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AI in the Music Classroom: Uses for Creative Students

Jon Feulner

The personal viewpoints expressed in this session are solely those of the presenter and do not necessarily reflect the beliefs or views of Music Will.

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Welcome!

Brief Body Check before we start

Find 10 details in the room

you didn’t notice before

  • Get comfortable, feet on the ground
  • Close your eyes
  • Use all your senses
  • Share with someone next to you�(find a bandmate while you’re at it)

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What are we doing today?

Hi, I’m Jon:

  • I teach HS general music: Guitar, Music Production, Songwriting, DJ Techiniques
  • Classes developed from a need for more equitable coursework + data showing attrition of diversity in our traditional ensembles.

This Session:

  • Songwriting, adding AI tools to inform the work
  • Look at how I’ve used AI tools in other classes, and some student feedback I’ve gotten.
  • Share your tools too!!

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Grab an Instrument!

  • Create a progression using this chord vocabulary�(let’s keep it to 4 chords or less for today)
  • Oh, wait! We need a groove. �Let’s bring in some drums…

I ii iii IV V vi viiº

G Am Bm C D Em F#º

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60

80

100

120

140

170

200

Energy/�Activity

Resting heart rate

Talk/Rap

Walk

Dance �(DAW default)

Dance Faster

Cardio

Frenzy

Example Song

Wish You Were Here

We Will Rock You

Superstition

September

Summer �of ‘69

Blinding Lights

Master of Puppets maybe?

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Verse and Chorus

  • Create 2 progressions total (≤4 chords each)
  • Avoid the tonic on one progression (verse)

I ii iii IV V vi viiº

G Am Bm C D Em F#º

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Great Work!

Flippity Pep Talk Generator

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Are these drums really AI?

  • ML (Machine Learning) uses algorithms to learn from data and perform various tasks.
  • LLMs (Large Language Models) are a specialized type focused on understanding and generating human language.
  • Generative AI is the umbrella term for creating text, images, video, music, etc.
  • I’ll just say “AI” because this isn’t a tech workshop ;)
  • AI recognizes patterns and compares elements to help us make decisions, save time, and collaborate on creativity

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Is AI good for me?

  • AI drums in Logic or GarageBand can reduce barriers or risk.
    1. We started with human choices and AI product, or all human creation. It is important to me to maintain the humanity.
    2. We will convert the AI product back to human later
  • No Apple? Try ChordChord Drum Machine or Google’s Beat Blender.
  • I’ll share free Stem Separator options later in the presentation.
  • Yes, I’ve also tried music generators like Suno. Kids don’t like them. �I’ll share details of that later in the presentation.

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Time to Add Lyrics!

(But first, let’s get a temperature check)

I approve of this method

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The Kenny Loggins Comfort Scale

“Better visualized statistics using soundtrack hits from the 1980s.”

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“Danger Zone”

“I’m Alright”

“Footloose”

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Lyric Writing

  • Just a chorus, for time.
  • We need a topic for our song!
    1. Let’s ask AI.
    2. Can we beat any of the ideas it comes up with?
  • You get 3 minutes to write/start writing.
    • Focus on vocal rhythm + words, not melody yet (don’t fight it)
    • We’ll loop the chorus progression while you are writing
    • Use the worksheet or free write

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AI Feedback

  • Receiving feedback is part of the creative process

No rules to songwriting, but make communication easier. �(BTW giving feedback also makes one more aware of their writing)

  • AI reduces risk and starts a conversation
    1. “What is the main idea of this lyric/what is this song about?”
    2. “What would you title this song?”
    3. “Are there any lines in this song that are unclear or distract �from the main idea of the song?”
    4. “Are pronouns and verb tense consistent?”

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Short Aside… about Feedback

  • CCR Feedback Model:

Candid

Constructive

Respectful

  • Help the Beginners!

PDF of Feedback�Guidelines and Prompts

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The Kenny Loggins Comfort Scale

“Better visualized statistics using soundtrack hits from the 1980s.”

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“Danger Zone”

“I’m Alright”

“Footloose”

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You Did �Such a Great Job!

Flippity Pep Talk Generator

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A Few Notes about AI

  • AI LLMs create “hallucinations” → plausible connections. Not facts.
    1. Think of as expanded Google autocomplete.
    2. Longer prompts and context really helps your results.
    3. Search integration, but also use carefully.
  • Students are Unsure How to Use it
    • I’ve had students try a bunch of tools.
      1. They don’t like music generators or voice changers yet.
      2. They use LLM feedback on their work
      3. They LOVE stem separators
      4. They have fun with photo generators for album art

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I used ChatGPT to help me brainstorm metaphors and rhymes for a song I was working on. My song was about resilience, so I asked for metaphors related to standing strong in tough times and rhymes for words like "rise" and "fight."

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The tool gave me some creative ideas, like using a metaphor of a tree weathering a storm and roots holding deep for strength. For rhymes, it suggested "skies," "ties," and "eyes" for "rise," which fit perfectly with my song. It also gave me feedback on a verse I wrote, suggesting ways to make the imagery more vivid. Overall, it was super helpful and saved me time, especially when I felt stuck on specific lines. I could see myself using this tool regularly to enhance my songwriting.

I used the first tool to search for titles that is always pretty difficult for me, and it was actually really useful. Also I used it to search for words to use but they weren't as specific as I would like to

I used Microsoft to find metaphors and rhyming words,

It was actually useful and surprising

I used ChatGPT, I just used for some random lyrics. The results weren’t horrible but they just felt plain, like there was no emotion

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More Tools!

  • Free (for now) Stem Separators
    1. voice.ai/tools/stem-splitter - Voice.ai has several tools
    2. vocalremover.org - pulls vocals only from song
    3. https://www.stemroller.com/ - software download
  • Canva or MagicStudio.com for album art
  • ChatGPT or CoPilot to “get unstuck”:
    • DJ Playlist suggestions to match tempo, theme, era, etc.
    • Translating languages
    • Use as “Creative Partner” NOT “Creator”

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Back to our song!

  • Let’s jam it out!
  • Convert AI drums to human
    • Musical Wonders Drum Machine
  • Lay down instrument bed - bassist?�(we could use AI to generate sample bass line…)
  • Volunteer for lyrics?
  • Vamp

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Set Your Students on Fire!

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jonathan.feulner@hopkinsschools.org

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Music Will will make all presentations available after the conference.

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The personal viewpoints expressed in this session are solely those of the presenter and do not necessarily reflect the beliefs or views of Music Will.