Integrating Technology in the Guitar Classroom Using Yousician Jayson Martinez, M. Mus; M. EdLd NAfME/NJMEA Guitar Education Chair jmarti37@webmail.essex.edu
If you look back in time, piled up books and going to a school no matter what kind of education you sought to gain was common. But now, those traditional learning methods do exist but in connection with some new interactive and advanced methods introduced that enhances the speed and widens the spectrum of learning. The foundation of learning still lies in attending a school with focus on books. However, in modern times mobile technology works well to add some zest to an otherwise mundane lesson. Online learning with new apps being introduced every other day has made it a serious option in the field of learning to play an instrument. Even within the classroom, tech apps such as Yousician prove to be beneficial for teachers and students alike. Yousician Yousician is the largest and fastest-growing music education company in the world. It is currently the #1 platform to learn how to play a musical instrument and its sister product GuitarTuna is the #1 tuning app. Yousician provides interactive learning for guitar, piano, ukulele, bass and voice. The software gamifies the music learning process, making it fun,
easy and motivating to learn an instrument regardless of experience level. The platforms, used monthly by 22 million people around the world, offer users step-by-step guidance with real-time feedback and lesson plans created by music teachers. There are thousands of songs, videos and exercises to help students learn and improve. In 2020, Yousician launched Yousician for Teachers, a remote learning solution for music education. The goal for Yousician is to solidify music learning during these arduous times. In response, they will continue to offer free access to the platform for all music educators and students and have already provided access to over 100,000 students globally. Further, Yousician is currently offering 1-month free trial & 50% teachers’ discount to Yousician Premium Subscription. By integrating Yousician into the music education curriculum, teachers will have access to an extensive library of exercises and songs, assess and guide their students with ease, effortlessly teach large groups of students, teach all the essential music concepts while students learn, collaborate, and have fun Mission Yousician’s mission is to make musicality as common as literacy. As an avid user of the program, I can attest that they are working towards a future where playing music is as common as reading. The developers want everyone to have the opportunity to learn an instrument, take part in the power of music, and experience the joy it brings. To further their mission, they created the Yousician Guest Teacher Series. This series allowed Yousician to partner with artists like Jason Mraz and Def Leppard’s Phil Collen, who have dropped in on virtual music classes to surprise students. The opportunity to combine music education and user experience in a virtual capacity helped to bring joy and create a positive experience for students during these unprecedented times.
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