ABSTRACT

This introduction presents an overview of the key concepts discussed in the subsequent chapters of this book. The book offers a holistic alternative to overreliance on digital audio workstations in audio education. It examines how popular music serves to reinforce a broader, multifaceted foundation of critical listening competencies in audio and music technology education. The book presents a case study on how audio education functions within the realm of distance learning. It also offers a thorough look at the issues affecting gender imbalance and representation in theatrical sound design and related fields. The book places forward a more comprehensive and topical view of materials used in an electronic music history course. Neal offers suggestions on how to create similar units for music teachers across grade levels, and the practical considerations of including such content among more stringent learning rubrics in elementary and secondary schools in the United States.