“Duet Me”: Music Theory Pedagogy in the Age of Social Media

Abstract

In this article, I outline a possible use of social media platforms in the music theory and ear-training classroom using a model assignment on (but not exclusive to) TikTok. I show how students can work collaboratively and musically in a platform they may use in everyday life to promote collaboration and engagement with musics and people outside the walls of the university. From this study, I extrapolate themes that illustrate both the benefits and pitfalls of social media use (pedagogically and otherwise). The first section situates social media platforms among the variety of technologies used in theory classrooms in the last seven years (2017–2024). I then present the assignment called “Duet Me'' that I designed and implemented in theory courses that asks students to engage with creators on TikTok in a creative and collaborative setting. With the extensive number of examples I have collected over two years, I interpret the results into three large categories—parody, improvisation, and new composition—and discuss the learning outcomes, musical choices, and student feedback. I conclude with a discussion of the role of social media broadly as it relates to student engagement and online music-making, to show how technology and media can play a role in carefully crafting public and/or community-minded musical experiences for our students and bring forth opportunities for conversations and collaborations concerning identity and race.