Developing an Approach to Networked Audio for Distance Learning in Music Practice

• Project Team: Sean WilliamsNaomi Barker
• Subject Discipline: Arts and Humanities
• Theme: Equality, diversity and inclusionOnline and blended tuition
• Project Aim: Enables more students to achieve their study goalsEnhances employability and career progressionImproves and enhance the learning experience of studentsPromotes equality diversity and inclusion including reduction of degree awarding gap
• Status: Complete
• Date: July 2020 to April 2021

This project examines the use of networked technologies for group music practice, within the context of a small group of 3-7 players. We will run workshops and rehearsals of specific pieces, documenting findings and assessing whether a suitable methodology can be developed for using the technology within teaching Music at the Open University.

This project addresses the following research question:

• Can we use readily available networking technologies to increase the scope of what we teach in Music at the OU?

• Can we link up remote practical music making with key employability skills for our students?
• Can we add to our palette of teaching methodologies to increase recruitment, particularly by building in a practical music making component?

The focus is on evaluating tools and developing a methodology for using these technologies to teach practical elements of music in undergraduate and postgraduate music modules that will be written in the next few years. We will be comparing Adobe Connect and Zoom by running similar sessions and tests on each platform. Adobe Connect is used by the OU for tutorials, and Zoom is the most widely used platform for video and audio outside the OU. We hope to find out whether Adobe Connect can be used for this purpose by making direct comparisons to Zoom.

The work may also feed into other curriculum, including the CPMM (Certificate: The Practice of Music Making)  Level 3 module jointly run with Trinity Laban, as a potential substitute for the week-long residential school. This has been suggested to be a barrier to entry for some students who cannot attend (for various reasons). Incorporating a networked group alternative could therefore help recruitment to CPMM. Since CPMM is part of the Music BA, this would also increase student numbers taking the Music BA.

Employability and accessibility factors prohibit the use of expensive software solutions, so widely-used and cheaper alternatives are essential. Zoom is the primary focus of this project as it is used by many musicians and teachers already, and has the best audio quality (Howell, 2020) which is absolutely essential to this context.