After years of miserable piano lessons Daniel Lee discovered his true passion when he first saw Jazz guitarist Emily Remler playing a Blues. Observing her combination of the sophisticated with the unassuming was a true life-changing experience. He graduated from the Jazz program at Adelaide University’s Elder Conservatorium in the mid 90’s and has performed, composed, taught, collected, designed and built all things Jazz guitar related ever since. He holds a Graduate Diploma in Adult and Tertiary Education as well as a Masters degree in International Education. For his research during his PhD in Music Education at the University of Tasmania, he examined popular music courses in Australian higher education and the cultural consequences of current practice. He has performed as a professional musician in almost every setting imaginable from beach weddings to festivals and live radio, in solo, duo and trio format up to 17-piece Big Bands and large Jazz ensembles. Highlights include performances at Ronnie Scott’s Jazz Club, the Adelaide Guitar Festival, and concerts featuring his unique collection of Australian built Archtop Jazz guitars. His research outputs include international conferences and journal articles on contemporary guitar education, research methodology and 21st century music communities.
To ‘augment’ is to make greater (Robinson, 2002). Many popular music courses augment their curric... more To ‘augment’ is to make greater (Robinson, 2002). Many popular music courses augment their curricula with jazz content. This paper examines if the inclusion of jazz content in popular music courses has the potential to make courses ‘greater’ by improving perceived graduate outcomes and/or increasing equity of access to higher music education.
A growing number of international students enrolling in CPM courses has caused educators to consi... more A growing number of international students enrolling in CPM courses has caused educators to consider broadening their perceptions on curricula content and the definitional boundaries of ‘popular music’ to cater for the expectations of a culturally diverse cohort. Also, students applying to study in CPM courses are coming from an increasingly diverse academic background, many having had no formal music training. Course designers have managed to construct courses offering a broad equity of access to students from diverse cultural backgrounds, and with non-traditional musical training. This paper presents findings regarding students’ and educators’ perceptions on the diverse curricula and pedagogies employed to cater for the increasingly diverse cohort. The study found Australian tertiary institutions delivering CPM courses have engaged with an eclectic array of pedagogical practices in order to maximise student agency and included a broad, globally informed classification of genre.
Computers and Education: Artificial Intelligence, 2024
In recent months, Artificial Intelligence (AI) has had, and will continue to have, a dramatic imp... more In recent months, Artificial Intelligence (AI) has had, and will continue to have, a dramatic impact on Higher Education (HE). A study conducted by researchers at a leading university in Australia surveyed 30 of their teaching staff, drawn predominantly from their teaching academy, and interviewed eight of them regarding the impact of AI on HE. Data were analyzed using the procedures of Inductive Thematic Analysis and revealed a lack of any homogenous sentiment around AI in HE and much ambiguity regarding best practice regarding recent technological developments. The results indicate concerns exist around concepts relating to academic integrity, however, these concerns may be exaggerated. Almost half of the participants indicated they were using AI within their teaching roles with the most common design change being modifications to assessments. Less than a quarter of staff agreed the university has adequately equipped them for AI, and more than three quarters indicated they would like support. They unanimously assumed the technology will improve. Keeping in mind universities' obligation to serve students by preparing them for industry, it is vitally important that the HE sector stays informed of developments in AI and commit to ongoing research and discussions regarding best practice in response to AI. However, anything regarding AI and future developments will be extremely difficult to predict.
The development of communication technologies, resulting in the arrival of the Internet and the W... more The development of communication technologies, resulting in the arrival of the Internet and the World-Wide-Web has been rapid, influencing almost all aspects of modern society including education. Concepts of epistemology, how we know what we know, have been forced to rapidly adjust to these new and emerging technologies. Online communities of learners have developed in virtual spaces where community members share knowledge and resources as well as offer support and feedback. This is particularly prominent in the field of learning to play the guitar. This paper presents findings of a systematic literature review to empirically examine the question: What does it mean epistemologically to use digital methods when learning the guitar? With a particular focus on self-directed learning through online communities, notions of epistemic inertia and resonance are discussed, and concepts of epistemic indulgence and discretion are presented. This paper also presents the conception of the evolving communication in online guitar communities, in the form of tablature developed in word processors and simple imaging software, to be a folksonomy, which is itself a product of epistemic resonance.
The introduction of ChatGPT in November, 2022 has brought a new level of Artificial Intelligence ... more The introduction of ChatGPT in November, 2022 has brought a new level of Artificial Intelligence (AI) to the public attention and accessibility. As a result, it has been adopted in academia by students, some of whom have been found to submit works generated by AI. Universities have been employing Turnitin as a plagiarism checker and this service has recently added an AI detection mode. However, as this is fairly new, it is worth double-checking any suspicious submissions with a third-party AI detection tool. This report details a research project testing five free online AI detection tools and their ability to assess AI content in simulated academic assignments. ChatGPT was used as the AI source and was instructed to write a movie critique and a short essay, then to improve human generated texts. These samples were modified to give various degrees of tests. Samples from Bing were also tested including an essay drafted by Bing and then rewritten by ChatGPT. The results of the tests indicate a diverse range of reliability of the online tools.
Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, the music industry was already experiencing uncertainty as musici... more Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, the music industry was already experiencing uncertainty as musicians experimented with new modes of dissemination and monetisation following developments in tele-communications. The arrival of the internet also instigated varying, sometimes contradictory, cultural concerns including dispersion, dissipation, preservation, development, homogenisation, and heterogeneity. Guitar players have traditionally formed local networks and communities in geo-located domains. However, in the Twenty-first-century, community domains also include virtual spaces. An immersive netnographic study investigated activities in online guitar communities from the perspective on UNESCO’s Convention for the Safeguarding of Intangible Cultural Heritage. Data were analysed using the protocols of Inductive Thematic Analysis generating seven codes regarding the impact of COVID-19 on virtual guitar communities. Without doubt, the pandemic has had serious negative effects on individual musicians’ and live venues’ income streams. However, it does seem to have acted as a catalyst for fresh vigour within online communities seeking new ways to connect. With more artists sharing and interacting, the result could be a richer environment in the future. However, without a strong recognition of cultural responsibility this richness may result in a homogenous melting pot. Alternatively, it may also bring to light cultural expressions previously suppressed.
