Technology & Music 

Barely a lunch break goes by without the sound of drums and guitar reverberating from Mr Vella’s music classroom, such is the popularity of his music tuition and the interest of his students.  Added to this is Mr Vella’s keenness to embrace and embed technology into the learning of his students to augment the one-on-one instruction he is able to give in order to provide students an increased learning opportunity.

This year Wee Waa High School’s music faculty was the grateful recipient of an iPad donated by Westpac Narrabri.  The iPad allows students who are learning instruments to also take online lessons via YouTube and access a subscription music program.

The iPad is terrific.  Students can search for the guitar chords of their favourite songs, or whatever instrument they are learning and play it at a speed at which they can follow.  They then increase the speed at which the instructional video plays as they become more confident and competent with each song’. Mr James Vella.

‘Having the iPad in the classroom is a game changer. As their teacher I can only focus on one student at a time, while the others wait. With this piece of technology, students keep going on their own as I work with each student individually.’

Budding guitarist, Leslie Toomey was just five years old when he played around with a guitar for the first time. ‘My dad was a base guitarist in band when he was at school, so it’s always been something I was interested in. At the beginning of this year I decided to get a little more serious and really try to learn how to play properly. I use the iPad to take extra guitar lessons, and Mr Vella teaches me too. I use a program called Ultimate Guitar and I learn at my own pace. I can choose any song and change the speed.  Starting off slowly, you get to learn at your own pace.  The program lets you do so many things, like add in instruments or isolate one in particular. In my case I isolate the guitar. I’m really enjoying learning chords and whole songs.’  

Thomas Eldridge started learning the drums in Year 7. ‘Each year, I keep trying to improve. This year I’m learning more complicated songs and drum patterns. I used the iPad that we were given by Westpac Narrabri to search YouTube lessons. The great thing about it is that I can replay the video as many times as I need to perfect the song. Then I go and watch other musicians playing the drums for the same song and watch their interpretations’, Thomas explained.

‘Being able to use the iPad has increased the speed at which I am learning because I don’t just depend on Mr Vella for guidance. Mr Vella can be helping another student with a different instrument and at the same time I keep learning what I need to learn.’

Both Leslie and Thomas agree that using technology like an iPad made learning more fun because their learning catered to their own pace using songs they really like to play.