For the longest time, to facilitate small group band practice in a classroom setting meant having multiple breakout/practice rooms, a lot of instruments, and a saint-like tolerance of often very loud noise.

To tackle some of these problems, we have searched high and low for a solution, and our best bet is the HS-5 from Roland.

We can also offer a try before you buy programme with the HS-5, so please get in touch if you’d like to see this kit in person first..!

Easy to use!

The HS-5 has a spacious and tactile front panel and does all of the heavy lifting so you can focus on the teaching. Headphone and personal mix levels have their own knobs so students can always hear themselves and the rest of the band, and they can even add individual reverb to their channel to really establish their sound..!

There is also a quick reset function, so if your students have had a bit too much fun fiddling with settings, you can quickly set the HS-5 back to its original settings, and everyone can get back to the rehearsal quickly.

 

Common inputs

The HS-5’s has inputs for all the common leads you may already have. 1/4inch jack cables, and XLR’s + a 3.5mm headphone jack for plugging in portable devices, like mobile phones. There is also no need for amps or DI boxes, as all impedance management is taken care of inside the HS-5 – so all you have to do is plug in the guitar or bass and you’re away!

This variety of inputs makes the HS5 extremely flexible when it comes to instrument line up. You could have a typical band layout (drums, bass, guitar, keys, and vocals) or a keyboard quartet, or a guitar ensemble, it’s all possible..!

 

Fast assessment

One of the best features of the HS-5 as a classroom tool is its straight to USB recording. By plugging in a USB stick, you can immediately record the audio from the HS-5. As you can imagine, this means collecting evidence for assessment becomes very quick and easy, as you can wander around the classroom collecting evidence from each group without interruption. 

Peer assessment is also easy. By plugging in the HS-5 into a speaker you can use it as a mixer and have the group perform to the class (you could also be recording onto your USB at the same time..!)

Alongside all of this – you can also use the HS-5 as an interface for your DAW, so multitracking with your music technology classes becomes a breeze.

 

New starter activities

Alongside these benefits, the HS-5 can also be a source for new warm up activities. For example, the in-built metronome could be used for rhythm and timing games. You could ask everyone to come up with an idea on their own instrument – whilst everyone else is muted, and then un-mute and share them as a group. Because the HS-5 is so intuitive to use, teachers we’ve worked with in the past quickly come up with ideas once they have it in the classroom, and students are quick to share ideas too..!

 

Here you can find a diagram for how we might integrate the HS-5 into a classroom. 

We’d also recommend getting the HS-5 stand, a purpose built double braced metal stand, that will securely hold the HS-5 at the centre of the band.

 

The HS-5 is a fantastic solution to some of the real challenges that we have in the music classroom. A reliable, easy to use rehearsal, assessment and music making tool. 

Please get in touch for a chat and any advice! – we’d love to hear how you could use the HS-5 in your classroom.