This study investigated the pedagogical approaches and curricula of contemporary popular music (C... more This study investigated the pedagogical approaches and curricula of contemporary popular music (CPM) courses delivered by Australian higher education institutions with a specific focus on guitar tuition. The scope of the study included Australian Qualifications Framework Level 7 (AQF7, Bachelor Degree) courses in which a student could choose to major on performance with the guitar as their primary instrument. Twenty-five courses were located fitting the study's scope. Data were collected via surveys (n=86) and interviews (n=32) with affiliated students, alumni and educators, and documentary data in the form of unit descriptors (n=364). The research questions examined pedagogies in use by Australian tertiary institutions, how they are relevant to twenty-first century music industry practices, and how they influence the Australian voice in guitar communities, and individual performance styles of graduates. A phenomenographically oriented, ethnographic approach was developed for th...
The study investigated the development of a meta-canon for the electric guitar by analysing the s... more The study investigated the development of a meta-canon for the electric guitar by analysing the status of various compositions within the implicit standard repertoire of electric guitar. An international curriculum for instrumental electric guitar tuition based on a meta-canon of ten songs was then proposed. The meta-canon was designed with a specific goal of preparing an electric guitarist for work in the modern global music marketplace. A canon is a list of songs that have developed significant status within the standard repertoire of a musical instrument. A meta-canon is a refined list with a pedagogical function. The majority of Western art instruments already have their own canons with dedicated pieces written expressly for a specific pedagogical purpose. However, no formalised repertoire for the electric guitar has been established that caters for twenty-first century global developments in music. Focussing on the electric guitar’s role in Western popular music, this study extracted from various syllabuses and other relevant international sources a list of significant compositions suitable for the formulation of a meta-canon. The electric guitar meta-canon developed in the study has been assembled through; the analysis of each song’s historical and current significance in the idiom, pertinence in a current repertoire and its pedagogical value within a global education paradigm. Pedagogical value was gauged using established guitar curricula as an historical gauge for educational content. The study contained both quantitative data analysis and qualitative processes and was conducted using critical analysis as the methodology. International data sources were selected to represent a broad global perspective on the content. Triangulation was used to ensure the results were not biased and the selection criteria were set to ensure pedagogical value. A major finding of the research was that culturally significant compositions within the genre of electric guitar music contained pedagogical elements already found within existing instructional books. The results found that all the songs in the meta-canon were composed by artists from either the United Kingdom or the United States of America. Implications of the position of Australian guitar culture within the global paradigm, are discussed from a pedagogical perspective.
In 2012 Australian Guitar Magazine assembled a panel of experts to discuss the best guitar player... more In 2012 Australian Guitar Magazine assembled a panel of experts to discuss the best guitar players in Australia. The TopTen website hosts a live public opinion poll where voters can help decide who are the ten best guitar players in Australia. The panel of experts and the public seem to agree on the top four guitarists, even if there is a little disparity with the order.
Australian Guitar Magazine TopTen
1. Angus Young 1. Angus Young
2. Tommy Emmanuel 2. Tommy Emmanuel
3. Ian Moss 3. Chris Cheney
4. Chris Cheney 4. Ian Moss
Three out of the four guitarists are exponents of a genre of music that is purely Australian — Oz-Rock. The black sheep in the list, Tommy Emmanuel, is best known for his fingerstyle acoustic guitar playing. Oz-Rock is a genre of music dominated by electric guitars, power-chords, riffs and improvised guitar solos. It grew out of the pub scene in the 1960s and was founded by bands like The Easybeats and Billy Thorpe and The Aztecs. Oz-Rock was the foundation for many of Australia's most successful Rock and Roll bands including The Angels, Rose Tattoo, Midnight Oil and INXS. The compositions in this book are designed to pay tribute to Angus Young, Ian Moss and Chris Cheney by emulating their playing styles. Each tune is designed to be an instrumental guitar duet with the possibility of further enhancement with the addition of Bass and Drums. Guitar 1 typically plays the role of lead guitar and Guitar 2 plays the role of rhythm guitar. However, the tunes are designed in such a way that the performers may choose to interchange roles.
The tunes are composed with the intention of developing skills in secondary guitar students and exposing them to the performance styles of Australia's best, and most loved guitar players. These instrumental tunes offer the chance for guitar students to explore concepts of melody within a familiar aesthetic framework. Furthermore, each tune features an improvised solo section to allow guitarists to express their artistic creativity.
21st century telecommunications have spawned new developments in anthropological research.Researc... more 21st century telecommunications have spawned new developments in anthropological research.Researchers now utilise online tools and investigate virtual social phenomena. A research project at the University of Tasmania required the development of a tailored methodology to investigate real-world activities across multiple education institutions and associated on-line communities.The study employed a blend of traditional and contemporary approaches assembled from established methodologies. Considerations influencing the development of the methodology are presented with the intention of informing future researchers of valid methodological design.Ontological and epistemological concerns are addressed to establish a framework for 21st century ethnographical methodologies
How do educators ascertain the pedagogical value of a musical composition for inclusion as curric... more How do educators ascertain the pedagogical value of a musical composition for inclusion as curriculum exemplars? A number of factors contribute, including: canonic status, historical and cultural significance, popularity and aesthetic values. This comparative case study examines a number of Australian compositions from within the scope of contemporary popular music (CPM) looking for musical richness as a factor of pedagogical value in modern guitar curricula. Using The Beatles’ song ‘Eleanor Rigby’ as a comparative basis, musicological methodologies of theoretical analysis are applied to six Australian CPM compositions to evaluate their pedagogical value. Discussion of the musical richness discovered in each composition leads to conclusions regarding their value within a guitar programme of an Australian CPM school curriculum.
