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Blog: Catalysts & Connections

The Potential of StyleSwaps in Music Education

While looking up some info on Post Malone’s Better Now I came across Simon De Witt’s (AKA Blanks) 80s Version of Better Now. Here are both versions:


StyleSwap(s) and Music Education

De Witt (Banks) refers to his 80s vision of Better Now as a StyleSwap. In fact, Banks has a YouTube Channel of StyleSwaps I’ll post below. Whether you think of a StyleSwap as an arrangement, stylistic transformation, or creative cover or some other concept, from my perspective it has a lot of potential as a form of musical engagement for students in music programs.

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Exploring “Mine” and “7 Rings” Through Public Forensic Musicology

Does Ariana Grande’s “7 Rings” copy Princess Nokia’s “Mine” ? I’m a proponent of music programs inviting students to engage in public forensic musicology or as “musical detectives” as a form of musical engagement and learning. Here’s a recent example of an artist accusing another artist of copying their music. In this case, Princess Nokia is accusing Ariana Grande of copying Nokia’s Mine with Grande’s 7 Rings. Some people are also suggesting that 7 Rings also mimics aspects of flow… Read More »Exploring “Mine” and “7 Rings” Through Public Forensic Musicology

NAfME 2018: STEAM, Maker Culture, Music Education

This post contains resources and references from our NAfME 2018 presentation: STEAM, Maker Culture, and Music Education presented by: Evan Tobias (Assoc. Prof. Music Education, Arizona State University) Ryan Bledsoe (PhD Student, Arizona State University) Nathan Botts (PhD Student, Arizona State University & Museum Educator @ Musical Instrument Museum) Jenny Madruga Chavez (BM Music EdAlumn and Masters in Vocal Performance @ Arizona State University & Current Music Teacher in Phoenix, AZ) Resources Access resources on STEAM and Maker Culture curated by the… Read More »NAfME 2018: STEAM, Maker Culture, Music Education

Music Technology Pedagogy: Starting Off

Last week my Art of Teaching Contemporary Musicians class discussed and engaged with varied ways to start off middle school or high school students on a new aspect of technology (software or hardware). Here’s what I posted in the I Teach Music Technology! Facebook Group to identify people’s perspectives: We had a great discussion & engagement this past week in my ASU Music Education Art of Teaching Contemporary Musicians course around the topic of first introducing middle school & high… Read More »Music Technology Pedagogy: Starting Off

Updating Music Programs Panel at SXSW 2019

Let’s get people talking about music education at the 2019 SXSW Festival! Please vote for the VH1 Save the Music Foundation’s SXSW panel: Remixing and Reimagining Music Education. As a panel member (with your help) I’ll share current thinking and great things happening across music education. We’ll discuss collaboration, contemporary musicianship, and technology. We’ll also consider how the music industry can help music teachers update and expand access to music programs. So, let’s make sure music education is represented at SXSW 2019!  Therefore,… Read More »Updating Music Programs Panel at SXSW 2019