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School music lessons can be some of the most stimulating, engaging, and creative hours in a pupil’s schedule – but they can also be the most chaotic, especially if you have a large class of children. A well-designed, efficient classroom can help. The benefits of learning music are endless and carry right into adulthood, so it’s important that the space in which children develop these skills is inspiring (no pressure!).
You want a room that’s easy to manage, quick to tidy, and that fosters growth and creativity in kids. This goes for all year groups. So, to help you set up your classroom, whether you’re a primary school teacher or teach at secondary school level, we’ve compiled some of the best music classroom ideas that we could find and think of.
We’ll go through what makes a great classroom, what factors you should consider before purchasing supplies, and our recommendations for the perfect music classroom setup.
What makes a good music classroom?
Different ages require different things, so although a classroom should be fun and engaging, the types of instruments and décor in a music room will vary between primary and secondary schools.
Primary schools
A great music classroom in a primary school has lots of colour, lots of space, and is quite minimal in its setup. You may choose to have children sit in groups rather than rows so that they can interact with each other. However, the tables should be easy to move around, allowing you to switch up the layout and have all pupils facing the board at the front when needed.
Storage should be clearly labelled, and you might want to have an array of entry-level instruments like recorders and ocarinas for the kids to play. Display-wise, colourful posters are a must-have. You don’t need loads, but a few carefully placed displays that the pupils can see easily is a great idea. These might include things like classroom rules or scales.
Secondary schools
Slightly more grown up, but still just as engaging, a secondary school music classroom should be geared around pupils just coming out of primary school age all the way to GCSE and A-Level requirements.
This can be tricky, but a good secondary school music room will have all the desks in rows facing the front (but easily moveable if you want pupils to be sat in groups for some lessons); a PC, mini keyboard, and headphones per pupil; and like a primary school setup, some posters and visual stimuli scattered around the room.
At this level, you might have practice rooms dotted around the department, so storage is super important here. Chances are you’ll have a lot of tech items, such as microphones, audio interfaces, and cables. These will all need to be housed safely and securely.
Things to consider when setting up
It seems obvious, but the first question to ask yourself is what is your pupils’ age range? What are their needs? And how many do you have in one class?
It’s important to think about this throughout the whole process of setting up your room because it should inform you of how the kids will interact with the stimuli around them and the type of equipment you put out. If you have classes of 30 under the age of 11, you’ll need space for the children to move between desks and a focus point at the front of the room, i.e., a board and a piano.
Particularly with large classes, the flow of kids coming in and out of the room is important. Is there enough space for them to enter and not get too crowded?
At secondary school level, independent music-making is much more prevalent, and so having suitable equipment for each pupil is something to consider.
You should also think about whether you want instruments out in the room ready to be played or whether they should be put away and taken out when needed. Having instruments out in a classroom can be very engaging and get kids excited about music, but they can also be distracting when you’re trying to teach, so find the balance that suits your class best.
Finally, consider your visuals. Posters are very important, but they need to be placed where your pupils can easily see them. Make sure there’s enough space on the walls at the sides and the front of the room for you to fit them.
Music classroom ideas
Layout
Before you start decorating and setting out equipment, think about how your pupils will sit or stand.
For primary school age, it might be an idea to have children sit in groups of four or five. And for some lessons, they might not even need to sit! For example, they might be learning the recorder or playing various instruments, so chairs won’t be necessary. Therefore, you may choose to keep chairs stacked to the side and set them out when needed.
At secondary school level, you could either stick with the desks in groups or have them in rows. It’s a good idea to have desks that are lightweight and easy to move as your layout may change per lesson! You should also have some space for kids to gather and practise ensemble work.
Instruments and equipment
Now, the most important things to include in a music classroom are, of course, the instruments. At primary school level, you’ll need things like recorders, ocarinas, and percussion, as well as a digital piano at the front of the class.
For entry-level instruments, we recommend the Gear4music Ocarina and the Descant Recorder (which comes with a cleaning rod and is also available in a pack of 10). These are great for learning the basics of melody and harmony. For more advanced playing, the playLITE Clarinet is perfect.
Percussion-wise, this mini tambourine bucket is a great place to start, while chime bars and maracas take things up a level and add more fun to music learning. For the full package, the Stagg Children’s Percussion Kit is superb.
A few guitars and ukuleles are also good to have around – you can hang these up on the walls to save space.
At secondary level, you’ll need some keyboards, like the Yamaha PSR F52 or the Casio CT S300.
You might also choose to keep a drum kit set up in the classroom for budding drummers or those at a more advanced GCSE or A-Level stage. The Tama Imperialstar 5pc is a great option for this, with a six-ply poplar shell construction for powerful, bright tones and durability, and hardware included. For a more compact setup, we suggest the Stagg 3pc Junior Drum Kit.
Additionally, it’s a great idea to have a fun instrument at the front of the classroom that everyone can try, experimenting with harmonies, dynamics, and melodies. For this, we recommend the Premier NXT GEN Practice Marimba, which features three octaves for plenty of composition exploration.
Microphones and recording equipment also tend to feature more in secondary school classrooms. You’ll have older kids who need to record for GCSE assignments, and you’ll need suitable equipment for school shows and music performances.
The Focusrite Scarlett 4th Gen Recording Pack is a great all-in-one option for music studios, and for headphones dotted around the classroom, we recommend either the Sennheiser HD 280 Pro II or the Roland RH5s, available in a pack of five.
Microphone-wise, the SubZero SZC-300 is a suitable option for basic recording needs, and for music production, we recommend the Magix Music Maker Premium Edition.
Of course, whatever age you teach, you’ll need a piano at the front of the classroom to demonstrate ideas and accompany singing.
The Kawai KDP75 and Casio PX 770 are ideal; they both have realistic key actions (the Kawai with an RHC keyboard and the Casio with Tri-Sensor II keys) and employ detailed sampling techniques to produce rich acoustic piano sounds.
Remember, you’ll also need plenty of music stands!
Storage
As we mentioned earlier, it’s important to have a classroom that’s easy to tidy. So, invest in a spacious storage cabinet and some boxes that you can clearly label. Have a box each for small percussive and wind instruments, cables, and other bits of equipment you’ll want to put away and take out quickly.
It’s also a good idea to have a supplies table, where pupils can get bits of equipment they need, like pencils and manuscript paper.
Displays
Whether you teach primary or secondary school age, your classroom needs to be colourful and engaging. Having a few posters dotted around the rules is a great way to add this kind of vibrancy. You might choose music theory, like scales and chords, motivational quotes, or classroom rules to display.
FAQs
What instruments can a 7-year-old play?
A 7-year-old can play a range of instruments, such as the piano, the violin, the guitar, and the drums. At this age, a child’s attention span is usually enough that they can concentrate during a lesson and practise regularly.
What are the three primary types of musical instruments?
The three primary types of instruments are string, wind, and percussion.
What is the best age to learn music?
The best age to learn music is between the ages of six and nine. Around this time, hand coordination and motor skills are developed enough to manage an instrument.
Final thoughts
If you’re a teacher looking to set up a fun, creative space for your pupils, we hope our music classroom ideas have helped!
The most important thing to remember is that the room should suit the number and needs of your students – make sure the kids can flow in and out easily and that there are posters on the walls to add some colour to the room. Equipment is also incredibly important; you want suitable instruments and gear that will help the children develop their skills.
For more content, check out these related articles:
How to Learn the Violin Effectively – Our Tips for Making Practice Efficient
13 Easy Clarinet Songs for Beginners
What Instrument Should I Learn? A Guide to Popular Beginner Instruments
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