Freedom to create in the cloud or in the open? A discussion of two options for music creation with digital tools at no cost

A challenge for teaching and learning in compulsory school music education, is how to make pupils learn music even between school lessons: To let processes of musical creativity and learning exist in a continuum in the pupils’ lives rather than just disparate moments in the few music lessons offered. The advance of digital technology combined with the availability of computers for the majority of pupils could present some solutions to this problem, but each solution have their own flip sides too. In this article two possible solutions are presented from a pragmatist perspective: One solution consists of a memory stick with a complete open source operating system complete with software for musical and media learning, production and composition, while the other solution is concerned with Web 2.0 solutions with software running via the web browser. The two solutions have pros and cons regarding didactical impolication, ethical and philosophical implications and legal implications that are important for any music teacher to take into account.