A study is being conducted by researchers at the University of Tasmania examining pedagogical pra... more A study is being conducted by researchers at the University of Tasmania examining pedagogical practices and curriculum content of guitar programs in Contemporary Popular Music courses delivered by Australian universities. Data were collected via surveys, interviews and industry documents. A contemporary methodology blending aspects of Ethnography and Phenomenography was designed for the study employing Inductive Thematic Analysis as the primary tool. The analysis revealed manifest and latent roles of music education present in the existing paradigm. Themes of cultural perpetuation were found in the data corpus implying a hidden curriculum. The findings are discussed from perspectives of Ethno-Aesthetics, Globalization.
43rd ANZARME Conference: Unmasking Music Education (online), 2021
A study conducted at the University of Tasmania investigated curricula design and pedagogical pra... more A study conducted at the University of Tasmania investigated curricula design and pedagogical practices of popular music courses in Australian higher education institutions. By engaging with an inductive research methodology, unforeseen themes in the data were found including the role of music education in cultural concerns. A triangulated data corpus was assembled from surveys and interviews of participants affiliated with every popular music Bachelor degree in Australia, as well as documentary data in the form of unit and course outlines. The study found music education is performing a role akin to UNESCO's Convention for the Safeguarding of Intangible Cultural Heritage. Further investigation sought to understand whether this is occurring proactively or passively, and if it is latent or manifest within curricula and pedagogical design. This paper explores the potential modes in which music education can be purposefully utilised in the future in the roles of cultural preservation, perpetuation and development. It could be assumed there is a potential threat to geo-located micro-cultures by the onward march of westernisation especially since the introduction of the internet has allowed greater and faster access to cultural products. Music educators in Australia, and around the world, have been quick to adopt online teaching strategies and resources, however, have they considered the long-term cultural consequences? This has been exacerbated in recent times by the influence of the global Covid-19 pandemic. Music education has been seen as a useful tool to preserve local cultural heritage in non-western countries. How are these principals being applied, or could they in the future, within Australian music education to preserve our own local popular music cultural heritage?
To ‘augment’ is to make greater (Robinson, 2002). Many popular music courses augment their curric... more To ‘augment’ is to make greater (Robinson, 2002). Many popular music courses augment their curricula with jazz content. This paper examines if the inclusion of jazz content in popular music courses has the potential to make courses ‘greater’ by improving perceived graduate outcomes and/or increasing equity of access to higher music education.
A growing number of international students enrolling in CPM courses has caused educators to consi... more A growing number of international students enrolling in CPM courses has caused educators to consider broadening their perceptions on curricula content and the definitional boundaries of ‘popular music’ to cater for the expectations of a culturally diverse cohort. Also, students applying to study in CPM courses are coming from an increasingly diverse academic background, many having had no formal music training. Course designers have managed to construct courses offering a broad equity of access to students from diverse cultural backgrounds, and with non-traditional musical training. This paper presents findings regarding students’ and educators’ perceptions on the diverse curricula and pedagogies employed to cater for the increasingly diverse cohort. The study found Australian tertiary institutions delivering CPM courses have engaged with an eclectic array of pedagogical practices in order to maximise student agency and included a broad, globally informed classification of genre.
Computers and Education: Artificial Intelligence, 2024
In recent months, Artificial Intelligence (AI) has had, and will continue to have, a dramatic imp... more In recent months, Artificial Intelligence (AI) has had, and will continue to have, a dramatic impact on Higher Education (HE). A study conducted by researchers at a leading university in Australia surveyed 30 of their teaching staff, drawn predominantly from their teaching academy, and interviewed eight of them regarding the impact of AI on HE. Data were analyzed using the procedures of Inductive Thematic Analysis and revealed a lack of any homogenous sentiment around AI in HE and much ambiguity regarding best practice regarding recent technological developments. The results indicate concerns exist around concepts relating to academic integrity, however, these concerns may be exaggerated. Almost half of the participants indicated they were using AI within their teaching roles with the most common design change being modifications to assessments. Less than a quarter of staff agreed the university has adequately equipped them for AI, and more than three quarters indicated they would like support. They unanimously assumed the technology will improve. Keeping in mind universities' obligation to serve students by preparing them for industry, it is vitally important that the HE sector stays informed of developments in AI and commit to ongoing research and discussions regarding best practice in response to AI. However, anything regarding AI and future developments will be extremely difficult to predict.
The development of communication technologies, resulting in the arrival of the Internet and the W... more The development of communication technologies, resulting in the arrival of the Internet and the World-Wide-Web has been rapid, influencing almost all aspects of modern society including education. Concepts of epistemology, how we know what we know, have been forced to rapidly adjust to these new and emerging technologies. Online communities of learners have developed in virtual spaces where community members share knowledge and resources as well as offer support and feedback. This is particularly prominent in the field of learning to play the guitar. This paper presents findings of a systematic literature review to empirically examine the question: What does it mean epistemologically to use digital methods when learning the guitar? With a particular focus on self-directed learning through online communities, notions of epistemic inertia and resonance are discussed, and concepts of epistemic indulgence and discretion are presented. This paper also presents the conception of the evolving communication in online guitar communities, in the form of tablature developed in word processors and simple imaging software, to be a folksonomy, which is itself a product of epistemic resonance.
