Piano Lab

One of the most valuable technologies to have in a music classroom is a piano lab. Piano labs provide several ways to teach large groups of students the fundamentals of music and piano technique. At Johnson School of Excellence, we have 32 electronic keyboards equipped with headphones and microphones. Each keyboard is linked to each other through a complex network of cables and electronic equipment. The instructor has complete control over what each student can hear through their headsets. The student may only be able to hear themselves, the instructor, or a partner they are working with. With this is in mind, the instructor has several options for teaching a lesson. At first, students can play on their own and listen to only their keyboard. The instructor can then channel in to their keyboard and monitor individual progress. Students can then be put into pairs to make a joint project. Students can only hear their partner or the instructor. The instructor can then have individuals or groups do a solo performance. While in solo mode, students cannot hear their own piano making it easier to keep students attention. As a final step, the instructor can link all keyboards for a class performance. Each student can hear every keyboard and practice large group performances. More information how to install and use a piano lab can be found HERE.

While this technology is great for a music classroom, it also takes up allot of space and money. The keyboard lab at Johnson takes up an entire classroom. Especially in urban schools, finding a place to host a lab may be difficult. In addition, piano labs are very costly. Each students needs a keyboard and headset along with thousands of feet of cable to link each piano. The main controllers that each keyboard connects to is also very pricey. Maintaining equipment can also become expensive as electrical and hardware issues are common.

While it may seem that a piano lab is more trouble than it’s worth, the true value of this technology shows when students become more engaged and excited to learn. At Johnson, we are able to use the lab as a behavior management tool as a well as an educational resources. Many of our keyboards were donated or acquired through grants. Click HERE to view several resources for music technology grants. With enough resources, most music classrooms should have access to at least a small computer lab.