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The purpose of technology in the classroom is to improve instruction. I simply don’t believe in technology
for the sake of technology. When looking at a piece of music tech gear, I’m always trying to evaluate and
develop ways to use the gear as a tool to teach a musical concept in a more efficient and/or interesting
manner. Music technology, in particular, has the ability to make musical concepts more accessible to
students and can serve as the “on ramp” to a lifelong appreciation of music. Sure, any student can drag
in loops to make a beat using music production software, but in my classroom I use loops to teach the
concepts of form and texture. The piano keyboard is often an intimidating piece of music making equipment,
however, by starting with some simple percussion rhythm, venturing to a 2-note bass line, and finally
playing notated melodies, students can slowly get their feet wet and eventually feel comfortable playing
on the keyboard.
Some pieces of gear go beyond teaching a concept and actually allow a classroom to function. Over my
13 years of teaching music technology both in high school and higher education, the one indispensible
piece of gear that makes my classroom work is the Korg GEC. Administrators are always amazed at how
quiet my classroom is and how efficiently I can address student needs and differentiate my instruction.
Students can work independently, interact 1-on-1 with the teacher, share audio with the class, and work
collaboratively with a peer. The GEC is the audio nerve center of my classroom and provides the perfect
teaching environment for all audio-based activities.
The GEC has steadily improved over the years and the new GEC5 is a dramatic upgrade. The GEC5’s
rack-mounted Teacher Unit and a computer/tablet application provide a much more user-friendly
environment. With the addition of a wireless router, the teacher can manage the classroom while walking
around the room with an iPad or Android tablet. Students no longer need proprietary T4 headphone
connections and can instead use standard 3.5mm jack headphones (including iPhone style headphones
with microphones!).
The goal of this text is to provide teachers with the practical functionality of all aspects of the GEC5 from
a teacher’s perspective. I hope it will serve as a teaching resource as you begin managing your class
with the GEC5. I will start with a brief overview of the student interface units, rack-mounted Teacher
Unit, and how to make all of the connections. Next, I will delve into the software that controls the GEC5.
The GEC5 Controller application is available for Mac/Windows and iPad/Android tablets. Finally, I will
conclude with an appendix discussing the layout of the lab, a site plan checklist, and step-by-step
instructions on how to install the Korg GEC5 system. Throughout the text, I include numerous TIP boxes
that offer real-world advice from my years of working with the GEC Learning System in the classroom.
Overview of Technology in the Classroom
by Michael Fein
(www.feinmusic.com)
