Music Lab: Jam Session
Why and How I Made the Curriculum
Music Lab: Jam Session was created to show students that computer science can be a tool for creative expression. For this Hour of Code activity, we wanted to design an experience where students could remix familiar songs, experiment with AI-generated beats, and learn core coding concepts like sequencing, loops, and functions, all through the lens of music. We knew that many students might be encountering code for the first time, so it was essential that the experience feel intuitive, joyful, and rooted in something they already care about.
As the lead curriculum developer, my role was to design the learning experience and build the pedagogical foundation that would guide students through making music with code. This meant thinking deeply about how students learn musical structure, like verses, choruses, and beats, and translating those ideas into beginner-friendly programming concepts. I worked closely with Bryan Djunaedi, our Product Manager; Brendan Reville, a Senior Software Developer; and Sanchit Malhotra, a software engineer, music producer and performer. Together, we had to bridge the gap between technical possibilities and educational goals. I served as the connective tissue, translating learning objectives into software design decisions, and ensuring the platform aligned with how students think, play, and create.
Blending Culture, Creativity, and Collaboration
Music Lab: Jam Session wasn’t just about music or code, it was about designing a space where both could meet and be meaningful to students. One of our most exciting features was the AI Beat Block, which lets students generate custom drum beats using AI. Students can tweak parameters like temperature to explore how randomness and control work together, helping them develop an intuitive understanding of how AI models behave without needing to understand the underlying math. That feature alone required close collaboration between our curriculum, engineering, and design teams to ensure it worked seamlessly and made sense from a student perspective.
We also brought in career stories from professionals at Amazon Music and tracks from artists like Shakira, Lady Gaga, and Sabrina Carpenter, to connect classroom learning with culture and career pathways. This project was a true team effort, one that asked each of us to stretch creatively and technically. For students, it's a fun and fast-paced introduction to computer science. For me, it was a chance to show that learning to code can feel like composing a song—layered, expressive, and uniquely your own.