Research on Digital Music’s Impact in the Classroom

Research is beginning to show how much new technology can benefit students in the music classroom. David Knapp’s recent study, published in Research Studies in Music Education, offers a few good reasons why music educators should be outfitting their classrooms with digital audio workstations (DAWs). Knapp, an assistant professor of music education at Syracuse University, observed how music technology in the classroom made lessons more democratic, more equitable, and more inclusive. The use of DAWs like GarageBand and Soundtrap has exploded since the onset of the pandemic, with expanded appeal for students who prefer to exercise their creativity and composition offstage. These programs also level the playing field so all students can participate; for instance, Soundtrap is a free app that allows one to compose a song without reading music notation. Knapp is one of the first to explore big data sets in digital music-making and machine learning in music education. We’re betting that he won’t be the last.