An Entire Band in the Palm of Your Hand
Mr. Cockrell’s music students have been experimenting with a new instrument that puts an entire band in the palms of their hands! The Orba is a portable electronic device that features four different modes: drums, bass, chords, and melody. Each mode offers different variations, and musicians can tap, clap, and shake out beats and tunes with it! Students can even record their creations then play over their recordings.
Leo Alleyne, 10th grade says, “I would use it to layer sounds on top of each other and then start playing guitar along with the recording.” Mr. Cockrell has also wirelessly connected it to Garage Band, allowing students to produce full tracks at the touch of a button (or two, or three, or more!). “The Orba helps students to think about the different elements of composing a song,” says Mr. Cockrell. “The building blocks are all there- rhythm, melody, bass, and harmony.”
