Blackout Recording with GarageBand for iPad

Inspired by Blackout Poetry and Newspaper Blackout (Austin Kleon), this is Blackout Recording.

Create and record a unique poem as you learn how to edit audio with GarageBand for iPad.

You can choose to edit one of the three sample projects, or record your own voice. Then use loops and instruments to add atmosphere, mood and personality to your audio poetry.

🔗 Tap/Click here to download the book from Apple Books.

Or, you can get started on your creative editing journey by downloading the all-in-one Pages journal: https://bit.ly/BlackoutRecording

You and your students can use the book and/or all-in-one journal to guide you through the project.

Learning Objectives for this lesson:

• Create an original poetry recording through ‘creative editing’.
• Demonstrate an ability to use audio editing skills.
• Apply effects and loops to add music to an audio recording.

This learning experience promoted student creativity by asking students to learn and apply digital audio editing skills in a more creative way.

Edits made by students — and the decisions they made on where to perform edits — directly lead to the creation of the final project. In this way, students had to think more creatively and technology uniquely makes this type of project possible.

Students demonstrated their learning by creating a Blackout Recording’ with GarageBand for iPad. This was inspired by ‘Blackout Poetry’ and ‘Newspaper Blackout’ (Austin Kleon). Students could choose and record their own audio or use a sample project. They would edit the audio to create their original audio poem. 

Finally, they can add loops or create music to add atmosphere and ambience to their creation.

This lesson formed part of my Apple Teacher Portfolio as an ‘Apply’ lesson, but could be easily adapted and used as an ‘Explore’ lesson depending on the age, skill level, positioning and depth of the activity, and has lots of opportunities to be simplified to suit your needs.

I used this lesson with my 1st and 2nd Year Music classes (12-14 years old), but it could easily be used in different contexts with other age groups too!