technology to help instrumental music students improve. The purpose of developing this multimedia practice program for band instruments is aimed at providing a concrete example of such performance environment. Hopefully, through the sharing of ideas, further effort may be made to construct a technology-based music environment for enhancing instrumental music students' learning in performance study.

References