Why Does Popular Music Matter?
Do your students beg to play songs from artists like Dua Lipa, Olivia Rodrigo, Billie Eilish, and Justin Bieber? Of course they do! However, a music teacher who has all their lessons planned, students’ homework checked, AND knows all the Top 40 songs, newest viral artists, and TikTok trends seem more like a mythical creature than a reality. And, don’t be mistaken, there’s no judgment here – it would probably require a big chunk of your good night’s sleep to have all of these. Still, students tend to be more engaged when they have a chance to learn popular music.
In fact, in 2012 an article was published by Dave Wish, founder and executive director of Little Kids Rock, in which he explains why a traditional music education approach often is removed from what students would enjoy learning and what inspires them. He writes:
“As a child, I experienced the disjuncture between music outside and inside of school in a very personal way. The music that I enjoyed with my peers and family was drawn almost entirely from rock, punk, heavy metal and pop sources. We were enthusiastic and passionate listeners. However, as a public school music student in the seventies and eighties, the music that my community and I loved and to which we were meaningfully and authentically connected was nowhere to be found in my school.” Dave Wish, founder and executive director of Little Kids Rock
This is true even today! Music taught in schools and even private lessons may not always engage a modern student that would rather listen to TIK TOK music tops. So what can we do about it?
I want to encourage you to try new approaches – incorporate popular songs loved by students. To do this you can use apps like Solfeg.io that speak their language and build their confidence. Of course, there are many apps that can help students with self-learning, but today I want to tell you more about the Solfeg.io app since they have popular songs for schools and a good range of activity ideas.
What is Solfeg.io app and how can I use it in my music lessons?
Solfeg.io is live, play-along music software and a lesson suite with dozens of popular songs.
With it, music teachers can introduce students to music theory, history, guitar, ukulele, percussion, and more. All of the songs have been simplified for school use and have safe lyrics.
The platform allows teachers to lead more engaging, hands-on, practical lessons at all grade levels online and in person. Introducing music through popular songs is a truly effective way to excite students about learning. Studying music should be fun, and thankfully Solfeg.io is one of the tools designed to make it fun for students to learn and easier for teachers to teach.
It’s great for both online, in-person, and hybrid teaching. After all, it was made so that everyone can learn no matter where they are.
The app, which offers a free version, has an appealing design with distinctive animations that scroll across the screen. Solfeg.io is an antidote to modern times. It goes beyond just learning and playing songs and creates a hands-on classroom vibe where students can feel heard and listened to.
Solfeg.io – Inspiring millions to learn & practice music:
It has all the essential features and more so you’ll never need to jump between Youtube videos or print music sheets again. Here is my list of top items:
Number 1: Song library with the latest TikTok and Spotify songs
Now let’s talk about the songs. When you are creating the next generation music education app, you have to care about the content. Their song library is really well-curated, the team is constantly scanning across Spotify charts and TikTok to release songs that resonate with the crowd. In addition, the production quality of each track is top-notch. It’s worth mentioning that you can mute any of the backing tracks to take your part in the band or to effectively practice individually.
- Ultra-high definition sound
- Pop, Jazz, Rock, Classics, HipHop
- Latest songs released weekly
- Simplified for school usage
- Safe lyrics without swearing
- Filter by levels, chords, & rhythm
- 100% legal content
- You can explore the songs here
Number 2: Interactive play-along
Its real secret weapon is its unique player that makes teaching any music topic simple and exciting. The player breaks down each song into percussion sections, chords, and a piano/vocal melody for students to follow.
- Notation for melody, chords, & rhythm
- Vocals – teachers can save their voice
- Mute or solo vocals and instruments
- Visuals for piano, guitar, ukulele & bass
- Speed change for easier learning
- Section loop and pitch change
Vance Joy Riptide ukulele chords – learn & play:
Number 3: Quizzes that boost students’ skills
These are short 10-15 min interactive quizzes that can be used as fun classroom exercises, student knowledge tests, and home assignments. They cover a wide range of topics, are tied to a song, and it’s worth noting that each quiz includes a practical exercise.
- Quizzes for music theory & history
- Relevant topics like modern careers
- Score assessment
- Automatic filling of knowledge gaps
- AI guided learning
- Gamified experience
Number 4: Resources & Lesson Plans
Imagine this, you are exhausted one morning and all you need is a theory/guitar/vocal lesson that your student doesn’t hate. Sounds like too much to ask, right? Wrong!
To plan a lesson, teachers can pick any of Solfeg.io free lesson plans with dozens of digital presentations and activities covering topics from music theory to music production.
- Matching general standards in the USA, Canada, UK, Europe, Australia
- Each plan ties in a song
- Activity ideas
- Online lesson plans
- Classroom lesson plans
Number 5: Student progress statistics
Keen to see your students practicing at home or need to switch to online teaching?
Teachers can invite students to the Solfeg.io platform using the unique invite link. With the access, your students can log in using any device. From school devices to their own computers. This is great for group work, running online lessons, and assigning homework.
With advanced student statistics, teachers can assess how well students are progressing by looking at the difficulty level of the quiz and the completion rate. Play-time and other details will give you a general understanding of student engagement, interests, and activity.
- Overall activity indicators
- Individual quiz scores
- Assess student recordings
- Unlimited number of students
What do Solfeg.io users say about it?
“Solfeg.io is a fantastic way to successfully incorporate a huge range of music into your teaching in an interactive and engaging way” – Danielle Mitton, Ramco Primary School, Australia
MUSIC TEACHER REACTS – Solfeg.io cover of HIGH HOPES by PANIC! AT THE DISCO, Feat. Marlene Mendoza:
Could students use it to learn at home?
Yes! When the school year ends, the music does not have to stop. We can encourage our students to keep learning, and, most importantly, enjoy learning music also in the summertime.
Students can use the app for self-learning. They can access songs at home or use the guided tutorials to learn guitar, ukulele, or piano on their own. The app, which offers the first couple of sessions for free and a subscription after that, has an appealing design with distinctive animations to introduce you to the chords and new techniques in a song.
Here are some of the features:
- Song library with the latest TikTok and Spotify songs – new song released weekly!
- A tuner for both guitar and ukulele
- Chord recognition with instant feedback
- Interactive chord & key player for all of the songs (TABS)
- Guided video tutorials
- Weekly exercises
- Progress tracking – set your target for how often you would like to practice & receive reminders
To get started, I suggest checking out Solfeg.io for schools.
Conclusion
To inspire more kids to practice music the world needs passionate music teachers like you (thank you for being you!), popular songs that students love and want to learn (Solfeg.io has got you covered there!), and technology that’s fun and engaging for students and you to use.
Let’s get playing!
Solfeg.io is our newest advertiser here on Music Matters Blog, and we are grateful for her support of the online music education community! If you are interested in finding out more about how you can promote your company, event, or product, just send us an e-mail and we will let you know about our advertising packages.
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