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Electric Percussionist- Lets digitize the mallets

School:: New Smyrna Beach Middle School
Subject:: Music
Teacher:: Jonathan Brodie
Students Impacted:: 1000
Grade:: 6-8
Date:: August 15, 2024

0% Funded

Only $1,000.00 Needed

Goal

To provide a Pearl Malletstation digital keyboard to our Jazz students for class and performance

What will be done with my students

We would like to purchase a Pearl Malletstation digital keyboard to allow us to have an additional vibraphone in class and be able to take it to performances. This digital audio instrument can connect to an ipad, or computer (which we already have access to) and use programs like garage band or main stage to simulate any sound you wish to create all in the size of a standard digital keyboard. With our growing size and limited space on our trailer having this equipment means kids don't get left out and gives students in all classes another instrument to use each day.
As a bonus digital music is a growing area of interest to kids and having access to Digital audio interfaces such as the malletstaion can help with kids creativity and expression though the world of digital music. Since the instrument is already a familiar set up for percussion kids it allows them to play naturally and lowers the learning curve to new areas of expression. Many of the modern jazz musicians like the popular Snarky Puppy are using keyboards and mallets instruments to explore the areas of digital music.
We want to not only have a portable keyboard for our students that travels easily but also be able to expand their creativity in the future for many years to come.

MU.68.C.1.1 Develop strategies for listening to unfamiliar musical works.
MU.68.C.1.3 Identify, aurally, instrumental styles and a variety of instrumental ensembles.
MU.68.C.2.1 Critique personal performance, experiment with a variety of solutions, and make appropriate adjustments with guidance from teachers and peers.
MU.68.C.2.2 Critique, using correct music vocabulary, changes in one’s own or others’ musical performance resulting from practice or rehearsal.
MU.68.F.3.1 Describe how studying music can enhance citizenship, leadership, and global thinking.
MU.68.H.1.1 Describe the functions of music from various cultures and time periods.
MU.68.H.1.3 Describe how American music has been influenced by other cultures.
MU.68.O.1.1 Compare performances of a musical work to identify artistic choices made by performers.
MU.68.O.3.1 Describe how the combination of instrumentation and expressive elements in a musical work can convey a specific thought, idea, mood, and/or image.
MU.68.O.3.2 Perform the expressive elements of a musical work indicated by the musical score and/or conductor, and transfer new knowledge and experiences to other musical works.
MU.68.S.3.6 Develop and demonstrate efficient rehearsal strategies to apply skills and techniques.

Benefits to my students

Currently the Stingray Jazz Band has 48 students enrolled in 1 class. This is enough kids to have 2 full Jazz Bands. We have 7 drummers at the moment and currently have 4 drums kits set up in class while learning fundamentals plus 1 vibraphone. In order to travel everything must fit in our 10ft trailer. We have become so big we have to leave the vibraphone at school so we can ensure we have all the chairs and stands. Even with that it is a hard fit to get everything on. Having a pearl mallet station not only gives a students an additional Vibraphone instrument to play in class daily (as well as another keyboard to benefit our concert Bands for fundamentals) but also allows us to fit it on the trailer or in the back of a car when we perform in the community.