Panther TRAX Courses

There are two levels of Electronic Music currently being offered in the curriculum and three individual classes taught daily. There is a prerequisite of an A or B in Keyboard I and that teacher's recommendation in order to take the class. EM I is also a required class for all music magnet students. Students are taught about the Physics of Sound, The History of Electronic Music, Sequencing Techniques, Music and Computers, Keyboard Features, Linear and non-linear recording techniques,etc. and are required to produce a music project for each nine week grading period.

The class has evolved into a product (portfolio) based class with the music projects being responsible for 40% of the student's grade. Students in their first year of EM begin by manipulating existing timbres on the keyboard and creating their own sounds. They then use the COMBINATION EDIT mode to combine up to eight different timbres to create their own combination sound. These personalized timbres are saved to disc to be used in their projects throughout the year.

Student projects begin as simple as sequencing in Alouette to a click track and assigning different timbres to the left and right hand. They progress to sequencing their own multi-track MIDI arrangement of a holiday tune(s). Student arrangements are burned to a class Holiday CD and each student is given a CD before leaving for semester break in December. When students return in January they are given the opportunity to chose their own project for the third nine weeks. This is also the first opportunity that students have the option of adding audio tracks to their arrangements or compositions. I have found that this chance for student ownership has produced some of the most outstanding student projects. These have included collaboration of original compositions, music for videos, and numerous musical arrangements. Many students select to add vocals or acoustic instruments to their arrangements or compositions. Student compositions have included fully produced MIDI tracks with the addition of acoustic/electric guitar/bass and vocals. MIDI arrangement with added audio of a student brass choir, each part recorded on an individual track. Accapella multi part vocal compositions and numerous recordings of wind instruments to student produced MIDI arrangements. Student projects are burned to CD and copies given to students.