Using Music on the Web

I could not imagine life without music! I listen to it daily, for many hours and for different purposes. Different genres and types of music, to me expresses different emotions. Music helps me to study and I find that I can concentrate better if I have music playing in the background blocking out all the other sounds around me. Music also relaxes me and makes me feel good!

I am a big kid at heart, so therefore I am one to constantly be looking for and listening to ‘kids’ music. I am a fan of Disney songs and own many Disney Soundtrack CDs and have also downloaded multiple songs that I remember from listening to throughout my childhood such as nursery rhymes. I work in a childcare centre and am hoping to work with young children after I finish my university degree. Music is something that is very relevant and used daily in early childhood settings. When putting the children to sleep we always put on a CD that has calming, soft music that relaxes the children and enables them to fall asleep. On the Raising Child Network webpage, it describes how keeping noise levels in the room where children sleep at a consistent level. Children (especially babies) find it easier to go to sleep when noise levels are constant. Playing soft, low level music can block out sudden noises that may wake or disturb the child/ren’s sleep. (Raising Children Network, 2009). We also use more upbeat children songs (such as Wiggle CDs, etc) for when children are playing. The children love to get up and play dance freeze and musical chairs. In schools, students attend weekly music lessons and there has been numerous reports relating to the benefits of music. “Music is a wonderful skill for any child, but new research shows how learning music can help your child in so many more ways: Improved reasoning capacity and problem solving skills, improve maths and language performance, better memory and greater social and team skills.” (Music Council of Australia, n.d.). The use of music in educational settings, for all aged children is important.

Using Incompetech (Incompetech, 2009) at the beginning was a bit confusing for me. Generally when I download music I use another program and therefore this specific program was very unfamiliar and different to what I am used to using on a regular basis. It was interesting however to read about the Royalty-Free Music (which I had never actually taken the time to listen to in the past), Music FAQ and Music Licences. Most of the songs that I previewed on the site I had never heard of before and it was interesting seeing the large variety of music genres to search through and even the capability to search through the music by ‘feel’. All of the songs I listened to were all instrumental and therefore there were a variety that could be used in a child care setting, especially for rest times.

In regards to using music from the web in the classroom, I would tend to steer away from downloading the music at home and taking it into the classroom because I am concerned about all the copyright laws, regulations and restrictions that I am still very unfamiliar with. However, if I wanted my students to hear a song, I could just as easily find it on YouTube and play it for them, minimising the screen so that only the sound could be heard.

REFERENCES

Incompetech. (2009). Incompetech. Retrieved on August 9, 2009, from http://incompetech.com/

Music Council of Australia. (n.d.). Music makes the difference. Retrieved on August 9, 2009, from http://74.125.155.132/search?q=cache:zGIiKcijhiQJ:www.mca.org.au/mpfl/Kit3.pdf+music+important+for+children&cd=3&hl=en&ct=clnk&gl=au

Raising Children Network. (2009). Light and Noise. Retrieved on August 9, 2009, from http://raisingchildren.net.au/articles/light_and_noise.html?highlight=music%20for%20sleep