The introduction of ChatGPT in November, 2022 has brought a new level of Artificial Intelligence ... more The introduction of ChatGPT in November, 2022 has brought a new level of Artificial Intelligence (AI) to the public attention and accessibility. As a result, it has been adopted in academia by students, some of whom have been found to submit works generated by AI. Universities have been employing Turnitin as a plagiarism checker and this service has recently added an AI detection mode. However, as this is fairly new, it is worth double-checking any suspicious submissions with a third-party AI detection tool. This report details a research project testing five free online AI detection tools and their ability to assess AI content in simulated academic assignments. ChatGPT was used as the AI source and was instructed to write a movie critique and a short essay, then to improve human generated texts. These samples were modified to give various degrees of tests. Samples from Bing were also tested including an essay drafted by Bing and then rewritten by ChatGPT. The results of the tests indicate a diverse range of reliability of the online tools.
Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, the music industry was already experiencing uncertainty as musici... more Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, the music industry was already experiencing uncertainty as musicians experimented with new modes of dissemination and monetisation following developments in tele-communications. The arrival of the internet also instigated varying, sometimes contradictory, cultural concerns including dispersion, dissipation, preservation, development, homogenisation, and heterogeneity. Guitar players have traditionally formed local networks and communities in geo-located domains. However, in the Twenty-first-century, community domains also include virtual spaces. An immersive netnographic study investigated activities in online guitar communities from the perspective on UNESCO’s Convention for the Safeguarding of Intangible Cultural Heritage. Data were analysed using the protocols of Inductive Thematic Analysis generating seven codes regarding the impact of COVID-19 on virtual guitar communities. Without doubt, the pandemic has had serious negative effects on individual musicians’ and live venues’ income streams. However, it does seem to have acted as a catalyst for fresh vigour within online communities seeking new ways to connect. With more artists sharing and interacting, the result could be a richer environment in the future. However, without a strong recognition of cultural responsibility this richness may result in a homogenous melting pot. Alternatively, it may also bring to light cultural expressions previously suppressed.
This study investigated the pedagogical approaches and curricula of contemporary popular music (C... more This study investigated the pedagogical approaches and curricula of contemporary popular music (CPM) courses delivered by Australian higher education institutions with a specific focus on guitar tuition. The scope of the study included Australian Qualifications Framework Level 7 (AQF7, Bachelor Degree) courses in which a student could choose to major on performance with the guitar as their primary instrument. Twenty-five courses were located fitting the study's scope. Data were collected via surveys (n=86) and interviews (n=32) with affiliated students, alumni and educators, and documentary data in the form of unit descriptors (n=364). The research questions examined pedagogies in use by Australian tertiary institutions, how they are relevant to twenty-first century music industry practices, and how they influence the Australian voice in guitar communities, and individual performance styles of graduates. A phenomenographically oriented, ethnographic approach was developed for th...
The study investigated the development of a meta-canon for the electric guitar by analysing the s... more The study investigated the development of a meta-canon for the electric guitar by analysing the status of various compositions within the implicit standard repertoire of electric guitar. An international curriculum for instrumental electric guitar tuition based on a meta-canon of ten songs was then proposed. The meta-canon was designed with a specific goal of preparing an electric guitarist for work in the modern global music marketplace. A canon is a list of songs that have developed significant status within the standard repertoire of a musical instrument. A meta-canon is a refined list with a pedagogical function. The majority of Western art instruments already have their own canons with dedicated pieces written expressly for a specific pedagogical purpose. However, no formalised repertoire for the electric guitar has been established that caters for twenty-first century global developments in music. Focussing on the electric guitar’s role in Western popular music, this study extracted from various syllabuses and other relevant international sources a list of significant compositions suitable for the formulation of a meta-canon. The electric guitar meta-canon developed in the study has been assembled through; the analysis of each song’s historical and current significance in the idiom, pertinence in a current repertoire and its pedagogical value within a global education paradigm. Pedagogical value was gauged using established guitar curricula as an historical gauge for educational content. The study contained both quantitative data analysis and qualitative processes and was conducted using critical analysis as the methodology. International data sources were selected to represent a broad global perspective on the content. Triangulation was used to ensure the results were not biased and the selection criteria were set to ensure pedagogical value. A major finding of the research was that culturally significant compositions within the genre of electric guitar music contained pedagogical elements already found within existing instructional books. The results found that all the songs in the meta-canon were composed by artists from either the United Kingdom or the United States of America. Implications of the position of Australian guitar culture within the global paradigm, are discussed from a pedagogical perspective.
In 2012 Australian Guitar Magazine assembled a panel of experts to discuss the best guitar player... more In 2012 Australian Guitar Magazine assembled a panel of experts to discuss the best guitar players in Australia. The TopTen website hosts a live public opinion poll where voters can help decide who are the ten best guitar players in Australia. The panel of experts and the public seem to agree on the top four guitarists, even if there is a little disparity with the order.
Australian Guitar Magazine TopTen
1. Angus Young 1. Angus Young
2. Tommy Emmanuel 2. Tommy Emmanuel
3. Ian Moss 3. Chris Cheney
4. Chris Cheney 4. Ian Moss
Three out of the four guitarists are exponents of a genre of music that is purely Australian — Oz-Rock. The black sheep in the list, Tommy Emmanuel, is best known for his fingerstyle acoustic guitar playing. Oz-Rock is a genre of music dominated by electric guitars, power-chords, riffs and improvised guitar solos. It grew out of the pub scene in the 1960s and was founded by bands like The Easybeats and Billy Thorpe and The Aztecs. Oz-Rock was the foundation for many of Australia's most successful Rock and Roll bands including The Angels, Rose Tattoo, Midnight Oil and INXS. The compositions in this book are designed to pay tribute to Angus Young, Ian Moss and Chris Cheney by emulating their playing styles. Each tune is designed to be an instrumental guitar duet with the possibility of further enhancement with the addition of Bass and Drums. Guitar 1 typically plays the role of lead guitar and Guitar 2 plays the role of rhythm guitar. However, the tunes are designed in such a way that the performers may choose to interchange roles.
