The researcher attempts to integrate computer technology into teaching musical composition, probes into the ways of musical composition and associated computer technologies, analyses and sketchs out the software nowadays used for musical composition, and carries out a programme of teaching musical composition, which is devised to operate in coordination with composition process. Research results are obtained within twelve weeks in by reviewing the literature, action studies, teaching experiments and analysing works, taking students of the fifth grade in primary school as the study object. Observations on the activities and analyses of the works are utilised to think over solving problems emerging during teaching actions. Variety of circumstances for composing music are devised based on characteristics of computer technology, so as to increase children’s interest on musical composition and to stimulate their potential of creative thinking.
The programme contains five units with the following topics: ‘Exploring and experiencing the sound’, ‘Playing with the sound: Hey! I’ve modified the sound’, ‘Playing with the music: Look! My work has showen up’, ‘Computer-aided interactive music: Let’s compose together’ , and ‘Composition of program music: Our story’. In terms of teaching experiments, students are guided to explore novel sounds and experience how to associate sounds as well as how to compose interactive music and program music.
1.Purposes of the research:
(1)Understanding the applications of computer technology on musical composition and researches in related fields.
(2)Probing into the theories associated with computer music composition, analysing representative works and attempting to make use of their ideas in teaching musical composition.
(3)Analysing functions and characteristics of software associated with computer music, devising teaching program of composition according to the software’s characteristics, verifying the program’s feasibility in terms of real teaching actions.
(4)Making students familiar, in terms of utilising software for composition of computer music, with computer music and cultivating their interest on musical composition.
(5)By means of the aids of computer technology, expanding the material source of composition and seeking to experience more extensive modes and fields of composition.
2.Conclusion:
(1)Teaching programme devised to utilise computer technology aiding musical composition is able to give rise to students’ learning interest.
(2)Utilising computer technology enables the teacher to describe the concept of sound more clearly.
(3)Utilising computer technology facilitates collecting and expanding materials for musical composition.
(4)Software’s aids facilitate variety of experiences of composition.
(5)Instructions can improve software’s positive influences on the form and style of composing.
(6)Computer technology is an effective aiding instrument for musical composition.
3.Suggestions:
(1)To governments associated with education
a.Developing software for musical composition with computer is to be encouraged.
b.Research and study activities related to teaching musical composition with aids of computer technology are needed to be held.
(2)To schools
a.Teaching resources should be well arranged.
b.Related software for teaching should be purchased according to the demand of teachers of music.
(3)To future researches
a.Feasibility of carrying on in schools of different levels is needed to be investigated.
b.More thorough individual cases or experiments should be further researched.
c.Feasibility of online leaning of musical composition is worth investigating.
Key words: computer technology, composition of music, association of sounds.