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12th, High School Grades  Project 4 weeks

Mix & Match: The Ableton Adventure

Lucas E
MA:Pr4.1.iii
Effective Communication
Content Expertise
Collaboration
Critical Thinking & Problem Solving
1-pager

Purpose

Dive into the world of music production by studying and applying advanced music theory to create original compositions using Ableton Live. Your journey will explore merging different musical genres to develop innovative sounds, enhancing your understanding and skills in digital audio workstations. Collaborate with peers and community experts, engage in meaningful critique and revision processes, and communicate your progress through exhibitions and reflective practices.

Learning goals

Your learning goals include mastering the use of Ableton Live to produce music, deepening your understanding of music theory, and exploring the fusion of different musical genres to create original compositions. Throughout the project, you'll focus on collaborating effectively with your peers and refining your work through ongoing critique and revision sessions. You will also aim to enhance your communication skills by presenting your musical creations and reflecting on your development process in both written and oral formats.
Standards
  • [National Core Arts Standards] MA:Pr4.1.iii - HS Advanced: Synthesize various arts, media arts forms and academic content into unified media arts productions that retain artistic fidelity across platforms, such as transdisciplinary productions.
Competencies
  • Effective Communication - Students practice listening to understand, communicating with empathy, and share their learning through exhibiting, presenting and reflecting on their work.
  • Content Expertise - Students develop key competencies, skills, and dispositions with ample opportunities to apply knowledge and engage in work that matters to them.
  • Collaboration - Students co-design projects with peers, exercise shared-decision making, strengthen relational agency, resolve conflict, and assume leadership roles.
  • Critical Thinking & Problem Solving - Students consider a variety of innovative approaches to address and understand complex questions that are authentic and important to their communities.

Products

By the end of this project, you will have produced a portfolio of music tracks that demonstrate your understanding of music theory and your ability to use Ableton Live. This portfolio will include initial compositions, various draft iterations showcasing edits and improvements, and one or more finalized tracks that explore unique sound fusions across different genres. Throughout the process, you and your partner will engage in regular critique and revision sessions to refine your work and ensure each piece resonates with your intended audience. You will also create reflective blog entries and journals that document your learning journey, challenges faced, and creative breakthroughs, providing depth and insight into your project experience.

Launch

Kick off your project with an interactive music genre exploration session. Collaborate in small groups to listen to diverse musical genres and discuss their unique characteristics and influences on contemporary music. Together, brainstorm how these genres can be integrated into new compositions. By sharing musical preferences and insights, you'll establish a collaborative foundation and spark initial creative ideas for your music production journey.

