In our research project »Digitality – Diversity – Producing: Practices of Popular Music in School and Teacher Development«, funded by the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research, we underscore the importance of diversity-sensitive approaches to digital music production techniques in music education and especially teacher training, requiring adaptable environments that foster creativity and inclusion. In this paper we show how working with loops can provide just such environments, enabling students to explore both differences and similarities while engaging musically. By reframing the endless cycle of loops as a continuously unfolding process, educators can create space for innovative thinking and nurture curiosity. This is especially relevant given that many students connect with music digitally. Starting a performance with existing loops can reduce common barriers to musical practice, presenting a sonic material at hand that is already there. This material, on the other hand, can then help to tackle complex topics within cultural contexts surrounding these sounds. Loops then become a tool for better understanding how technological advancements impact social inequality and representation. In our sub-project „Impro-Loop“ we focus on improvisation on digital and non-digital instruments combined with digitally produced loops, while in the sub-project „Breaks and Samples“ we invite students as well as teachers to engage with music as material through digital DJing-practices. Drawing upon previous research efforts based primarily on best practice and ethnography through participatory observation, our presentation highlights promising techniques for advancing diversity in (digital) music education via loop-centered methodologies. Through exploring these practices, we aim to inspire continued growth and development of inclusive teaching strategies designed to serve today's diverse learners.
Main references:
Siedenburg (2022): »Gendersensibler Musikunterricht«. In: Klingmann / Schilling-Sandvoß (Hg.): Musikunterricht und Inklusion. Innsbruck.
Stillar (2005): Loops as Genre Resources. Folia Linguistica 39
Wolfe (2020): Women in the Studio. Creativity, Control and Gender in Popular Music Sound Production. New York.

With the ongoing digitalization of education, the digital transition in music education has become essential for integrating digital technologies into teaching without losing the traditional values of musical practice. From September 2022 to February 2024, the Erasmus+ project DigiMusi: Digital Transformation in Elementary Music Education was conducted as a Portuguese-Spanish partnership to develop and implement strategies for digital transition in music education. This study, part of DigiMusi Project, aimed to explore the impact of digital transition on students, teachers, and families in a Portuguese Music Conservatoire that implemented a learning management system (LMS) for teaching and individual practice of music theory.
This exploratory case study observed and analyzed the implementation of i-MUSI, a progressive and interactive music theory platform, over six months with seven first-year music theory classes, involving approximately 108 students and seven teachers. Data were collected through field observations, demographic questionnaires, and seven focus group interviews—one with teachers and six with students and their families. Ten students from each class and their parents were randomly invited to participate in interviews. A thematic analysis identified benefits, limitations, and strategies for digital transition. The results showed that the platform can optimized teaching, fostering self-regulation and autonomy in practice, and increased motivation through diverse resources. It particularly helped students who struggled with music theory and allowed more interaction between lessons, balancing digital and non-digital activities. However, challenges included technological dependency, increased screen time, limited real-time feedback, accessibility issues, and the need for varied content.
Participants emphasized the importance of balancing digital and traditional methods, responsible technology use, and human connections. The study underscores the need for critical evaluation and consideration of all stakeholders’ needs to effectively support the digital transition in music education.