Music Technology Program at Five Forks Middle School, Gwinnett County, GA
- SoundTree
- Sep 29
- 4 min read
Updated: Sep 30
Michael Payen - Music Technology Teacher, Five Forks Middle School Gwinnett County Public Schools, GA
When students in grades 6 through 8 are assigned Music Technology as a connection class at my school, they often have questions about what that actually means. What is music tech? What if I can’t play an instrument? I like music, but I don’t know how to play, or how to make music? Should I be in here?
I describe my class in the same way to these students, and to their parents: Music Tech is for students who want to learn music, but do not want to be in Band, Chorus or Orchestra. In those three classes, you learn how to play an instrument, and you play music that someone else created. In Music Tech, students learn to appreciate music and to create it themselves. Let me explain how I build this appreciation.
One way I try to achieve this is through my ‘Song of the Day’, a warm up activity all students complete. We listen to a song as students enter the class, and then they will attempt to list all of the instruments in the chorus. We listen to the chorus twice: first through the speakers, then again through the Korg GEC5 system using only their headphones. Students will often discover that focused listening through their headphones allows them to identify instruments that are ‘hidden in the mix’. This leads to discussions on practical uses of panning and recognizing patterns in drum parts.
I encourage students to write what they are interested in. If they’re into soccer, they write songs about soccer. If they love anime, then anime it is.
Students often come to our schools from different countries, bringing new languages and cultures to my class. I encourage students to use these strengths. Students have written songs in Spanish, Vietnamese and Ukrainian, as well as in English. This, in turn, serves as a teaching moment for the class. One student had requested a song that was written partly in Korean (the student was from South Korea). A normally shy student, when she walked into my room to hear her song being studied by the class, she gladly explained what the lyrics were describing to her classmates, who were amazed that she could understand Korean and articulate the meaning in English. As Shawn Achor notes: “When we are happy – when our mindset and mood are positive – we are smarter, more motivated, and thus more successful. Happiness is the center, and success revolves around it”.
After receiving a grant in 2023 for 30 SM58 microphones, students were able to showcase their creativity by recording independently at their Korg-equipped stations. A recent project saw 6th grade students collaborating as foley artists, recreating sound effects at their computer stations. 7th graders recorded soundtracks using the M-Audio MIDI controllers before filming school conduct videos for next year’s students. They used the microphones to record the voiceovers. My 8th grade Advanced Class is able to use technology to showcase their creativity in many different ways. At the beginning of their semester, they create infomercials about music technology equipment: microphones, headphones, DAWs and Audio interfaces. In the middle of the semester, students create movie trailers, and their last project has students recording backing tracks with the MIDI controllers, record and edit their voices, and then use iPads and the green screen to add the visual element.
While creativity is the foundation of student success in my classroom, technology gives students even more ways to express themselves. The Korg GEC5 system, the microphones, and filming equipment allows students to have their own agency in expressing their learning, and that’s priceless in a classroom.
Sample Projects
The Broadcast Task- Beginning - Students create a fictional news story, add sound effects and music and then create a remix - LINK
The Sampling project - Intermediate - Students study sampling music and copyright before sampling a song themselves. They are instructed to keep the theme of the lyrics similar to the original. This one is about mental health and suicide prevention - LINK
PBIS School Rules - Intermediate - Students are introduced to multi-media and create commercials for new students about the school rules - LINK
Music Video - Advanced - This is a culmination of 3 years of work. Students create a song and then record the video element to be edited together - LINK 1 LINK 2
For a tailored approach to incorporating technology into your school’s music program, we invite you to contact our Music Technology Specialists at SoundTree. Whether by phone, email, or visiting our website, SoundTree’s specialists are ready to provide a customized evaluation of your program. We understand that every school is unique, and we're here to offer options for a music lab that perfectly suits your size, age group, and budget.
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