
Remix with Loops
EarSketch Remix Lab for the 2020 Amazon Virtual Kids Week Challenge
Module 5 of 8
Students will code a song in EarSketch that is a minimum of 20 seconds but less than 2 minutes. The songs must include at least one stem from Ciara or Common and contain one for-loop to include repetition as a musical element in their song. Repetition draws in the listener, making them a part of the song. Ciara's song "Set" has some great examples of repetition both in lyrics and beats. A for-loop tells the computer to execute a section of code repeatedly, a common notation in most programming languages. We can use for-loops to avoid repeated lines or sections of code, increasing for-loops in Python consist of three basic parts: the loop counter, the range, and the loop body. In order for the code to be part of the loop, it must be indented in the loop body. Students can loop fitMedia(), makeBeat(), or setEffect() functions in their for-loop. For-loops are especially effective in looping a background beat or drum beat to the whole song with only a few lines of code. Chapter 12 of the student curriculum will explain this concept in more detail. In addition to the for-loop, students should include functions such as fitMedia(), setEffect() , and makeBeat() to remix the additional sound clips.
Jump to section:
Objectives
-
Engage Students in coding in EarSketch
-
Explore connections between music technology and programming
-
Navigate the EarSketch Digital Audio Workspace
-
Edit basic code with EarSketch specific functions such as makeBeat(), setEffect(), and fitMedia()
-
Code a for-loop to create repetition in their song

Computer Science Standards
CSP Standards
-
IT-CSP-2 Create digital artifacts that foster creative expression including programs, digital music, videos, images, documents, and combinations of these such as infographics, presentations, and web pages.
AP CSP Essential Knowledge
-
EK1.2.1A Creating digital effects, images, audio, video, animations has transformed industries​​
-
EK 5.2.1A Algorithms are implemented using program instructions that are processed during program execution.​
-
EK 5.3.1M Application program interfaces (APIs) and libraries simplify complex programming tasks.
-
EK 5.3.1O APIs connect software components, allowing them to communicate

Week 5 Challenge Flow
01 Explore the EarSketch Workspace
-
Accounts
-
Sound Library
-
Scripts Library
-
Share Browser
-
API Library
-
Digital Audio Workstation (DAW)
-
Code Editor
-
Console
-
Curriculum
02 Create a Script
-
Create a new account or sign in
- Create a new script
- Complete the comments section
03 Composing in EarSketch
-
Add sounds using fitMedia()
-
Choose a clip and paste it into fitMedia()
-
Choose a track and the starting/ending measures
-
Click Run and Play
05 Share and Submit
(For Weekly Challenge Competition)
-
Share EarSketch link from Scripts LibraryShare through SoundCloud (requires account)