Running head: LEARNING THROUGH INSTRUMENTS

Learning through Instruments in the General Music Classroom

Adrianne J. Tomlinson

James Madison University

Running head: LEARNING THROUGH INSTRUMENTS
2
Introduction

How can educators use instruments in their classroom? Sometimes there can be a

misconception that instruments are just used to teach music. In reality, this is quite the opposite.

Instruments are used in the education system to teach a variety of subjects. Some teachers use

instruments in conjunction with literature or use music videos to teach concepts in mathematics.

Musical instruments are a useful tool to integrate into general education content areas, but they

are most effective in teaching in their original subject discipline, music. By integrating a variety

of musical instruments in the general music education classroom, students will be able to

develop the skills necessary to enhance their lifelong music learning experience. Additionally,

instruments from different parts of the world play a huge part in teaching cultures of other

countries that the students may not be exposed to otherwise. Instruments also provide a gateway

to giving students experience in artistic improvisation. It may begin as musical improv, but these

musical skills can assist in the transition to acting in drama or maybe even public speaking. By

including a variety of instruments in the music education classroom, students can learn musical

concepts, culture, and improvisation.

Rationale & Question

After attending numerous elementary concerts and acting as a substitute teacher in the

elementary general music classroom, I have noticed some inconsistencies between the types of

instruments utilized in the elementary school. Some of these inconsistencies are present due to

varying financial resources from school to school. In other cases, the instruments are different in

schools purely because the teacher chose which ones they wanted to implement during student

learning. Because teachers have to appeal to such a wide range of learners, it is important they
Running head: LEARNING THROUGH INSTRUMENTS
3
choose instruments that will best fit a variety of demographics. In Abril and Gault (2016)​ ​ they

note that “The general music teacher is typically afforded the freedom to construct a curriculum

that is not restricted to any one form of music making and learning or specific style and genre of

music” ​( p. 7). Because teachers have this freedom to construct their curriculum in the public

school, it makes sense that there is a presence of multiple types of instruments to teach diverse

students in a variety of subject areas. Instruments can be used to teach a variety of subjects such

as musical concepts, culture, and improvisation. By researching the problem of instrument

selection in general music, I hope to gain and share an understanding of the potential use of

different kinds of instruments in pedagogy. This will answer my question: ​how can instruments

be used to teach basic skills for lifelong music learning in the different contexts of the general

music classroom? ​By examining the variations between instruments in general music classes, the

elementary general music teacher can gain a better understanding of how to make thoughtful

choices of how to use instruments to teach musical concepts that will foster a student’s learning

for a lifetime. After completing this research project, I hope to identify how these instruments

can be used in pedagogy so that I may become a better future music educator.

Review of Literature

The most common obvious use of musical instruments is to teach musical concepts such

as rhythm or pitch in general music. In the article about “hot” rhythms in negro music Waterman

states, “each drum or group of drums has...its own time signature. This....may be called ‘mixed

metres’” (Waterman, 1948). The mixed metres or polyrhythm that Waterman speaks about in his

article is just one musical concept students can learn from using instruments in their class.

Another way a musical instrument can be used is to teach pitches and the distance between them.
Running head: LEARNING THROUGH INSTRUMENTS
4
In the article by Rita Klinger she explains how during her observation the teacher “instructs them

to move to an Orff or percussion instrument. Angela sings note names...to remind them of the

song they are preparing” (Klinger, 1996). A student playing a xylophone could not only learn

pitch names but learn the distance between them, or intervals, by looking at the instrument and

counting from pitch to pitch. Another unique way to use instruments to teach musical concepts is

by starting by building the instrument. In the Matsunobu (2013), he states that “Satis

Coleman...investigated creative music units in which learning began with making folk

instruments and developed into such activities as composition, singing, listening” (p. 191). Not

only does this teach students some of the physical parts of instruments, but then they can use

their creation to build aural skills and get a chance at writing their own compositions. Although

these concepts may seem advanced to elementary music, by using the instruments to build these

skills at a young age, students will have an easier time if they choose to continue into an upper

level music class or make music in the comfort of their own home. Exploration of different types

of instruments can play an important role in teaching a diverse group of students the basic skills f

music they need to be lifelong music learners.

