The ubiquity of digital technology for creating, producing, and sharing music continues to expand in contemporary culture and across the world (Anderson, 2013; Bockstedt, Kauffman, & Riggins, 2006; Durant, 1990; Hracs, 2012; Sexton, 2008; Taylor, 2014; Waelbroeck, 2013). This includes the use of software platforms on tablets and phones, enabling a wider population of individuals to produce music anywhere and anytime in the palm of their hand (Arditi, 2016). As Mash (2005) wrote, “The use of technology is pervasive in modern society… and has impacted every form of entertainment” and “students are growing up in a different environment than that of their teachers” (p. 1). Digital technology continues to shape and influence the types of music consumed in contemporary society and students are listening to music across a broad spectrum of styles and genres that have been produced using digital devices. The pervasiveness of this technology has been recognized by researchers, suggesting that the types of music that are commonplace in contemporary culture should be included in formal institutions and the music curriculum should expand to embrace new forms of music making (Bennett & Robards, 2014; Brader & Luke, 2013; Hayes, 2006; Kral, 2010; Jagodzinski, 2005). Many students are interested in the creative music making process, often relegated to computers, using simple MIDI controllers but are lacking opportunities and education (Mas, 2005; Williams, 2007, 2012). The use of digital technology for producing music, such as beat making, MIDI sequencing, sampling, and mixing audio offers a form of music making that is often neglected in most music classrooms across the higher education landscape (Webster & Hickey, 2012; Williams, 2015).
