Despite a relatively low-key launch on the PSP this past Fall, Rockstar Games' Beaterator is showing back up in the news this week for reasons that we couldn't have seen coming from a mile away. It turns out that kids in some NYC public schools are getting their music education by means of the beat making application and PSPs, with a custom workshop being taught by Dubspot.
CBS2 News reports that students from the East Side High School in Manhattan are being instructed on not just using Beaterator's tools, but also creating fully fleshed out tracks. "They're able to learn music theory in a different format ... it's the same information, just a different way of presenting it," the class' teacher says. Copies of Beaterator and PSPs are being provided for free, as is the classroom. We've contacted Rockstar to see if it plans on expanding the program into other cities.
[Via Rockstar Games]
Reader Comments (19)
Posted: Nov 22nd 2009 3:54PM calgaryaltahotmailcom said
It would matter cause their parents are paying for it through their taxes.
I'm sure it's probably the cheaper model.
Reply
I'm sure it's probably the cheaper model.
Posted: Nov 22nd 2009 1:42PM Joseph9307 said
It would be so awesome if this happened to my school, but I doubt it will...
I go to Stuyvesant HS downtown, and the main focus is on Math/Science.
Nobody cares about music or art in this school, but I do!
:(
Reply
I go to Stuyvesant HS downtown, and the main focus is on Math/Science.
Nobody cares about music or art in this school, but I do!
:(
Posted: Nov 22nd 2009 1:44PM Typicalgamer said
lol that's great. but that's kinda weird of using psp's instead of just using a pc program...
Reply
Posted: Nov 22nd 2009 1:44PM ericelftmann said
As a music teacher, I love the idea of using Beaterator in the classroom. However, I'd definitely stop short of saying it's the same as learning music theory.
Reply
Posted: Nov 22nd 2009 1:51PM Puertoricarious said
agreed. it's pretty much the same as giving a kid a calculator and then claiming that he's learning his times tables, how to add, subtract, etc.
Reply
Posted: Nov 22nd 2009 3:56PM calgaryaltahotmailcom said
@ Awetoebawt
Why would you assume that?
Reply
Why would you assume that?
Posted: Nov 22nd 2009 2:05PM Nobledevil Gaming Optimist said
I'd like to see more about how the lessons are taught, but I really don't think this is the same as an education. It just seems to be a way to do ANY kind of music education rather than none at all.
Reply
Posted: Nov 22nd 2009 4:00PM calgaryaltahotmailcom said
I agree, this way they don't need to pay a music teacher and any teacher will do.
Sacrificing a little too much to save money can be harmful.
Reply
Sacrificing a little too much to save money can be harmful.
Posted: Nov 22nd 2009 11:42PM ChiTownRuler23 said
First Mary Kay and now this, were was all this shit when i was in school!
Reply
Posted: Nov 22nd 2009 11:49PM ericelftmann said
@Awetobot-- no I like Guitar Hero (or more precisely, I like Rock Band). However, it's not playing an instrument. That's not to say there's nothing to be learned there, though.
@killdash-- I didn't interpret the article that way, but you may be right. If that is the case, I'd tend to agree.
Reply
@killdash-- I didn't interpret the article that way, but you may be right. If that is the case, I'd tend to agree.
Posted: Nov 23rd 2009 9:21AM MGarvey said
Man..it must be cool to be a student now..with all these techie gadgets! When i was in high school, the closest that we got to a music class was chorus or band class. Now they're offering a DJ'ing class?! That's freaking awesome! I wish that I could've taken that class is all I'm saying.
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