by Wenger Guest Author Michael Cain, Co-Founder and CEO, Ekwe.app.
There is a growing body of research—and plenty of anecdotal evidence—that highlights a strong desire among music educators to broaden how students engage with music in school. From the need for innovative ensemble approaches and expanded offerings in world and popular music, to the deeper inclusion of improvisation and composition, the call for diversification and innovation in music education is clear. Digital music platforms offer powerful tools to meet these evolving needs, but using them effectively requires more than a basic understanding of their features. It requires a reimagining of what’s possible.
One particularly exciting opportunity lies in using digital tools to introduce young learners to improvisation and composition through samples and loops.
The Power of Samples and Loops
In today’s musical landscape, terms like samples, loops, beats, and stems are part of the everyday vocabulary of music production. While each term has a slightly different meaning, they all refer to pre-recorded snippets of music or sound that can be rearranged and manipulated to create new compositions. Beyond their use in music production, these building blocks can unlock creativity in the classroom and help young musicians develop improvisational skills, whether in private lessons or full ensemble settings.
Ask a musician of a certain generation how they learned to improvise, and they’ll often say, “by playing along with records.” This classic approach comes with tremendous benefits, chief among them the opportunity to play along with master musicians and absorb musical language through imitation and interaction. The challenge, however, is that the “unit” being studied is often a full song, complete with changes in form, harmony, tempo, and texture. For a beginner, this can feel overwhelming.
In contrast, samples and loops are shorter and more focused. A looped drone, for instance, provides a stable foundation for exploring tonality, scales, and modes. A sample of a beat can isolate rhythmic language and help students internalize groove and timing. These tools offer accessible entry points into musical concepts that might otherwise feel complex or out of reach.
Breaking the Barriers of Traditional Music-Making
Unlike traditional instruments, loops and samples don’t get tired, go out of tune, or lose focus. They can be tailored, edited, and rearranged to support specific skills. Students can layer sounds, adjust tempos and pitch, or add effects to personalize their musical environment. This flexibility makes improvising with loops an exciting and liberating experience, especially for students who may not yet feel fluent on their instruments.
Collaborative Possibilities
Improvising with loops also fosters collaboration. Students can share loops, remix each other’s ideas, or build pieces together in small groups. This encourages active listening, peer feedback, and co-creation. It can also open the door to stylistic blending, where jazz, classical, hip-hop, and world music influences meet in shared creative space. This sense of community and shared creativity helps build confidence and keeps students engaged.
Enhancing Musical Skills
Working with samples and loops is both about having fun with sound and a powerful way to strengthen core musical skills. Rhythm, harmony, phrasing, and form all come into play, but they do so in a way that centers listening and intuition. Students learn to hear what fits, rather than relying solely on notation. Ear training becomes part of the natural workflow.
And because loops often work within a fixed grid, students develop strong timing and rhythmic precision as they practice aligning their playing with the loop’s pulse and phrasing.
Consistency Is the Key
As my first piano teacher used to say, “Consistency is the key.” It’s the how, not just the what. The real power of improvising with samples and loops lies in integrating it regularly into music learning environments. Just five minutes per rehearsal or lesson can make a big difference over time. Whether you’re working on tone, rhythm, articulation, or creative phrasing, you can find or create loops to support your goals. Embedding loop-based jamming into the classroom culture can raise the musical confidence and curiosity of the entire ensemble.
The Future—and a Powerful Tool to Get There
Exploring improvisation with samples and loops is a path toward musical creativity that meets students where they are, and propels them into where music is going. It also offers teachers new ways to engage students deeply, creatively, and joyfully.
One particularly effective tool for this kind of work is the Ekwe music app, www.ekwe.app. Designed for intuitive, hands-on music creation, Ekwe features over 150 sampled instruments from around the world and includes a wide range of loops, beats, and drones that are perfect for improvisation, composition, and active listening exercises. Its touch-based interface and classroom-ready functionality make it an ideal entry point for band and choir teachers looking to explore new creative territory with their students. Ekwe is available on iOS, Android, and Chromebooks, making it easily accessible across school technology environments.
Three Sample Curriculum Ideas for Band and Choir Teachers Using Ekwe
“Loop Warm-Ups” with Ekwe
Objective: Develop listening, timing, and intonation skills through daily warm-ups using Ekwe’s loops and drones.
- Each day, launch Ekwe and select a preloaded drone or rhythmic loop from a specific global region (e.g., West African percussion, Indian raga drone).
- As students enter rehearsal, have them vocally or instrumentally improvise phrases over the loop using a scale or tonal center selected by the teacher.
- Encourage call-and-response between individuals or sections, focusing on phrasing and dynamic control.
- Rotate styles throughout the semester to expose students to a wide range of rhythmic and tonal languages.
“Create Your Own Groove” with Ekwe
Objective: Explore rhythm, composition, and ensemble collaboration using Ekwe’s loop-based interface.
- Students form small groups and choose drum and bass loops within Ekwe as a foundation.
- Each group composes or improvises melodic and harmonic material using their band instruments over the loop.
- Groups record their parts directly into Ekwe or perform live with the app as their backing track.
- Culminate with a class performance or digital showcase where each group presents their original piece and reflects on the collaborative process.
“Choral Soundscape Storytelling” with Ekwe
Objective: Combine vocal improvisation, loop layering, and storytelling using Ekwe’s world instrument palette.
- Begin by selecting a theme or short text for inspiration (e.g., “rising sun,” “storm,” “journey home”).
- Students use Ekwe to choose ambient loops, drones, or environmental samples that match the theme.
- Using vocal techniques (e.g., hums, spoken word, extended techniques), students record or perform short improvisations layered over the loop.
- Build a soundscape in real time or record and layer elements within Ekwe to create a choral collage.
- Share the final composition as a performance or digital audio piece.
By integrating tools like Ekwe into everyday teaching, music educators can empower students to create, explore, and connect with music in fresh and deeply personal ways. As we continue to expand what music education can be, looping, sampling, and improvising aren’t just additions to the curriculum, they’re doorways to lifelong musicianship.
To access and register for the Ekwe music app, follow these steps:
Download the Ekwe App:
For iOS devices: Open the App Store on your device, search for “Ekwe,” and download the app.
For Android devices: Open the Google Play Store, search for “Ekwe,” and install the app.
Create an Account:
• Open the Ekwe app on your device.
• Tap on “Sign Up” or “Create Account.”
• Enter your email address and create a password.
• Follow any additional prompts to complete the registration process.
Explore Ekwe:
Once registered, log in with your new credentials.
You can find tutorials and resources at the www.ekwe.app website.