Exhibition

Design an interactive listening booth at the exhibition where visitors can experience your musical journey by hearing the progression from initial drafts to the final produced pieces. Facilitate a gallery walk where guests can provide written feedback and engage in discussions about the evolution of your music. Collaborate with peers to incorporate a multimedia presentation that includes your reflective insights and creative process, showcasing how music theory and digital tools have shaped your work.
Rubric
Competency Progression Rubric Competency-first rubric
Category
Learning Goal
Stage 1
Stage 2
Stage 3
Stage 4
Deeper Learning Competencies
Effective Communication
  • I can actively listen to diverse musical genres, share my insights openly, and collaborate effectively with my peers to infuse different styles into our compositions using Ableton Live, demonstrating my understanding of music theory and creating engaging digital music experiences for audiences.
  • I can effectively share my musical ideas and concepts with my peers and audiences, actively listen to feedback during critique sessions, and incorporate constructive input into my music pieces, showing growth in my ability to transform diverse musical elements into cohesive compositions.
  • I can effectively communicate my music creation process and insights by presenting and reflecting on my work through engaging exhibits and thoughtful reflections, demonstrating my ability to integrate diverse musical genres and media arts while maintaining artistic coherence.
  • I can articulate my creative process and the development of my music by effectively presenting and reflecting on my work through engaging multimedia presentations, showcasing how I merged diverse musical genres and maintained artistic fidelity across my projects.
Deeper Learning Competencies
Content Expertise
  • I can create a basic music track using Ableton Live that introduces one musical genre and identify its key characteristics and influences on my composition, demonstrating my initial understanding of music theory and digital audio workstation tools.
  • I can use Ableton Live to create music tracks that demonstrate a solid understanding of music theory
  • I can integrate elements from at least two different musical genres into my compositions, resulting in a cohesive sound that retains the unique qualities of each genre
  • I show progress by developing multiple drafts and making thoughtful improvements based on feedback.
  • I can effectively use Ableton Live to create original music tracks that blend different musical genres, demonstrating my understanding of advanced music theory by developing compositions that showcase innovative and cohesive sound fusions
  • I regularly apply feedback from critique sessions to refine my tracks and ensure they align with my artistic vision while engaging audiences with unique and polished final products.
  • I can expertly synthesize music theory and digital tools to create original compositions that seamlessly blend multiple genres, reflecting a deep understanding of Ableton Live and showcasing artistic innovation
  • I consistently engage in thoughtful critique and make strategic revisions to my work, resulting in a polished portfolio that successfully communicates my creative journey and resonates with my intended audience.
Deeper Learning Competencies
Collaboration
  • I actively engage with my peers to brainstorm diverse musical genres, contributing ideas and perspectives that expand our collective creative vision
  • I listen respectfully and build upon others' ideas to synthesize unique compositions that blend different styles
  • Through group discussions and reflections, I help ensure our music production remains cohesive and retains artistic fidelity across various platforms.
  • I can collaborate with my peers by actively participating in group discussions and creatively incorporating different musical genres into our compositions to enhance our collective projects, while ensuring that each piece maintains artistic integrity across various platforms.
  • I can effectively collaborate with my peers, sharing ideas and feedback to enhance our music compositions, while combining different musical genres and using Ableton Live to maintain artistic consistency across our projects.
  • I am able to co-design a compelling original music track that effectively blends multiple genres, using feedback from my peers and experts to refine my work
  • I approach collaboration with openness, listening actively to integrate diverse musical ideas, and contribute meaningfully to group discussions that enhance our project's creativity and cohesion.
Deeper Learning Competencies
Critical Thinking & Problem Solving
  • I can explore different musical genres and recognize their unique characteristics, using them to brainstorm innovative ideas for my compositions
  • I take thoughtful risks by experimenting with new sounds in Ableton Live and collaborate with my peers to find creative solutions to any challenges that arise.
  • I can explore merging different musical genres and apply music theory concepts using Ableton Live, showing a developing ability to create innovative sounds, and I seek feedback to improve my compositions while maintaining the essence of the original genres.
  • I can skillfully combine multiple musical genres and media arts elements in my composition to create a cohesive and innovative piece that reflects a deep understanding of music theory and digital production tools within Ableton Live
  • My work demonstrates thoughtful experimentation and problem-solving, as I explore and refine sound fusions, ensuring artistic fidelity across different media platforms.
  • I can creatively synthesize diverse musical genres and music theory concepts within Ableton Live to produce original compositions that maintain artistic consistency, and I am able to articulate and address complex musical challenges by iterating through multiple drafts and incorporating feedback to refine my work for a meaningful audience experience.
Learning Journey
Empathize Define Ideate Prototype Test/Present
Empathize
You will conduct interviews and surveys with music enthusiasts and fellow producers to gather insights on preferred genres and elements that create memorable music, recording your findings to inform your creative process in merging diverse musical styles.
Days 1 - 3
Meet Real Music Makers
Launch 60m
Meet Real Music Makers
Launch 60m
Interview Music Enthusiasts
Launch 60m
No activities have been added to this phase yet.

Edit Phase

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Define
You will synthesize your research findings into a focused problem statement that highlights the unique musical qualities and artistic challenges you aim to address, setting a clear direction for your upcoming creative and production work.
Days 4 - 6
Frame Problem Landscape
Deliverable 90m
Frame the Musical Problem
Deliverable 90m
Define Core Problem POV
Deliverable 90m
No activities have been added to this phase yet.

Edit Phase

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Ideate
You will brainstorm and sketch various genre-blending music concepts, engage in collaborative sessions with your peers to gather diverse perspectives, and refine your ideas through peer feedback before moving on to the prototyping phase.
Days 7 - 10
Concept Sketch Refinement with Peers
Knowledge/Skill Building 45m
Concept Sketch Pack
Deliverable 90m
No activities have been added to this phase yet.

Edit Phase

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Prototype
You will develop and test draft versions of your music compositions using Ableton Live, applying feedback from your partner and community collaborators to refine your pieces and prepare them for showcasing at the exhibition.
Days 11 - 15
Peer Critique Session for Drafts
Knowledge/Skill Building 60m
Implement Draft Revisions in Ableton
Knowledge/Skill Building 60m
Prototype Iteration Log
Deliverable 90m
Testing Protocol & Feedback
Deliverable 60m
Testing Feedback Protocol
Deliverable 75m
User Test Documentation
Deliverable 75m
No activities have been added to this phase yet.

Edit Phase

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Test/Present
You will present your polished music compositions during a showcase event, inviting feedback from community partners and peers, while reflecting on the journey from initial drafts to final pieces and considering how different musical genres and techniques have contributed to your unique sound.
Days 16 - 20
Final Exhibition: Polished Demos and Feedback
Knowledge/Skill Building 60m
Final Music Showcase
Assessment
Peer Critique of Draft A in Ableton
Knowledge/Skill Building 60m
Revise Draft A Based on Feedback
Knowledge/Skill Building 60m
Exhibition-Ready Polish and Narrative Preparation
Knowledge/Skill Building 60m
Final Music Showcase
Assessment
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Plan

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