The tunes are composed with the intention of developing skills in secondary guitar students and exposing them to the performance styles of Australia's best, and most loved guitar players. These instrumental tunes offer the chance for guitar students to explore concepts of melody within a familiar aesthetic framework. Furthermore, each tune features an improvised solo section to allow guitarists to express their artistic creativity.
21st century telecommunications have spawned new developments in anthropological research.Researc... more 21st century telecommunications have spawned new developments in anthropological research.Researchers now utilise online tools and investigate virtual social phenomena. A research project at the University of Tasmania required the development of a tailored methodology to investigate real-world activities across multiple education institutions and associated on-line communities.The study employed a blend of traditional and contemporary approaches assembled from established methodologies. Considerations influencing the development of the methodology are presented with the intention of informing future researchers of valid methodological design.Ontological and epistemological concerns are addressed to establish a framework for 21st century ethnographical methodologies
How do educators ascertain the pedagogical value of a musical composition for inclusion as curric... more How do educators ascertain the pedagogical value of a musical composition for inclusion as curriculum exemplars? A number of factors contribute, including: canonic status, historical and cultural significance, popularity and aesthetic values. This comparative case study examines a number of Australian compositions from within the scope of contemporary popular music (CPM) looking for musical richness as a factor of pedagogical value in modern guitar curricula. Using The Beatles’ song ‘Eleanor Rigby’ as a comparative basis, musicological methodologies of theoretical analysis are applied to six Australian CPM compositions to evaluate their pedagogical value. Discussion of the musical richness discovered in each composition leads to conclusions regarding their value within a guitar programme of an Australian CPM school curriculum.
A study is being conducted by researchers at the University of Tasmania examining pedagogical pra... more A study is being conducted by researchers at the University of Tasmania examining pedagogical practices and curriculum content of guitar programs in Contemporary Popular Music courses delivered by Australian universities. Data were collected via surveys, interviews and industry documents. A contemporary methodology blending aspects of Ethnography and Phenomenography was designed for the study employing Inductive Thematic Analysis as the primary tool. The analysis revealed manifest and latent roles of music education present in the existing paradigm. Themes of cultural perpetuation were found in the data corpus implying a hidden curriculum. The findings are discussed from perspectives of Ethno-Aesthetics, Globalization.
43rd ANZARME Conference: Unmasking Music Education (online), 2021
A study conducted at the University of Tasmania investigated curricula design and pedagogical pra... more A study conducted at the University of Tasmania investigated curricula design and pedagogical practices of popular music courses in Australian higher education institutions. By engaging with an inductive research methodology, unforeseen themes in the data were found including the role of music education in cultural concerns. A triangulated data corpus was assembled from surveys and interviews of participants affiliated with every popular music Bachelor degree in Australia, as well as documentary data in the form of unit and course outlines. The study found music education is performing a role akin to UNESCO's Convention for the Safeguarding of Intangible Cultural Heritage. Further investigation sought to understand whether this is occurring proactively or passively, and if it is latent or manifest within curricula and pedagogical design. This paper explores the potential modes in which music education can be purposefully utilised in the future in the roles of cultural preservation, perpetuation and development. It could be assumed there is a potential threat to geo-located micro-cultures by the onward march of westernisation especially since the introduction of the internet has allowed greater and faster access to cultural products. Music educators in Australia, and around the world, have been quick to adopt online teaching strategies and resources, however, have they considered the long-term cultural consequences? This has been exacerbated in recent times by the influence of the global Covid-19 pandemic. Music education has been seen as a useful tool to preserve local cultural heritage in non-western countries. How are these principals being applied, or could they in the future, within Australian music education to preserve our own local popular music cultural heritage?
Paper presented at South Australian Jazz Archives 12/4/24, The University of Adelaide. The Archto... more Paper presented at South Australian Jazz Archives 12/4/24, The University of Adelaide. The Archtop guitar is an American invention. To cut a long story very short, and oversimplify it, it was invented by Orville Gibson around the turn of the 20 th century. In the mid-twenties, Lloyd Loar, an employee of the Gibson company created the instruments
Higher Education Research Group Adelaide (HERGA) Conference , 2022
The introduction of the internet revolutionised how people access music and changed how music tea... more The introduction of the internet revolutionised how people access music and changed how music teachers access resources, increasing ease of access to education resources from diverse cultures. This poses a potential risk of loss, or reduction, of local cultural expression in younger generations. This paper presents research addressing the question: Does the use of information technologies in music education threaten musical aesthetics of local microcultures?
IASPM XXI Conference: Climate of Popular Music Daegu, South Korea,, 2022
A study recently conducted by researchers at the University of Tasmania examined curricula and pe... more A study recently conducted by researchers at the University of Tasmania examined curricula and pedagogies employed by Higher Education institutions delivering Popular Music programs in Australia. The study found a lack of uniformity among the courses regarding the definitional boundaries of genre and just exactly what 'Popular Music' is, or is not. Data were collected via online surveys and interviews of participants associated with the courses, and curriculum documents. Qualitative data analysis employed the protocols of Inductive Thematic Analysis and five themes were generated from coded data extracts. One theme, titled 'Style Agnostic', demonstrates the Australian Higher Education sector's attempt to not set rigid definitional boundaries for Popular Music. Typically the course designs exemplified a non-style based perspective. This paper discusses the reasons why this approach has been employed including an equity of access to tertiary popular music education for students from diverse ranges of cultural and educational backgrounds. Implications include the Australian music scene has the potential to explore new musics and develop unique local and glocal aesthetics. This attitude is in-keeping with Australian musical cultural heritage and could have significant consequences in the future for global perspectives of the Australian voice.
