Community Review of GarageBand | Common Sense Education

My Rating

Engagement

Pedagogy

Supports

My Take

I think this tool is effective in certain circumstances. Making a video, or creating scores for a music class would be some of those circumstances. There is a very advanced aspect to this tool that involves multiple combinations of instruments and variations of these instruments. This can be daunting and challenging for some, but to the musically inclined it can be a fun challenge. The basic functions and features can be used to create music for their own videos and not worry about copyright infringements so long as it's their own creations. Students can work on this tool together, some students may be more technologically inclined than others, and some may be more musically inclined than others--if they work together, a lot can be accomplished. It is nice that some instruments come pre-loaded, however it can be a problem that some instruments will need to be purchased. Overall, this tool does nothing but bring out a student's creativity!

How I Use It

This is perfect for a video journalism class, I would incorporate this to have the students create original scores. This would eliminate two problems, and accomplish two things. Two things eliminated: Copyright issues, and approving lyrics of today's artists. Two things accomplished: Students are utilizing an advanced tool, and they are composing and creating from their own mind. GarageBand can also be incorporated with podcasts, nearpods, and presentations in general.

More community reviews for GarageBand

Nicole W.

January 5, 2020

GarageBand: User friendly and engaging for all ages!

This was an amazing opportunity to allow my students an engaging learning experience through this creative application. I appreciated how user friendly the application was for all ages. My students were able to teach me a thing or two also. I believe that this applications allows students to demonstrate their creativity when it comes to music production. They were able to showcase their favorite music genres, demonstrate their musicianship, collaborate with peers and preserve in their final products. My students were also able to use the phone application version of it which is extremely helpful for when they were not present in class. I am excited to teach this class again!

Christina O. Clear Spring Elementary School Clear Spring, MD

February 12, 2018

Thinking Beyond Composition: Great for Ensemble Skills!

This is a great app for developing creativity and ensemble skills. Students are given a great deal of freedom in creating their own compositions. The downside is that the teacher truly needs to set high expectations. Students will want to play with this app if not given the appropriate direction. Although students can transfer their work out of the app, it is limited and there is no possibility for collaboration among students. This tool is fantastic at developing ensemble skills though. Students have the ability to play-along with an entire band accompaniment or to isolate their individual part. This makes it a valuable tool for elementary beginning band and my classroom.

Katie H.

October 3, 2016

Garageband is the BEST- Students and Teachers alike will benefit!

This is a very powerful app. Students will need some preparation to use it, however. The tools in the app are quite engaging and powerful. Students will need a moment to explore and play before they can focus on a specific project. I advise the teacher to give this time as it will have students leaving class asking for more. Headphones are advised and students should be well managed before introducing the app.

See 43 reviews

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