By incorporating instruments from a variety of countries and regions, music students can

be exposed to cultures different from their own. In Waterman (1948), he explains “a compelling

rhythm is termed ‘hot’; the more exciting the rhythms, the ‘hotter’ the music” (p. 24). Although

this term is applied to even the music that is broadcasted to people on the radio today, many are

probably aware that it originates with the complex rhythms present in the African culture. The

interaction with African percussion instruments such as the talking drum, shekere, or mbira can

provide students with the opportunity to make their own “hot” rhythms and grasp what that
Running head: LEARNING THROUGH INSTRUMENTS
5
really means in the African culture. In the McCord (2004) article, she states that the “students

learned to teach West African music by rote rather than from notation” (p. 8). By teaching a song

in class through habitual repetition rather than forcing notation, students are getting a chance to

experience how music learning is done in the African culture. World instruments are an effective

way to expose students to other cultures that exist around the globe and ultimately assist them in

being more accepting of other ethnic groups as they grow.

Improvisation is a skill that may provide anxiety in some music learners and cause some

discomfort. Because of this, students may need an outlet to create their own sounds. In general

music, that outlet is musical instruments. Towell states in his article that “rhythm instruments

work well with books” and that “instruments could be played at specified times during the

read-aloud” (Towell, 1999). By designating times when children can play during a story,

students are given a chance to explore what types of sounds they could make and what emotions

or feelings they could illustrate from the story. In Whitcomb (2013) she tells readers that “Music

educator Kimberly Inks points out that improvisation does not need to be the primary objective

of a lesson but can be incorporated into a lesson that focuses on a particular musical concept” (p.

45). By introducing the skill of improvisation within larger lessons, students will not only receive

practice, but become more comfortable as they build the skill over time. She also states the

importance of “trying out different sounds on a particular instrument or in a particular style”

(Whitcomb, 2013). Variety is important so that students get a taste of things that resonate with

their musical style or would be better left to another type of musician. After doing this research,

it is evident that in order for improvisation to be taught, students need a comfortable environment

and a wide array of instruments.

Running head: LEARNING THROUGH INSTRUMENTS
6
Implications for Practice & Future Research

In my future classroom, I hope to put this research to good use by finding connections

between musical instruments that I can use to teach basic musical knowledge, but also culture

and improvisation. Because of the presence of diversity in the music classes, it is important to

create lessons that can resonate with a variety of cultures. In Anderson and Campbell (2010) they

confirm this by stating “a multicultural approach to music learning in American schools is

important for many reasons…the United States is comprised of an extremely diverse population”

(p. 1). It is common that people will incorporate African instruments or South American

instruments, but in my future I want to incorporate instruments from other geographic locations

as well such as Asia. This relates to my ideas about future research that can be done about

culture in the classroom. In the future, research could be done to draw a connection between the

integration of music of various cultures and its effect on the prominence of racism in a specific

school over time. This research does not only have to relate to music but can also be expanded to

other subject areas such as mathematics, english, or science. By teaching music or knowledge

from other cultures rather than just from the dominant demographic, there could possibly be a

change in the racism experienced by people of color or their feeling of comfort at a specific

school. If this is true, public schools of the future could potentially make all races feel at home in

their institution.

Conclusion

After conducting this research, I have gained a multitude of ways to teach musical skills,

culture, and improvisation through the use of instruments. Not only can instruments have varying

types, but they can also come from varying cultures. By looking into these instruments and how
Running head: LEARNING THROUGH INSTRUMENTS
7
they are used in pedagogy, I now know how I can use my instruments in my classroom as a

future music educator.

Running head: LEARNING THROUGH INSTRUMENTS
8
References

Abril, C. R., & Gault, B. M. (2016). Untangling general music education: Concepts, aims, and
practice. In C. R. Abril & B. M. Gault (Eds.), ​Teaching General Music: Approaches,
Issues, and Viewpoints​ (pp. 5-22). New York: Oxford University Press.

Anderson, W. M., & Campbell, P. S. (2010). Teaching music from a multicultural perspective. In
W. M. Anderson & P. S. Campbell (Eds.), ​Multicultural perspectives in music education
(pp. 1-6). Plymouth: Rowman & Littlefield Education.

Klinger, R. (1996). From glockenspiel to mbira: An ethnography of multicultural practice in

music education. ​Bulletin of the Council for Research in Music Education,​ (129) 29-36.

Matsunobu, K. (2013). Instrument-making as music making: An ethnographic study of

shakuhachi students’ learning experiences. International Journal of Music Education
31(2) 190–201.

McCord, K. A. (2004). Learning to play and teach West African drumming: An exploratory
experience for preservice teachers. ​General Music Today,​ ​17(​ 3), 6-13.

Towell, J. H. (1999). Motivating students through music and literature. ​The Reading Teacher​,
53​(4), 284-287.

Waterman R. A. (1948). “Hot” rhythm in negro music. ​Journal of the American Musicological
Society, ​24-37.

Whitcomb, R. (2013). Teaching improvisation in elementary general music: Facing fears and
fostering creativity. ​Music Educators Journal,​ ​99(​ 3), 43-51.