A study conducted by researchers at the University of Tasmania investigated the curriculum conten... more A study conducted by researchers at the University of Tasmania investigated the curriculum content and pedagogical practices of Contemporary Popular Music (CPM) bachelor degree (AQF7) courses offered by Australian higher education institutions. Data were collected in the first semester of 2018 via online surveys and interviews of students, alumni and educators as well as documentary data in the form of unit descriptors of every relevant core unit of each course investigated. Data were analysed using the processes of Inductive Thematic Analysis. Participants observed a growing diversity in recent student cohorts within AQF7 CPM courses. This paper presents data and discussion on how the curricula and pedagogical practices of the courses have evolved in order to cater for an increasingly diverse student cohort. A growing number of international students enrolling in CPM courses has caused educators to consider broadening their perceptions on curricula content and the definitional boundaries of 'popular music' to cater for the expectations of a culturally diverse cohort. Also, students applying to study in CPM courses are coming from an increasingly diverse academic background, many having had no formal music training. Course designers have managed to construct courses offering a broad equity of access to students from diverse cultural backgrounds, and with non-traditional musical training. This paper presents findings regarding students' and educators' perceptions on the diverse curricula and pedagogies employed to cater for the increasingly diverse cohort. The study found Australian tertiary institutions delivering CPM courses have engaged with an eclectic array of pedagogical practices in order to maximise student agency and included a broad, globally informed classification of genre. The discussion regards the consequences of these developments in Australian CPM education regarding the influence on, and response to, industry and broader socio-cultural factors present in Australia.
Australasian Jazz and Improvisation Research Network Conference, 2021
To 'augment' is to make greater (Robinson, 2002). Many popular music courses augment their curric... more To 'augment' is to make greater (Robinson, 2002). Many popular music courses augment their curricula with jazz content. This paper examines if the inclusion of jazz content in popular music courses has the potential to make courses 'greater' by improving perceived graduate outcomes and/or increasing equity of access to higher music education. A study conducted by researchers at the University of Tasmania examined guitar tuition in Contemporary Popular Music (CPM) courses delivered by Australian tertiary intuitions. It found jazz content existed in the majority of courses. Building on the discussion initiated by Hannan (2000) with his notion of the 'Jazz Virus', this paper examines the current perception of jazz content in Australian popular music higher education. Nearly two decades later, rather than a virus, this research found current perceptions indicate a positive symbiotic relationship between jazz content and CPM courses. Data was collected from students, alumni and educators of relevant Bachelor degree (Australian Qualifications Framework level 7) courses in the form of surveys (n=84) and interviews (n=32) as well as documentary data in the form of unit descriptors (n=364). Inductive Thematic Analysis of the data corpus revealed the extent of the presence of jazz in the curricula, and the range of participant perceptions regarding the role and consequences of jazz content in CPM courses. The paper discusses how jazz content in Australian CPM higher education is a result of ambiguous genre boundaries which, in turn offers a greater equity of access to higher music education. It also has the potential to augment the performance practices of Australian guitarists with Jazz vernacular and thereby augment the Australian voice in local, glocal and global guitar communities.
Florida Educational Research Association Virtual Forum: Educational Research in Urgent Times, 2020
A study conducted by researchers at the University of Tasmania observed a gender disparity among ... more A study conducted by researchers at the University of Tasmania observed a gender disparity among guitar students in Australian tertiary popular music programs. The study's data suggests approximately ninety percent of Australian tertiary popular music guitar students identify as male. Further research was conducted to investigate how this phenomena compares to communities located in Florida and if such disparities are anomalous or consistent with global trends in guitar Communities of Practice (CoPs). This paper presents both quantitative and qualitative data from the study conducted at the University of Tasmania. It also contains as further netnographic quantitative data collected from educators and online CoPs located in Florida, and global communities, to gain estimates of gender dispersion in these communities. The further data found a similar gender imbalance is present in online communities. However, the gender imbalance was found to be less pronounced in the private guitar tuition sector. Data collected from educators in the U.S.A, the U.K., and Australia revealed a 36.5% quota of female guitar students among the global sample. Data
2019 Conference of the Australian Anthropological Society, 2019
21st century telecommunications phenomena have spawned new developments in social science researc... more 21st century telecommunications phenomena have spawned new developments in social science research methodologies. Researchers now utilise online tools to investigate virtual and real-world social phenomena. New methodologies designed to include these are a valuable tool for contemporary anthropologists. A current research study at the University of Tasmania required the development of tailored methodology to investigate real-world social activities across multiple sites and associated on-line communities. The case study employed a blend of traditional and contemporary approaches assembled from a variety of established methodologies. The considerations influencing the development of the methodology are presented in this paper with the intention of informing future researchers of potential valid methodological design. Ontological and epistemological concerns are addressed to establish a framework for discussion on 21st century ethnographic and phenomenographic methodologies as applied to the case study. Multi-sited, distance, and comparative ethnographies are presented followed by relevant data collection and analysis tools. Categorisation of research informs the reader where each study fits in the current body of research and from what perspectives the knowledge may be viewed providing a framework for the type of knowledge being examined and how we know it is relevant. When innovative strategies are developed the value of the outcomes, and practicalities of future employment of theoretical platforms, must be both challenged and addressed. This paper presents defense for contemporary anthropological methodologies with support from existing literature.
