Recreate: learn music technology the way electronic musicians actually learn it
A whole new approach to music technology, based on how electronic musicians learn
Recreate is a new approach to learning how to make music in a DAW, or using electronic music hardware. It is based in current research on how electronic musicians learn and is centred on Lucy Green's informal learning principles.
Instead of focusing on resources for how to use the DAW or hardware, we provide practical, learner-centred resources that help students recreate songs using their own or the school's preferred platform.
Our approach is based on a framework called Electronic Music Pedagogy, which consists of five key elements:
- Tinkering — experimenting with hardware or software by intentionally changing parameters without restraint, making aesthetic decisions based on aural perceptions. Trial and error, in other words.
- Solitary learning — learning happens in headphones before being shared.
- Recreating — using reference tracks to hone skills, aural perceptions and genre-specific understandings.
- With a significant other — drawing on the expertise of a chosen individual, synchronously or asynchronously, to ask questions and seek feedback.
- In communities of practice — sharing production output in a chosen community to seek feedback, refine work, celebrate shared expressions of culture, and enjoy.
Help learners recreate their favourite songs in these DAWs and hardware
Chrome Music Lab Song Maker
Soundtrap
BandLab
GarageBand, Mac and iPad
Ableton Live Intro
Roland AIRA Compact
Watch a full walkthrough of the Recreate unit
Full unit walkthrough, with captions. Read the transcript (DOCX, 10KB).
What is a "recreate"?
Recreate
It starts with tutorial-style videos made by our expert educators. They are not boring tutorials on how to use BandLab or GarageBand. They are punch-cut, highly curated videos with clear instructions to help someone recreate part of a song. The intention is that students use a song they are familiar with, and maybe even like, to learn the DAW by following the tutorial.
Deconstruct
Once the tutorial is complete, the facilitator deconstructs the video together with the students to explore specific knowledge, skills and understandings.
Teacher move: always do this after the video, never before. We include Teacher Notes PDFs for every video to guide the discussion and support explicit teaching of concepts.
Create
Once the video and deconstruction are complete, learners create music using the recreate as a starting point:
- Use the first step of the recreate as a starting point, then add your own next steps
- Use the same chord progression or bass line as the foundation of your own piece
- Record your own lyrics or melody over the top, or make a parody using the same melody
- Recreate your own track in a similar style to one of the videos
Recreate Champions
An important skill for an electronic musician is to aurally deconstruct songs and then recreate them using their chosen software or hardware. Recreate Champions is a scaffolded series built to teach exactly that.
Each resource has independent stems for drums, synth bass and synth, plus links to the real song on Spotify, Apple Music and YouTube for referencing. Each one has space for students to notate the parts they hear on a rhythm grid or a piano roll, with suggestions of starting notes, tempo, key, or important ideas in the rhythm to listen out for.
There are nine levels learners can work through independently. We provide the answers for each track so facilitators can guide as needed.
Inside a Recreate Champions resource
Every level has a student page and a teacher page. The student notates what they hear; the teacher has the answers.
Student page
Teacher page
Connections to informal learning
We are drawing directly from the Musical Futures International Explore, Recreate, Create approach.
The three approaches continuum: Explore, Recreate, Create.
Current Recreate resources
This list is a preview of the available recreates and other resources, grouped by platform. Access is via subscription.
1Recreate - Intro, AI Tools & Curriculum Mapping7 lessons
2Chrome Music Lab Song Maker16 lessons
3Soundtrap8 lessons
4BandLab11 lessons
5GarageBand for iPad7 lessons
6GarageBand for Macbook7 lessons
7Ableton Live (Intro)6 lessons
8Recreate Champions #14 chapters · 19 lessons
Recreate Teacher Guide. The whole approach, how to run it, and where each piece fits.
Sample Teacher Notes: Shake It Off in BandLab (PDF, 208KB).
Common questions
Is this a set of "how to use the DAW" tutorials?
No, and that is the point. Instead of focusing on how to use the software, we give practical, learner-centred resources that help students recreate songs on whichever platform you or the school already prefer. The videos are punch-cut and highly curated, with clear instructions to recreate part of a real song, not walkthroughs of every menu.
Which platforms does it cover?
Chrome Music Lab Song Maker, Soundtrap, BandLab, GarageBand for Mac, GarageBand for iPad, Ableton Live Intro, and Roland AIRA Compact hardware. Students use their own or the school's preferred platform rather than one we impose.
What is Electronic Music Pedagogy?
The framework the unit is built on, drawn from research into how electronic musicians actually learn. It has five elements: tinkering, solitary learning in headphones, recreating from reference tracks, working with a significant other, and sharing in communities of practice.
What is Recreate Champions and who is it for?
A scaffolded series that teaches students to aurally deconstruct songs and rebuild them themselves. Each resource has independent stems for drums, synth bass and synth, links to the real song on Spotify, Apple Music and YouTube, and space to notate what they hear on a rhythm grid or piano roll. There are 9 levels, and we provide the answers for facilitators. The Recreate videos suit upper primary and up; Recreate Champions is pitched at HSC, VCE, IGCSE, MYP, A Level and IBDP.
When should I deconstruct the video with the class?
Always after the video has been completed, never before. Students do the recreate first, then you unpack the knowledge, skills and understandings behind it. Every video has a Teacher Notes PDF to guide that discussion.
You may also like
Learn the DAW
The unit that doesn't start with a tutorial, across six platforms.
Read moreRemix
Take a song they know and rebuild it in a genre it was never written for.
Read moreRoland ASPIRE Project
Electronic music performance on real hardware, no screens needed.
Read moreReady to run Recreate with your classes?
Everything above is ready to go the moment you subscribe. No setup, no printing, no hunting for parts.
Recreate is in the Starter Pack with 25 songs, and in the Music Tech Pack and Full Access with 60+.
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