Through Sanford High School's Extended Learning Opportunity (ELO) program, senior Quang Lam has discovered an exciting way to combine his love of music with his passion for computer programming. His innovative project aims to help musicians learn new pieces more easily using technology.
Think of a musician trying to learn their favorite song by ear – they listen to it over and over, writing down each note by hand. It's like transcribing a speech word for word, but with musical notes instead. Quang is working on a computer program that could do this task automatically, saving musicians hours of work.
"I wanted to see if this process could be automated," Quang explains. His program would listen to a musical recording and write down the notes automatically, similar to how speech-to-text programs convert spoken words into written text.
This isn't Quang's first time thinking outside the box. Last year, he conducted research on how weight training techniques could help trumpet players hit higher notes more easily. This creative approach to problem-solving led him to his current project, where he's using computer programming to solve real-world challenges in music education.
While working on this project, Quang has expanded his programming skills significantly. Already familiar with creating websites, he challenged himself to learn a new programming language called Java. "I spent hours reading and learning how to make my laptop's microphone record and process music," he shares.
Though the project proved more challenging than expected within the time constraints of his ELO, Quang's achievement lies in his ability to tackle complex problems and learn new skills quickly. "Quang is a remarkable student, and I'm thrilled he had the chance to gain this experience through the Extended Learning Opportunity at Sanford High School with JMG's support," ELO Coordinator Sally Quarles says. "The ELO program is a vital initiative that strengthens student success at SHS, and I'm proud to be a part of it."
Though the project proved more challenging than expected within the time constraints of his ELO, Quang's achievement lies in his ability to tackle complex problems and learn new skills quickly. He's building a foundation in both music and technology that will serve him well in future endeavors.
Looking back on his journey, Quang sees value beyond just the technical achievements. "Through this project, I found how combining different fields that may often seem conflicting with each other can create new ideas and techniques in each of the fields of knowledge."