On Thursday March 23rd, 2017 I had the opportunity to assist at an outreach event organized by Lindsey Bross, for her fellow Music Education majors. The students spent the morning in the lab, selecting music-related designs to print for use in their studies/future classrooms. Lindsey organized the event, but her class’ instructor was also in attendance, and he encouraged his students to really consider how 3D printing can impact their future classrooms.
There were a few designs that were repeatedly printed by the class, including a Chinese ocarina, a music book clip, panpipes, and a guitar capo. The categories I continued to see in the class prints were designs that either made music themselves or assisted in the task of music making. For example, the Chinese ocarina, a hollow egg-shaped object with holes placed on one side, creates high-pitched sound when blown into. I think this little instrument would be fascinating to young students, and it would hardly cost the school anything to make if they already own the printer equipment and filament. The same goes for the panpipes: low-cost to make, but exciting for students to use when exploring the world of music.
The first image is the design for the ocarina, titled “Xun (Chinese ocarina, music instrument)” by licheong, and the second is the panpipes titled “Making Music” by mom0sarah on Thingiverse.
The other categories of items were created to assist in making music. The first was a book holder designed to hold the pages of a music book open while a musician is reading and playing the notes, and the second was a capo used to alter the sounds coming from a guitar. Again, if a school has the technology and equipment to take advantage of these designs, then supplies for a classroom can be made at very low cost. Typically a school would need to purchase a book holder or capo every student, but with 3d printing, the school can actually produce their own tools for music making.
The first image is the design for the book holder, titled “Music Book Clip” by Zydac, and the second is the capo titled “One-Piece One-Handed Guitar Capo” by loboCNC, on Thingiverse.
I think the connection of 3D printing to the world of music education is really quite interesting. The possibility of personalized instruments is the most exciting to me, as I can see schools and programs using 3D technology to create instruments for students who may not be able to use classic styles. For example, a student with a physical disability may have difficulty using a guitar, but with 3D printing, it would be possible to create an individualized instrument that could be played with ease for that student.
Another positive is something I’ve mentioned several times: the possibility of lower costs for music programs at schools. Across the country, as budgets and funding get cut, the arts programs are the first to go. With 3D printing, certain instruments and supplies could be created at a low-cost, thus helping with costs within music programs, and making them more accessible to schools.
This is a great article on the impact of 3D printing in the music industry https://3dprintingindustry.com/news/3d-printing-changes-world-music-31911/, and how its going to influence the future of the industry.
I really enjoyed helping the students create their pieces, and listening to their discussions about the future of 3D printing in schools. It was pretty special to see prints being made right in our own lab that will help future generations find a passion for music. The morning became a blend of technology and the arts, and I was really honored to be a part of it.
3D printing is becoming more and more normalized and accessible by the day, so it is vital for future educators to understand the possibilities of printing. I think that’s why our lab at JMU is so important. It helps students of all majors prepare for their future careers, while teaching skills and encouraging creativity that will be used for years to come.
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