Students in Watkins Glen are getting in tune for their spring concert and they're doing so with some professional help. Two musicians from the Artist in Residence Program visited the middle school Tuesday to work with the kids. YNN’s Crystal Cranmore checked in to see what kind of experience they were drumming up.

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WATKINS GLEN, N.Y. -- They say a painter paints pictures on a canvas, but musicians paint their pictures on silence. Students at Watkins Glen Middle School are getting the chance to perfect their skills and explore their creativity with the help of two professional musicians.

The musicians from Ithaca are artists in residence, helping the students develop their technique and rhythm.

“I like how it’s the loudest instrument in the whole band,” said Alexander Gibson.

Gibson has been playing the trumpet for five years. He says his father inspired him to pick up the instrument.

“I like how much of an importance it has in all the music we play. It has all the melodies, it has all the harmonies,” said Gibson.

His classmate Aidan Debolt has been playing the drums for eight years. Even though he’s quite good at it, he says there are some challenges the musicians are helping him overcome.

“They make it easy to make sure I am on beat and not giving me a hard time when I mess up. They make it a lot of fun and keep it really creative,” said Debolt.

“This program is really cool because it gives students the opportunity to work with someone other than their teacher and to do songs that they prepared. And we work with them on coming up with ways to arrange the songs and coming up with different ideas,” said cellist Katie McShane.

But the learning experience doesn't stop there.

Technology students will also get to work with a recording engineer to get a first hand look at how music is mixed and put on a CD.

These students will get the chance to co-produce music with the musicians with the help of recording engineer this week. Their production will be played for all to hear during the upcoming spring concert.

“I’m looking forward to recording stuff with other people,” said Kaitlyn Valla.

In the end, these students are learning what it takes to bring music to life, one note at a time.