PERSONA: MUSIC TEACHER Melissa and Courtney are active music teachers, grad students and professional musicians. Questions: What music do you most/least like to perform and or listen to? What music do you most/least like to teach and to whom? Follow-up question: For non-responsive students what techniques/techniques do you employ? What, if any, cultural connection is there to the music you like, perform or teach? What are some of the larger, more important ideas, challenges, issues, etc. to you as a music listener, maker, and teacher. Follow up question: any music or technology that fosters a ‘safe space’? Any other biographical responses to share related to you and your background in music, teaching, etc. What are some of your favorite apps to use as a music listener, maker, teacher? What makes each unique and valuable? What are some of your least favorite apps as a music listener, maker, teacher? What makes them so problematic? What, if anything, could change to make them better? What motivates you to use certain apps for music listening, making, teaching? Some newer music apps are experience-centered: creating an environment where users with limited music backgrounds can play and tinker. Do any apps you use create similar ‘experiences’? and if so, which ones? And what do you like/dislike about them? And lastly, do you have any other thoughts regarding music apps or other technologies for music teachers, learners and listeners? Conclusion: Melissa and Courtney's work isn't particularly technology-centric, nor does it need to be. But like most musicians and teachers they use technology: such as apps for notation, metronomes, composition, or services like YouTube and Spotify for discovering and teaching/learning. Neither Melissa nor Courtney were familiar with music experience software.
PERSONA: MIDDLE SCHOOL STUDENT Walker and Mary are brother and sister, but they attend different middle schools with very different music programs. Questions: What music do you like to listen to and on what devices do you listen to it? What music classes or activities do you participate in at school? What motivates you to participate in those activities? What is the best and worse parts of your music activities at school? If you were to design your ideal school music program or app, what would it be like? What are some of your favorite apps for music listening or making? Are there any music apps that you’ve used, but didn’t like or wish it worked differently? If you could make a music app, what would it be able to do? Conclusion: Mary and Walker participate in their school music classes with average interest. Mary's school has no instrumental music, but a good choral program. She is motivated to participate in the choir so she can go on school trips each spring. Music at Walker's school is a mix of general education and individual projects made in a keyboard lab with GarageBand. When asked about apps they would ideally make, Walker was happy enough with GarageBand. Mary described at length about an ideal app that would have virtual instruments like pianos and trombones; and how playing with the app users could earn rewards and points.
Questions: What music do you like to listen to and on what devices do you listen to it?
What motivates you to have your children participate in music at their school? If you could be better connected to their music learning. How would you imagine that would be? If you were to design your ideal school music program for your children, what would it be like? What apps do you use for music listening or making? What would make those apps better? If you were to design the ideal music app for you and/or your children, what would it be like? What problem would it solve? Any other thoughts to share about music and technology as a parent? Conclusion: Molly likes to listen to classical music at home on Sonos speakers, but occasionally has issues using the app on her phone. Her motivation for her children's music education is more intrinsic and not driven by a desire for academic achievement. But she also feels disconnected to her children's music programs. There is less music teacher feedback than from other teachers. Her ideal music app would educational and feature examples from the classical canon that users can be quizzed on, but in a game-like way and motivated to earn badges, coins or other reward. Final thoughts: Like playing an instrument, asking interview questions is a learned skill. Many of my interview questions didn't reveal much, yet some responses were quite enlightening. When asked about their ideal music app, Mary and Molly had very experience-centered ideas, which for Molly were educational and for Mary tinkering and free play. From Melissa and Courtney's responses and my own experience, I don't think music educators are aware of––or see the use for––experience-centered music applications. It's not how we rehearse an ensemble for a spring concert or prepare a student for a music school audition. When the iPad was first introduced, many questioned what 'need' it was fulfilling. It fulfilled many, and these were needs that people didn't know they had. I'm now convinced there is a role for experience-centered apps in music education. There must be more 'need' there than I realize, but first I'll need to start asking better questions.
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