We’re back in lockdown and learning music from home… so we decided to set our students in Year 7 and 8 a creative challenge – to record their very own lockdown soundscapes and capture the sounds of their lockdown.

We started by setting the Music team the challenge to see what they would do – and we’ve ended up with six very different soundscapes, covering everything from the sounds on online school, microphone problems, toddler chat, Frozen, showers, government adverts about Brexit paperwork, alarms, laughing, Science lessons, kettles…. well, have a listen and see what else you can spot! Some teachers have included drum tracks and recorded instruments, others have just used their sound clips.

Which is your favourite? What sounds are typical of your lockdown days?

 

We would LOVE you to take part too, and help us build a 2021 Lockdown Soundscape Library!

1. Choose a part of the day to make your recordings (ie, breakfast, lesson time, evening)

2. Record 3-5 short clips of different things – choose sounds which are different and stand out from each other. Use the voice notes app on your smart phone or any other recording method you know.

3. Rename your files so you know what the sounds are!

4. Go to Bandlab on your web browser or download the app from the App Store or Google Play – it is free! Create an account and off you go! (If you are experienced in music tech and already have some music production software that you know and love, use that!)

5. Create a new project – add your audio clips (at the bottom left of the grey box)

6. Use the tutorials (Help – Show tutorials) to help you learn how to manipulate your sounds. You can trim the clips, add effects, loop clips, make different sounds louder or make them echo. You can also add recorded instruments or add your own drum beat. Play and experiment until you’re happy with your creation!

7.When you have finished your soundscape, download as an mp3 and email to music@lister.newham.sch.uk and share your lockdown sounds with us. You can also tweet your tracks – make sure to tag us @listermusicdept and hashtag #ListerLockdownSounds so we hear them!