How We Make Noise and Save The Music Bring Music Technology to Schools Nationwide
- We Make Noise
- 5 days ago
- 3 min read
Did you know that in addition to our work with professional musicians, We Make Noise (WMN) also helps middle and high school teachers bring the power of music technology into classrooms nationwide?
Partnering with Save The Music to Expand Music Education
Since 2023, We Make Noise has partnered with Save The Music Foundation, a nonprofit that has supported over 2,800 schools in launching music programs since 1997. Together, we bring the J Dilla Music Technology Grants to life.
Each grant package includes professional-grade tools for:
Music production
Performance
Podcasting
DJ-ing
With versions available for both middle and high school classrooms, these grants help public schools modernize—or launch—music education programs that reflect how music is created today.
“Our goal is to bring out students’ inner creativity, talent, and confidence by teaching them the fundamentals of electronic music creation, recording, and production.” – Save The Music
Supporting Teachers in Music Tech Classrooms
Over the past few years, We Make Noise and Save The Music have supported schools in Los Angeles, New York City, and Phoenix, offering direct, hands-on support for teachers.g
Some educators already have experience with music tech, while others come from traditional band and orchestra programs. Wherever they start, WMN’s role is to:
Fill in knowledge gaps
Provide troubleshooting and guidance
Help design sustainable classroom programs
From Unboxing to Classroom Jams
The first step is always unboxing—a favorite moment for both teachers and students. Picture boxes filled with guitars, MIDI controllers, iPads, interfaces, microphones, and more. Sometimes the unboxing itself becomes a classroom activity, with students setting up gear alongside their teachers.
After setup, WMN returns throughout the school year to support teachers with:
Lesson planning and brainstorming
Troubleshooting and training
Workshops and recording sessions
Classroom jams and live projects
Every visit looks different, but the goal remains the same: empowering teachers and students to confidently use music technology in the classroom.
Lasting Impact Beyond the School Year
By the end of the year, teachers gain confidence in integrating music tech into lessons, new technical and creative skills, and a long-term plan for music education.
To extend this impact, we created the Music Tech Set-Up Guide, co-authored by WMN leaders in Los Angeles and New York City. The guide includes:
Classroom setup and troubleshooting tips
Beginner-friendly music tech overviews
Curriculum ideas for sustainable use
This resource ensures that any educator, not just grant recipients, can successfully introduce music production and technology into their classrooms.
Building Inclusive Music Education for the Future
For We Make Noise, this partnership with Save The Music goes beyond equipment. It’s about opening doors to inclusive music education, strengthening communities through creativity, and inspiring the next generation of musicians and producers.
This 2025-2026 academic year, WMN is working with nine schools across Los Angeles and New York City. We’ve spent this first semester getting their classrooms situated, and even participating in some exciting events like the Wasserman Music activation in LA with artist Niko Rubio, where students learned beatmaking and songwriting techniques using her songs. And while we begin to wind down for the year, we’re more excited than ever to come back in January for another semester filled with music, technology, and innovation in education.
Save The Music Foundation
Save The Music Foundation (STM) is a leading 501c3 nonprofit dedicated to helping students, schools, and communities reach their full potential through the power of making music. Since 1997, STM has worked to address systemic inequities in music education by investing in culturally rich American communities - supporting music teachers and donating musical instruments, equipment, and technology to public schools. To date, the organization has donated over $75 million worth of instruments, equipment, and technology to over 2,800 schools across hundreds of school districts, impacting the lives of millions of students nationwide. Learn more at savethemusic.org.
CREDIT: Eric Strong, Strong Visuals
Written by Cassie Plunkett
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