ABSTRACT
In this chapter, we begin with a rationale as to why digital audio workstations (DAWs) should be considered core to music studies in learner-centered higher education. Next, we discuss why DAWs – instruments that historically have been predominantly self-taught – should be taught in formal settings such as colleges and universities. We provide readers with a concrete example of how to teach DAW skills, adhering to a constructivist learner-centered model that is altogether relevant and applicable to learners with a range of musical tastes and interests, skills, and experiences. Commencing with a brief background of Tin Pan Alley in New York City at the turn of the 20th century, we introduce learners to player piano technology, which ushered in the concept of the song as a commercial commodity and simultaneously laid the groundwork for digital music. Understanding this background information helps learners to contextualize the “piano roll” – the de facto interface in almost all commercial DAWs that are used to create and edit MIDI-based music. By engaging in the three activities outlined in this chapter, learners develop DAW skills that are foundational to producing popular music.
