NOTE: Any featured products are based on the experience and opinions of Network members and Music & Youth. We do not receive any financial benefit from the vendors to promote their products. We just thought they were helpful and you might like ’em. 


Essential Musical “PPE”

Curated list of the Best Programs and Portable Equipment for virtual programming or socially distanced solutions.

Virtual Programming Starter Resources

Customizable templates for recommended Zoom settings, staff guidelines, parent waivers/permission forms, sample email communications and participant guidelines.

Recommended Zoom Settings and Staff Guidelines
9 Steps to Set up your Zoom account and helpful staff guidelines

Sample Staff Guidelines for Virtual Programming
Simple Staff Guidelines when conducting Virtual Programming on Zoom

Sample Parent Consent Using Google Forms
Customize your own parent consent form using Google Forms

Sample Email Templates for Virtual Programming
Email Templates to efficiently communicate with Parents/Guardians

Participant Guide for Zoom Meetings
Practical help for your participants who are new to Virtual Programming

4 Virtual Programming Ideas
Members of the music staff at the Boys & Girls Clubs of Boston describe their approach for:

  • Group Instrument Lessons on Zoom
  • Virtual Music Production Sessions
  • Virtual Jam “Round Robin” Session
  • Instagram Live “Takeover” Concert

Recommendations on how to properly clean and disinfect your program area and music instruments: 


Virtual Programming Ideas and Resources

 Virtual Programming Ideas

Virtual Group Lessons (Zoom, etc)
Tutorial on how to set up virtual group lessons for any instrument 

Instrument Loaner Program
Resources (Recommended Equipment list and sample parent permission form) to help you set up an instrument Loaner Program.

At Home Resources

Advanced
Berklee Pulse
Berklee Online

Beginner 
Yousician
• Curated Youtube Lessons (ie. Guitar, Ukulele, Piano, Drum pad, Vocals)

 Virtual Programming Ideas

Virtual Beat making/recording sessions (via Zoom, etc) Thanks BuildingBeats.org
Free beat making tutorials and examples of virtual music production projects/sessions 

4 “Masked” Music Production Ideas
Is social distancing limiting your studio collabs? Encourage youth to make beats with anonymous producers adding an element of mystery

Rhythm Roulette (Using Splice)
Challenge your participants to a weekly beat making challenge using predetermined samples

At Home Resources

Advanced
Ableton (Free 90 day trial)
Beatmaker 3

Beginner

Amplify Studio
BlocsWave
Garageband

 Virtual Programming Ideas

• Virtual Group Lessons (Zoom, etc)
Tutorial on how to set up virtual group lessons or songwriting sessions for vocalists 

• Cover Song Challenge
Set up a weekly Cover Song competition to encourage virtual collaboration and music making

At Home Resources

Advanced & Beginner
TikTok
Acapella
Voloco

 Virtual Programming Ideas

Household Foley
Zoom session icebreaker – the participant with the most realistic sound effect wins!

Zoom Concert Watch Party
Schedule a regular time to meet up with participants to watch a virtual concert (using “screen share”) Examples: Beyoncé Homecoming, HipHop Evolution, or favorite artists on YouTube. 

Virtual Karaoke Party
Tutorial on how to set up a virtual Karaoke party with your participants (complete with a Google Doc best practice

At Home Resources

Advanced & Beginner
New York Vocal Coaching
Chrome Music Lab
Sampulator
You DJ


Music Making Resources

• Ableton (Free 90 day trial) – Professional level beat making software
ProTools First – Free version of Industry standard software

Soundtrap – (also has a phone App) Collaborate on beats/tracks with friends 

• Bandlab – (also has a phone App) Collaborate on beats/tracks with friends 

IOS and Android compatible:
Zenbeats – Make beats with classic Roland Sounds like 808’s
BlocsWave – Loop-based app to explore, create and record your music
LaunchPad – Instantly create and remix music
Acapella – Connect, collaborate and create music with friends who love to sing and play instruments.

IOS only:
Beatmaker 3 – Professional DAW powered by a mobile device
Garageband – Turn your iPad, and iPhone into a collection of Touch Instruments and a full-featured recording studio
Reason Compact – Your pocket music studio
Reason Take – Record your ideas anywhere… just Sing, hum, rap, or strum.
“Drop a Beat” Apple App Story – Collection of other popular music making Apps for IOS

Android only:
Best Music Making Apps – Collection of other popular music making Apps for IOS

Mobile Permission – Send Permission Slips to Parents’ cell phones
Bloomz – The #1 App for All Your Classroom Communication
• Remind – Communication for the school, home, and everywhere in between.
Crew – The connected frontline workplace


Professional Development Resources

Music Impact Network – Free program resources for after school music programs
Groove3 – Pro-quality Recording studio video tutorials

Henny Tha Bizness – Professional iPad music Producer
• Genius Deconstructed – How to make a hit with the industry’s top producers
• Pensado’s Place “Into the Lair” – Engineering and Mixing Tutorials with Dave Pensado


Please send resource recommendations to info@musicimpactnetwork.org

Creative Virtual Programming Ideas

Rubik’s Cube Beat

Check out this cool Rubik's Cube Beat put together by Will, our Music Clubhouse Coordinator. You can tap into your creative side at home too. For you it might look like creating your own beat, like Will did, or it could be drawing, writing, dancing, singing, playing an instrument, cooking or any other form of expression you choose. Let us know in the comments how you're tapping into your creative side.

Posted by West End House on Monday, March 30, 2020
BGCD At Home Announces The Masked Singer!

BGCD At Home is excited to announce our very own version of The Masked Singer! Episodes will be posted on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays at 8pm on both our Facebook and YouTube pages. Members and families have 24 hours to vote/comment on who they think lost and the loser will need to reveal themselves the next day. See you for the premier tomorrow at 8pm! #WeAreDorchester

Posted by Boys & Girls Clubs of Dorchester on Monday, March 30, 2020
BGCD At Home: The Masked Singer (Episode 1)

BGCD presents Episode 1 of our new series, The Masked Singer! Who do you think lost this round?You have 24 hours to vote and that person will have to reveal themselves! #WeAreDorchester

Posted by Boys & Girls Clubs of Dorchester on Tuesday, March 31, 2020