I need music tech help!
As you can imagine, I receive A LOT of music tech questions. Every day. Hundreds of them in fact.
In the early days of running my business I answered every single one.
Unfortunately, there came a time when I simply couldn’t keep up and I needed to spend my time doing the things that would have the biggest impact – such as creating courses, running live webinars, and most importantly – helping the members of my paid online professional development community (the Midnight Music Community )
I had to draw a line in the sand and stop answering “how-to” questions and requests for advice that came in via email.
One of the reasons I launched the Midnight Music Community (MMC) in 2016 was to provide personalised help to paying members, but also to provide a forum in which I could share answers and advice to ALL members at once, rather than to one single person at a time in an email.
So – if you’re not a member of the MMC and you still have a burning question, what should you do?
First of all, if you’d like to join us inside the MMC we’d love to welcome you there!
Otherwise, there are a number of options open to you.
6 tips for finding the answer to any music tech question
1. Take a look at the software manual or help section
I know, I know – you HATE reading manuals. But honestly, looking for your answer there first will likely save you a lot of search time. My biggest tip? Open the manual (it might be a PDF or a webpage) and press Control+F on Windows or Command+F on Mac. A search box will open and you can type in a keyword or two to search for what you’re looking for. It’s often best to type in just a word or two. By the way, that shortcut (“find”) works almost EVERYWHERE. I use it on regular web pages, on Youtube videos (to search the comments for specific mention of something covered in the video), on recipe pages (again, to search the comments), inside Google Docs or Spreadsheets, inside PDF documents and lots of other places.
2. Google your question EFFECTIVELY
There is definitely an art to using Google tech questions effectively! Use any or all of these tips to find what you need quickly:
- Use just a few “key” words. Don’t feel the need to make the words into a sentence. I usually pick the important words, like the software or app name, the device or operating system and what I want to achieve or fix! for instance – if I wanted to know how to export my song from the GarageBand app on iPad, I would type in “GarageBand export iPad”
- Include the software/app name and also the operating system if the software/app works on different devices. The solution to your problem might be very different if you have a Mac instead of a PC
- I like to add the current year into my search because a solution from a couple of years ago is likely out of date and no longer relevant (ie. GarageBand iPad export 2021). Things change quickly in the tech world!
- Keep an eye on the preemptive search suggestions that pop up when you start typing. Sometimes I notice a phrase that describes what I need but it’s written in a way that’s different to the way I would have described it. In those situations I usually click on the suggested search phrase since it’s there because other people have already asked the question!
3. Search directly on Youtube
Even though Youtube videos may have turned up in your search results when you Googled, I find it can be useful to search directly on Youtube itself because you can see more video results at a glance.
After you’ve searched, check the date of the video to make sure you’re viewing a recent solution and not one based on a previous version of the software/app. It’s also useful to skim through the comments under the video to see if the video solved the problem or explained the issue well.
4. Search for the exact software error message
If you are getting an error message of some sort, copy and paste the EXACT message into Google (the whole thing) and see what turns up in the search results. It’s likely that someone has had the same problem before you and you might find an answer in a video, article or in a forum.
I also do this if a window pops up while I’m working and I’m not sure what it mean or whether to say yes or no to what the software is asking me!
5. Go straight to the source!
If you’re experiencing a technical problem with the software or app (ie. it’s not working as expected, it keeps crashing, you or your students can’t log in, it won’t load etc) then you really should contact the software or app developer directly via email, or via their support pages.
You can also contact many companies via their social media accounts. You can try tagging them on Twitter or sending a DM or visiting their Facebook page and using the message function.
I know it’s tempting to just ask people you know, but it’s the company’s job to keep their product running smoothly and to help you out.
6. Post in a Facebook group or on Twitter
There are numerous Facebook groups where music teachers hang out and you might find that one of the members has experienced the same issue. In addition to some of the general music teacher groups (Music Teachers, E-Learning in Music Education, Music Educators Creating Online Learning, I Teach Music Technology and many others), there are many software-specific groups which can be highly useful (like SeeSaw For Music Teachers, Google Classroom For Music Teachers and MusicFirst Teachers).
Twitter can also be an excellent place to get answers to questions. Post your question and include the Twitter handle of the software app/company, plus any relevant hashtags for best results.
I still need help!
If you’d like personal help from Katie, other music tech experts and from your fellow colleagues, please come and join the Midnight Music Community (MMC). Katie is in the MMC everyday answering questions (often via a video made just for you!) and offering advice, plus there is a wide range of courses, training and other resources.
Download your copy
Would you like to take a copy of this with you? Click the button below and a copy of this will be sent directly into your inbox.
Looking for More Resources for Music Teachers?
Hello! I’m Katie Argyle – an Australian music technology trainer and consultant with a passion for helping music teachers through my business Midnight Music.
I’m a qualified teacher but no, I don’t currently teach in a school. I help teachers through my online professional development space – the Midnight Music Community – where there are tutorial videos, courses, links and downloadable resources.
I like to focus on easy ways to incorporate technology into what you are already doing in your music curriculum through a range of creative projects. I also run live workshops and have presented at countless conferences and other music education events.
If you want simple, effective ideas for using technology in music education, I would LOVE to help you inside the Midnight Music Community.