Florida Educational Research Association 64th Annual Meeting, 2019
A study is being conducted by researchers at the University of Tasmania examining pedagogical pra... more A study is being conducted by researchers at the University of Tasmania examining pedagogical practices and curriculum content of guitar programs in Contemporary Popular Music courses delivered by Australian universities. Data were collected via surveys, interviews and industry documents. A contemporary methodology blending aspects of Ethnography and Phenomenography was designed for the study employing Inductive Thematic Analysis as the primary tool. The analysis revealed manifest and latent roles of music education present in the existing paradigm. Themes of cultural perpetuation were found in the data corpus implying a hidden curriculum. The findings are discussed from perspectives of Ethno-Aesthetics, Globalization.
Florida Educational Research Association 64th Annual Conference, 2019
21 st century telecommunications have spawned new developments in anthropological research. Resea... more 21 st century telecommunications have spawned new developments in anthropological research. Researchers now utilise online tools and investigate virtual social phenomena. A research project at the University of Tasmania required the development of a tailored methodology to investigate real-world activities across multiple education institutions and associated on-line communities. The study employed a blend of traditional and contemporary approaches assembled from established methodologies. Considerations influencing the development of the methodology are presented with the intention of informing future researchers of valid methodological design. Ontological and epistemological concerns are addressed to establish a framework for 21 st century ethnographical methodologies.
Winds of Change: 41st ANZARME Conference. Victoria University, Wellington., 2019
Geographical boundaries of musical communities began to break down with the advent of written mus... more Geographical boundaries of musical communities began to break down with the advent of written music and were further challenged with the developments of transport and recording technologies and the following dissemination of music via communications technologies. Sales of sheet music and musical recordings encouraged the global spread of music cultures in the early twentieth century. With the ongoing development of telecommunications and the invention of the internet, this process has rapidly increased in recent decades. Commentators claim that geographical boundaries no longer exist for musical cultures. Persons from anywhere in the world can connect with musical communities anywhere else and interact in real time. Previously localised music sub-cultures now have instant global exposure. Educational institutions delivering training in music have adopted pedagogical practices that involve online communications to varying degrees. This can stimulate cultural enlightenment by exposing students to wider variety of musics than previously easily available. A study underway in Australia is examining how twenty-first century pedagogical practices in
Footprints: Creating Pathways for the Future. ASME XXII National Conference, 2019
Music is a prominent feature of cultural identities worldwide. Therefore, music educators have po... more Music is a prominent feature of cultural identities worldwide. Therefore, music educators have potential influence in shaping cultural identities of subsequent generations. A study at the University of Tasmania is currently examining tertiary contemporary popular music (CPM) programs around Australia, their pedagogical practices, their impact on the next generation of music educators and on their understanding of cultural preservation. Research in other countries has revealed the possibilities of enculturation through music education and preserving national aesthetics by training music educators to tackle issues of musical global mono-culturalism. Is there a similar imperative in Australian tertiary institutions? Is there a national aesthetic in Australian CPM that needs to be preserved? These are some the questions being investigated by an inductive, thematic analysis of data collected from interviews and surveys of students, alumni and educators in Australian universities and from
This paper discusses the findings of a qualitative study, conducted in Australia, which embarked ... more This paper discusses the findings of a qualitative study, conducted in Australia, which embarked on the task of detecting and defining aspects of Australian guitar culture. This was undertaken by identifying and locating musically notate-able, quintessentially Australian guitar performance styles through an analytical look at the music of historically significant Australian artists. With a focus on popular music styles and historical developments, idiosyncratic features were identified and investigated regarding their foundation influences, their development, and recurring further influence on the following generations of Australian guitarists. The educational value and relevance of each feature within a contemporary guitar curriculum is discussed alongside the historical narrative and aesthetic evaluation. The study was conducted as part of a PhD research project using Inductive Thematic Analysis as the methodology and collected data from online surveys, interviews, industry documents and artefacts. Findings of the study include the blending of American and British styles with Australian culture to create a vibrant local sub-genre and historical referencing of subsequent generations of musicians.
A global approach to guitar tuition: Developing an electric guitar meta-canon, 2015
The study investigated the development of a meta-canon for the electric guitar by analysing the s... more The study investigated the development of a meta-canon for the electric guitar by analysing the status of various compositions within the implicit standard repertoire of electric guitar. An international curriculum for instrumental electric guitar tuition based on a meta-canon of ten songs was then proposed. The meta-canon was designed with a specific goal of preparing an electric guitarist for work in the modern global music marketplace. A canon is a list of songs that have developed significant status within the standard repertoire of a musical instrument. A meta-canon is a refined list with a pedagogical function. The majority of Western art instruments already have their own canons with dedicated pieces written expressly for a specific pedagogical purpose. However, no formalised repertoire for the electric guitar has been established that caters for twenty-first century global developments in music. Focussing on the electric guitar’s role in Western popular music, this study extracted from various syllabuses and other relevant international sources a list of significant compositions suitable for the formulation of a meta-canon. The electric guitar meta-canon developed in the study has been assembled through; the analysis of each song’s historical and current significance in the idiom, pertinence in a current repertoire and its pedagogical value within a global education paradigm. Pedagogical value was gauged using established guitar curricula as an historical gauge for educational content. The study contained both quantitative data analysis and qualitative processes and was conducted using critical analysis as the methodology. International data sources were selected to represent a broad global perspective on the content. Triangulation was used to ensure the results were not biased and the selection criteria were set to ensure pedagogical value. A major finding of the research was that culturally significant compositions within the genre of electric guitar music contained pedagogical elements already found within existing instructional books. The results found that all the songs in the meta-canon were composed by artists from either the United Kingdom or the United States of America. Implications of the position of Australian guitar culture within the global paradigm, are discussed from a pedagogical perspective.
