FAQs
Account
How do I create a Teacher Account?
Register as an EarSketch Teacher through this site by clicking the "Sign Up / Log In" located in the menu at the top right of any page or the "Register" button located throughout the site. Fill out the Teacher Registration form and you will automatically be logged into your new EarSketch Teachers account. Your login will be the email you signed up with and the password you created when filling out the form. *Note: If you have previously registered as an EarSketch Teacher before the site re-design, you will need to register again through the aforementioned Teacher Registration Form. We apologize for the inconvenience and thank you for your continued work with EarSketch.
How can I reset my (or my student's) password on the EarSketch Platform?
Reset your password by emailing (or having your students email) escomp@gatech.edu
Can I change my EarSketch username?
Once your account is created, you/we are unable to change your username.
If you would like to change your username, you can register a new account with a different email address.
EarSketch Platform
What browser(s) supports EarSketch?
EarSketch can be used on Chrome or Firefox.
Is EarSketch accessible on tablets or other mobile devices?
No, EarSketch is not supported on tablets and mobile devices, regardless of the browser being used.
EarSketch can be used on desktop computers, laptops, and Chromebooks.
EarSketch has been attempting to load for an unusually long amount of time. How can I get EarSketch to load faster?
EarSketch may take a longer time to load when there is a high user volume or when using an unsupported browser.
To resolve your loading issues, try:
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Refreshing your browser
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Changing to another browser that supports EarSketch
If you continue to experience a loading time longer than 3-4 minutes, email your concerns to escomp@gatech.edu
I refreshed my browser, but I am still unable to load EarSketch.
Additional Troubleshooting Tips for Slow Loading Browsers:
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If your device is connected to the internet via WiFi, try connecting via Ethernet.
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Close other open windows in your browser.
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Clear your cookies and reload EarSketch.
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Reset your computer.
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Contact your IT department and verify that EarSketch is accessible on your school's network. If EarSketch is not accessible on your school's network, ask your IT department to whitelist https://*.earsketch.gatech.edu/* and *@earsketch.gatech.edu -- be sure to include the asterisks as shown.
EarSketch is giving me an error code I am unfamiliar with. Where can I locate additional help?
Resources to troubleshoot coding errors in your EarSketch script is located in the EarSketch book/curriculum at the bottom left hand menu. Click the book icon to highlight it, yellow, and enter "error" or "topic" in the search bar.
How do I save music in EarSketch?
Scripts created in EarSketch are automatically saved when you are using and logged into* your EarSketch profile/account.
*Scripts are also autosaved without an account, but only during that session - If you close EarSketch, your script will be lost.
My students accidentally deleted their code, will they have to retype it?
If your students accidentally closed their script, their code is autosaved in their scripts folder. Students can open their folder and find their script. If students deleted lines of code in their script, - students can click on the gear icon (right next to the Run button) and click undo/redo (pictured below) and save their script.
Can I view my script history and see older versions of my script?
Yes, go to your Script Menu -> Select the icon with 3 lines -> Select History
The blue circular arrow will revert your script to the selected script version and the green arrow will run the selected script.
Can two students work simultaneously on the same script but on different devices?
Yes, a student and their partner can work at the same time on the same script. Follow the directions below to share your script:
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Go to your scripts menu
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Click on the three blue lines next to the script/song you want to share
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Scroll down and click "Share"
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Click on the top tab, "Let others Edit"
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Enter your partner's EarSketch username
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Click "Enter"
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Click "Save" at the bottom of the pop-out window
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Your partner will need to log in and check their notifications (your partner should be able to see the notification when they log in)
Can I create a class in EarSketch? What is the easiest way to view my students' code?
There is no direct way to create a class in EarSketch; however, EarSketch has created some great collaborative tools where you can view/edit your student code as they share their scripts with you. See below for detailed directions:.
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Students can share directly in EarSketch if you provide them with your EarSketch Username. Provide the following instructions to your students to have them share their code in the EarSketch Platform:
1. Go to the scripts folder (second folder from the top on left menu)
2. Click on the "Share" button next to the script name you are working on for your project.
3. Select the second tab "Let Others Edit" and input your teacher's username to add as a collaborator*.
*This will allow you as a teacher to edit student code, view in real-time, leave comments, or collaborate
4. Click Save.
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Your student scripts will pop up as a notification (bell icon) when you log into your account. You will then be able to view all your student scripts in your "Shared Script" folder. You may want to instruct your students to name their script with their class period and initials, so it is easier to track student work.
How can I view my students' EarSketch .py files?
If you have the student's .py files:
1. Open the file in TextEdit, highlight the code and copy it.
2. Go to the EarSketch code editor and open a new script.
3. Delete all text on that script.
4. Paste in the text you copied.
5. You can run that code and listen to the song in EarSketch.
6. You will have to repeat this with each file, but I recommend using the same open script. Paste, run, grade, and then delete for
the next code.
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Otherwise, we recommend instructing your students to share their scripts with you through EarSketch. Have students follow the instructions below:
1. Go to the scripts folder (second folder from the top on left menu)
2. Click on the "Share" button next to the script name you are working on for your project.
3. 2 options:
A. Select the first tab to "Let Others View" and have students share their code URL with you or input your username to add you
as a collaborator
B. Select the second tab to "Let Others Edit" and input your teacher's username to add as a collaborator*.
*This will allow you as a teacher to edit student code, view in real-time, leave comments, or collaborate
4. Click Save.
Can I change the tempo of one part of my song?
No, you can only adjust the tempo of the entire song.
There should only be one setTempo() function within your code.
Where can I find your privacy policy?
Our license agreement and privacy policy are located in the link at the bottom of the EarSketch Home Page.
Additionally, EarSketch does not require students to enter identifiable information when they create an account as the name and email fields are optional. Contact us if you have any questions about our policy.
Do you make privacy agreements with school districts?
No, we do not make or have any privacy agreements with school districts.
Amazon Future Engineer Competition
Who can enter the competition?
Any K-12 student and teacher living in the United States and Canada can win!
Do students need to know how to code to participate?
Students do not need to know any coding in order to participate.
We encourage students completely new to coding to learn through the competition! The EarSketch Platform hosts curriculum for students to walk through and learn how to code. Additionally, teachers can implement the YVIP curriculum in their classes. Therefore, students who have no coding experience or background can learn as they work on their mix for the competition.
While students with more coding experience may have an easier time with the coding part/category of the competition, students may not necessarily have an advantage in the competition since there are multiple categories that the students' mixes will be judged on. For example, a student who is creative or has more knowledge about music may have an easier time with the musical aspect or the messaging aspect of the competition. In fact, two of our grand prize winners from last year were first time EarSketch users!
Have trouble viewing the FAQ's & Troubleshooting? View this page as a pdf here.