Our students live in rural upstate NY, on the border of MA and CT. They are diverse in terms of interests and experiences, but universally wonderful and curious. At nearly 60% low-income families, our population is shrinking while the poverty level is rising.
Our students LOVE music!
Our Music program has been subject to staffing and program cuts over the last few years, due to shrinking population and financial challenges. We're looking to expand opportunities and experiences for our students.
My Project
In our Scintillating Synths project, we requested 3 different Korg Volca synthesizer modules, which are electronic sound production devices that are used to create and customize musical tones and sequences in an extraordinary and exciting way, allowing students to explore the intersection of Music, Science and Technology.
Korg's newest member of the Volca series, Volca Mix, is a four-channel analogue performance mixer that will let us construct a live setup, combining our 3 volca units.
Our Volca modules (Volca Keys, Volca FM & Volca Sample) are cool synthesizers that can create awesome sounds & beats with unlimited creative potential. The downside is that they have a small on-board speaker & no external power source; less than ideal in a classroom setting. It is a challenge to balance the sounds together. The Volca modules can be connected to Volca Mix, which will offer some great new possibilities for music making & experimentation by connecting the 3 instruments to one power source and sound output. Reminiscent of a high-end DJ mixer, Volca Mix has volume faders that are easy to control, plus crisp-sounding LO/HI CUT filters, and a master effects chain that can radically transform the sound. In addition to the sync function found on all Volcas, there are also DC output connectors that can supply power for up to three volca units. There are other numerous functions to facilitate our Volca performances, as well, helping to unlock the creative potential of our Volca rig even further, and bringing the 3 instruments together.
The Volca Mix is a great way for us to expand our experiences with our Volca synth. Whether used to create music to record or perform live, Volca Mix brings our Volca synths together, for our students to create and explore Music and Technology!
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As a teacher-founded nonprofit, we're trusted by thousands of teachers and supporters across the country. This classroom request for funding was created by Mr. Wiener and reviewed by the DonorsChoose team.