This paper reports on data collected for an ongoing project examining activities of online guitar... more This paper reports on data collected for an ongoing project examining activities of online guitar communities. It is being shared here as this project has become quite popular among the broader online guitar community and there are many community members interested in following data updates.
This paper examines the role of aesthetics in the determination of pedagogical value of musical c... more This paper examines the role of aesthetics in the determination of pedagogical value of musical compositions within the scope of instrumental guitar curriculum design. The concepts of objectively measuring pedagogical value and aesthetics in music are examined separately before the primary question is addressed. The study uses a purely qualitative immersive ethnographic methodology with publicly available discourse in the form of published literature and online forums as primary source data. Beginning with an historical account of the role of aesthetics in music the study focuses on the primary question from the perspective of instrumental guitar tuition in the twenty first century. The study encompasses peripheral topics including the purpose of curriculum design, curriculum maintenance and instrumental music pedagogy. In the twenty first century students have access to a wider range of musical material than ever before and this has influenced aesthetic judgment in a number of ways. The primary question is addressed from two angles firstly one of impartation of aesthetic discernment as part of the curriculum purpose, and secondly the importance of aesthetically pleasing material as exemplars and exercises within the curriculum. The role of the student in determining aesthetic value is also considered. The discussion reveals areas for further investigation including concept of genre, genre boundaries and genre roles within twenty first century guitar pedagogy.
Teacher Education: Opportunities Challenges and Perspectives, 2021
A study conducted by researchers at the University of Tasmania investigated pedagogical approache... more A study conducted by researchers at the University of Tasmania investigated pedagogical approaches and curricula used in contemporary popular music (CPM) courses delivered by Australian higher education institutions, with a specific focus on guitar tuition. The research questioned how pedagogies in use by Australian
Uploads
Australian Guitar Magazine TopTen
1. Angus Young 1. Angus Young
2. Tommy Emmanuel 2. Tommy Emmanuel
3. Ian Moss 3. Chris Cheney
4. Chris Cheney 4. Ian Moss
Three out of the four guitarists are exponents of a genre of music that is purely Australian — Oz-Rock. The black sheep in the list, Tommy Emmanuel, is best known for his fingerstyle acoustic guitar playing. Oz-Rock is a genre of music dominated by electric guitars, power-chords, riffs and improvised guitar solos. It grew out of the pub scene in the 1960s and was founded by bands like The Easybeats and Billy Thorpe and The Aztecs. Oz-Rock was the foundation for many of Australia's most successful Rock and Roll bands including The Angels, Rose Tattoo, Midnight Oil and INXS. The compositions in this book are designed to pay tribute to Angus Young, Ian Moss and Chris Cheney by emulating their playing styles. Each tune is designed to be an instrumental guitar duet with the possibility of further enhancement with the addition of Bass and Drums. Guitar 1 typically plays the role of lead guitar and Guitar 2 plays the role of rhythm guitar. However, the tunes are designed in such a way that the performers may choose to interchange roles.
The tunes are composed with the intention of developing skills in secondary guitar students and exposing them to the performance styles of Australia's best, and most loved guitar players. These instrumental tunes offer the chance for guitar students to explore concepts of melody within a familiar aesthetic framework. Furthermore, each tune features an improvised solo section to allow guitarists to express their artistic creativity.
Australian Guitar Magazine TopTen
1. Angus Young 1. Angus Young
2. Tommy Emmanuel 2. Tommy Emmanuel
3. Ian Moss 3. Chris Cheney
4. Chris Cheney 4. Ian Moss
Three out of the four guitarists are exponents of a genre of music that is purely Australian — Oz-Rock. The black sheep in the list, Tommy Emmanuel, is best known for his fingerstyle acoustic guitar playing. Oz-Rock is a genre of music dominated by electric guitars, power-chords, riffs and improvised guitar solos. It grew out of the pub scene in the 1960s and was founded by bands like The Easybeats and Billy Thorpe and The Aztecs. Oz-Rock was the foundation for many of Australia's most successful Rock and Roll bands including The Angels, Rose Tattoo, Midnight Oil and INXS. The compositions in this book are designed to pay tribute to Angus Young, Ian Moss and Chris Cheney by emulating their playing styles. Each tune is designed to be an instrumental guitar duet with the possibility of further enhancement with the addition of Bass and Drums. Guitar 1 typically plays the role of lead guitar and Guitar 2 plays the role of rhythm guitar. However, the tunes are designed in such a way that the performers may choose to interchange roles.
The tunes are composed with the intention of developing skills in secondary guitar students and exposing them to the performance styles of Australia's best, and most loved guitar players. These instrumental tunes offer the chance for guitar students to explore concepts of melody within a familiar aesthetic framework. Furthermore, each tune features an improvised solo section to allow guitarists to express their artistic creativity.
Focussing on the electric guitar’s role in Western popular music, this study extracted from various syllabuses and other relevant international sources a list of significant compositions suitable for the formulation of a meta-canon. The electric guitar meta-canon developed in the study has been assembled through; the analysis of each song’s historical and current significance in the idiom, pertinence in a current repertoire and its pedagogical value within a global education paradigm. Pedagogical value was gauged using established guitar curricula as an historical gauge for educational content. The study contained both quantitative data analysis and qualitative processes and was conducted using critical analysis as the methodology. International data sources were selected to represent a broad global perspective on the content. Triangulation was used to ensure the results were not biased and the selection criteria were set to ensure pedagogical value.
A major finding of the research was that culturally significant compositions within the genre of electric guitar music contained pedagogical elements already found within existing instructional books. The results found that all the songs in the meta-canon were composed by artists from either the United Kingdom or the United States of America. Implications of the position of Australian guitar culture within the global paradigm, are discussed from a pedagogical perspective.