I run an ongoing group singing class for avocational adults on a bi-monthly basis. The class is sometimes larger and sometimes smaller and our musical tastes vary. Nonetheless, for the past several years we’ve had a blast!

To supplement the work we do in-person we have collaborative projects we record online through a site called Soundtrap. This is a subsidiary of Spotify and they have created a relatively comprehensive online DAW with free options. The prime feature is the ability to collaborate on the project, remotely, in real time. My students love it!

It’s pretty cool how folks can be a part of a recording process no matter the quality of equipment they have at home and regardless of their experience level. I would recommend Soundtrap as a part of any voice studio and really any music education in the 21st century. Home recording is becoming a part of every musician’s tool kit and it’s applications for furthering learning outside of the classroom are nearly boundless. Additionally, DAWs themselves are an instrument and a compositional tool. I have seen how empowering knowing just a little about how to use a simplified DAW such as Soundtrap can be for a student who is nervous about embarking on songwriting.

Here is a recording some of my adult students made of “Let it Snow” last year. I arranged some vocal harmony for us and we felt the end result turned out well. The students were able to download and share the recording with their friends and family!