Leeds College of Music has developed an augmented reality app to provide support for students. The app, which has been developed by the Music Production Faculty and eLearning team in collaboration with Jisc, supports students in the studio by offering an AR overview of the recording console. The app is the first of its kind within music production education in the UK.
LCoM's new Augmented Reality (AR) app in action.
The app was developed following a barrier to learning being identified from studio sessions, which are traditionally undertaken in small groups where students would need to utilise skills less frequently practised in the sphere of digital audio.
The app assists students with recording in the studio by introducing them to the recording console through layering information on the desk surface allowing them to navigate the console more easily and providing a more immersive learning experience.
The app also incorporates AR technology to help the student understand signal flow within the physical studio environment, in a world where Digital Audio Workstation software is prolific. Using animated virtual patch leads, the student can see how to connect the equipment within their recording sessions.
Curriculum Leader for Music Production, Craig Golding said: “This app has been a long time in development and in it’s fantastic to see it brought to life and being used by students to enhance their learning. In an age where we are surrounded by so much visual stimulus, we’re harnessing this as a learning tool in the studio environment. Augmented Reality has the capability to be utilised and integrated in so many ways within music education, and we’re proud to be leading the way forwards with our own app.”
Designed to enhance teaching and learning, the app provides extended support outside of the timetabled teaching hours. Students are introduced to the app in production sessions and can then download the app to their mobile device to continue to use in the studio in their own time for independent learning.
Second year Music Production student Rob Davies said: “It’s a really innovative way of learning and getting to grips with the whole desk – it’s a physical, tangible experience instead of just being sat in a classroom learning a theory.”
Matthew Ramirez, Jisc’s futures senior development officer, said: “Augmented and virtual reality can transport you to places and offer exceptional experiences you might otherwise struggle to access.
“That is why they are fantastic tools to use in education, enriching learning and explaining processes in a more engaging and interactive way, such as using equipment in a recording studio.
“We have enjoyed working with Leeds College of Music on this exciting project, which has received positive feedback from students that will help to develop the app in the future.”
Find out more about BA (Hons) Music (Production) at Leeds College of Music
