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Rhythm nation
Brandon Hightower, 17, is intently staring at a computer monitor of blinking lights, sound-level levers and a host of musical options – sort of a musical mixing board on a computer screen: clap, bass line, chord lines, underlying bass, you name it. He slides a computer mouse to the left, clicks and removes his headphones so a visitor can hear the music. He smiles shyly. “I’m composing a song,” he says of the funky beat with a clapping overtone. “I need to learn how to do this no matter where I want to go in the music world. Digital mixing is going to be key to anything I do, I think.” Hightower, a self-proclaimed rapper clad in a black thermal top, jeans with a drooping chain and black-and-white graphic low-cut tennis shoes, is just one of 35 students at Northwest School of the Arts taking part in an innovative new class allowing high school students to create their own music and learn about the recording business. The class, the only one of its kind in Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools, focuses on six areas – musical knowledge and styles, equipment, individual qualities, publishing, communication, and software and computer operation. It’s called Dragon Records Inc., an entertainment company that is the brainchild of Northwest’s chorus teacher Michael Washington. Named CMS’s Teacher of the Year in 1980, Washington is a graduate of the school himself. He is known for his tough-as-nails attitude about teaching and strong commitment to his students. “I am always trying to show them that it’s not only talent but discipline that is necessary to be successful,” said Washington, a former performer with the Charlotte Symphony, Charlotte Chamber Orchestra and even Carowinds, who decided he “could change some lives by teaching music.” “In the ninth grade, 10th grade and 11th grade and even sometimes now, me and Mr. Washington butted heads, but he is there for us and wants what is best,” said Hightower. “I’ve grown up a lot since the ninth grade too, but he has grown with us as well.” The learning lab includes Musical Instrument Digital Interface, which enables electronic musical instruments and computers to communicate, control and synchronize with each other in real time. Students have access to audio equipment and music videos and they will even create their own ring tones. Washington fought hard to have the MIDI/recording lab class added to the school’s curriculum, finding old keyboards in a storage closet and knowing he could do something with them. He then secured a donated Yamaha mixing board, an organ and speakers and wired the entire lab to the computer. He installed Frooty Loops software that allows students to create songs and loops and features a variety of audio recording and editing capabilities. “There are certain genres that we always do in a lot of our musical programs at the school, but the kids want to play with gospel, hip-hop, pop and classical, so we had some missing elements in creating music,” said Washington. “This program fills that void.” During the class, students are stationed at keyboards and computers, replicating sounds Washington gives them. “OK, let’s do a five-track sequence project,” said Washington during a recent class as he tapped his foot and clapped the beat he wanted. Fingers and minds went to work as the students thought about how to put their own spin to the pattern. Within minutes, rhythms filled the conference area, some with a hip-hop twist, others with a classical or smooth feel. “I give them the instrument, but I need them to own what they do,” Washington said. He teaches the students to compare music in different genres, including hip-hop, pop, rock, rhythm and blues and classical. One class activity involves choosing a musical genre and creating an entire song. Michael Rhy, 17, is a senior who plays the bassoon, flute, saxophone, tuba, piccolo and piano. As an “instrumentalist” he recognizes the significant role the MIDI lab will play in his future. “I am reversing my whole mind-set,” he said. “This is helping me in transferring music that I read traditionally on sheet music to a digital interface. Mr. Washington has opened my mind to so many things digitally that are so similar to my work with instruments. It’s going to be so important for me to stay ahead with technology in the future.” Sophomore Dashawn Dawkins, 15, is a musician and singer who acknowledges the importance of learning digital technology in the field. “I’m learning how to equalize and making sure the tones are mixing correctly,” he said with a grin. “I’m learning how to create music – how to create with different beats and different melodies.” As part of the class curriculum, students also learn about rhythms, musical styles, equipment and recording devices as well as copyrighting songs or publishing lyrics. In addition to classroom work, the class will participate in several community events and visit New York City in April for an educational trip. Students are raising money for tours of a professional recording studio and major television networks. Washington said the students’ final project will be a compilation CD. Proceeds from the CD will benefit the learning lab and pay for additional trips.
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