Makerspace Sound and Music Projects for All Ages

by Mary Glendening, Isaac W. Glendening

Overview

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Dream up and build your own sound and music projects—no experience necessary!


This easy-to-follow guide shows, step-by-step, how to work with sound generation, recording, editing, and distribution tools. Co-written by a professional audio engineer and a dedicated maker-librarian, Makerspace Sound and Music Projects for All Ages gets you started designing, programming, and assembling fun music and audio creations right away. The book features dozens of DIY projects complete with parts lists, start-to-finish instructions, and full-color illustrations that guarantee success. You will explore the latest inexpensive—or free!—audio software for Windows, Apple, iOS, and Android devices.


•Work with free and low-cost music apps and programs
•Build unique musical instruments from household items
•Choose a microphone that fits your needs and budget
•Learn about DAWs and audio recording and editing applications
•Start making sound with littleBits, Scratch, and MakeyMakey
•Create killer drum beats and melodic sequences using micro:Bit
•Record your music and use cutting-edge analog and digital effects
•Add sound to your robotics, e-textile, 3-D printing, and wearable gadgets
•Upload your audio creations to SoundCloud, YouTube, and iTunes

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781260027075
Publisher:	McGraw Hill LLC
Publication date:	01/11/2018
Edition description:	Student
Pages:	192
Product dimensions:	7.30(w) x 9.10(h) x 0.60(d)
Age Range:	8 Years

About the Author

Mary Glendening is the Director of the Middletown Free Library in Media, PA. She has been running maker programs at the library for several years. Mary is the author of From Video Games to Real Life: Tapping into Minecraft to Inspire Creativity and Learning in the Library.


Isaac Glendening is one half of the band Cesium 137. He is a professional audio engineer and owner of Subversive Sound Studio. Isaac introduces kids and teens to the wonders of audio through iPad apps, soft synths, and littleBits.

Table of Contents

Acknowledgments xi

1 Common Tools for Sound Creation 1

Music-Making Basics 2

Drumsticks 2

Microphones 2

Recycled and Found Objects and Craft Supplies 3

Digital Audio Workstation 4

Recording and Editing Software and Apps 4

Audacity 4

GarageBand 4

Cubase 4

Ableton 5

Apps for iPads 5

GarageBand 5

Korg iElectribe 6

Korg Gadget 6

Keezy and Keezy Drums 6

Jammer 6

Conductive Materials for Sound and Music Projects 7

Bare Conductive Touch Board 7

LilyPad 7

Makey Makey 8

Micro:bit 8

LittleBits and the littleBits Korg Synth Kits 8

2 Music and Making 11

Music and Sound Projects and Literacy 12

Learning and Innovation Skills 13

Information, Media, and Technology Skills 14

Twenty-First-Century Themes 14

Life and Career Skills 14

Sample Project 14

Music-Creation Club Program Outline 15

Week One 15

Week Two 16

Week Three 16

Week Four 16

Week Five 16

Weeks Six and Seven 17

Week Eight 17

Music and Sound Projects and Making 18

Music, Youth, and Identity 19

3 Exploring Sound 21

Found Sound Band 21

Materials 21

Make Your Own Drums 22

Drum One 22

Drum Two 24

Exploring Pitch and Sound Waves in Your Found Sound Band 29

Make Your Own Guitar or Stringed Strumming Instrument 29

Exploring Loudness/Intensity and Amplitude with Speakers 33

Google Science Journal Activity 43

References 48

4 Making Sound 49

Making Sound with littleBits 49

Materials 49

Age Range and Class Size 49

Time Frame 50

Getting Familiar with the Synth Kit and littleBits 50

Project 51

What You Do 51

Open Lab Time 57

Recording Your littleBits Synth Kit Sounds 57

Recording Your littleBits with Audacity 58

Making Beats with the iElectribe 62

Materials 62

Age Range and Class Size 62

Time Frame 63

What You Do 63

Making Sound with Scratch and Makey Makey 66

5 Recording Sound 75

Acoustics: Sound in Space and Time! 75

Materials 76

Age Range and Class Size 76

Time Frame 76

What You Do 76

Delay: Laser Machine and Microphone 78

Materials 79

Age Range and Class Size 79

Time Frame 79

What You Do 79

One Step Further 81

Options 81

Basic Sampling 83

Find It, Pitch It, Sample It! 83

Materials 83

Age Range and Class Size 84

Time Frame 84

What You Do 84

Part One 84

Part Two 87

One Step Further 87

6 Beyond the Basics or Putting It All Together 89

Bare Conductive Touch Board Project 89

Getting Started with the Bare Conductive Touch Board 90

Sounds for Interactive John Henry Story Board 91

Sources for Royalty-Free Sound Effects 91

Converting a WAV to MP3 in Audacity 92

Troubleshooting 94

Creating Your Conductive Mural 94

Things to Keep in Mind When Painting Your Design 96

Troubleshooting Your Finished Project 98

LilyPad MP3 Projects 98

LilyPad MP3 Project 1: Create an Interactive Band T-Shirt! 98

Trimming an Audio File with Audio Trimmer for LilyPad MP3 102

Sewing Your Components to Your Project 106

LilyPad MP3 Project 2: Interactive Sound Pillows 112

Sound and Recording Projects 116

Podcasting 116

Part One: Getting Started 117

Part Two 119

Part Three 120

Part Four 121

Final Part 122

Micro:bit Project 126

Getting to Know Your micro:bit 127

Basic LED Art and Sound Project 129

Storytelling with Sound 134

Putting Your Story Together in Audacity 135

7 Maker Projects for Music Lovers 139

Exploring 3D Design 139

3D Album Covers 139

Materials 140

Easel Ornaments 151

Ornament from Template 151

Free-Form Ornament 155

DIY Glitter Pins 159

Light-Up Tote Bag 164

Resources 173

Maker Supplies 173

Music and Recording Gear 174

Books 175

Magazines 175

Other Resources 176

Index 177