Piano Learning Research Articles

I am still on my way: The Influence of Motivation in Transforming Identities

This article explores how my identities were transformed from a piano learner and player to a piano teacher and researcher by employing motivation. My musical background, piano learning experience, understanding and knowledge have formed me as a piano learner and player. My musical identities provide motivation which influences the establishment of my new identities. To investigate my background, an autoethnographical method was employed. Through this qualitative study, I found that my identity, interests and choices of research methodologies in music education are influenced by my understandings and beliefs gained from my own learning experience.

A Knowledge-Based System for Questionnaires Evaluation of Digital Piano Collective Course for Preschool Education Major in Normal Universities

In order to improve the teaching level of digital piano collective course for preschool education major in normal universities and provide high-quality music education for children, a knowledge-based system for questionnaires evaluation of digital piano collective course for preschool education major in normal universities is proposed. The system can collect sufficient data and information, the exact orientation of piano learning, the exact choice of teaching mode by questionnaires. A comprehensive analysis of the students’ characteristics, teachers’ post skills and the orientation of digital piano syllabus in the preschool collective course teaching of digital piano in normal universities is made. Moreover, some countermeasures for perfecting digital piano teaching mode are proposed. As a result, it promotes the level of piano teaching in preschool education major, realizes the goal of arousing students’ enthusiasm for study and reduces teachers’ pressure.

Osvrt na prve instruktivne publikacije na srpskom jeziku namenjene početnoj nastavi klavira

This paper discusses the didactic-methodological content of the first instructional publications in the Serbian language, which were intended for the initial teaching of piano. The publications in question are: a collection of piano compositions by Robert Tolinger Pictures and Opportunities from Children's Life and Youth Joy (1886), a manual by Isidor Bajić Piano and Piano Learning (1903) and a textbook by Danica Krstić Piano School (1911). The mentioned publications are not on the list of the current Curriculum for initial piano lessons. They are not even mentioned as proposed literature for the subject Methodology of piano teaching, which is attended by students of basic academic studies in the field - piano. The aim of this paper is to emphasize the value of the mentioned teaching literature which belongs to the historical and pedagogical heritage of the Serbian people. In addition, the intention is to determine the specific didactic-methodological elements in these publications, which could be applicable in modern music and educational trends.

AI based research on exploration and innovation of development direction of piano performance teaching in university

This paper investigates the cognition status of information piano education for teachers and students in a university, which mainly includes a summary of the piano teaching status in a university and make an analysis and summary of the investigation results. In addition, this paper puts forward the direction of the network information reform and construction for piano majors in Colleges and universities, mainly including three aspects, that is, taking piano “micro class” teaching to arm traditional classroom teaching, using the new media to build a networked piano learning environment, and building the piano teaching “MOOC” platform.

The Pedagogical Use of Visual Feedback for Enhancing Dynamics in Higher Education Piano Learning and Performance

Research on technology-based learning and teaching has demonstrated evidence of its relevant role in music education. However, the application of technology to studio-based instrumental learning and teaching remains a relatively under-researched area. The article draws on findings from a recent exploratory study (HAMOND, 2017) which included fieldwork in Brazil. The aim of this study was to investigate the nature and potential pedagogical use of technology-mediated feedback in a higher education piano studio. Participants were one student-teacher dyad plus the researcher (the first author) with the dyad working on a memorised movement of a classical sonata of the student’s current repertoire. The technology system involved a digital piano connected to a laptop computer running Digital Audio Workstation (DAW) software via Musical Instrument Digital Interface (MIDI) interface, and an additional computer screen. Three data sets were collected: videoed piano lessons (n = 2), semi-structured interviews with participants after each piano lesson (n = 4) and technology-generated MIDI data through the use of DAW software. Qualitative data analysis (QDA) involved a multi-methods approach. Research outcomes demonstrated how new digital technology can improve accessibility to aspects of advanced musical behaviour and learning that are often outside the individual’s conscious awareness. The use of new digital technology can also optimise traditional pedagogical approaches in one-to-one piano studios, since it is likely to make the lesson foci clearer and the learning process more efficient.

Discussion on the Reform of Piano Teaching Content for Music Education Major in Colleges and Universities

Music is an important expression of art. It is an indispensable artistic form in society and our life to give the audience the feeling of beauty through the art sensory experience. For meeting people's pursuit of music, many colleges and universities set music curriculum. Among the music courses, piano course is a vital content of music class. Piano learning not only contains rich knowledge of music theory, but also can cultivate students' sense of rhythm, art appreciation and so on. This paper analyzes the piano teaching content of music education major in colleges and universities.

ATTITUDES AND PREFERENCES FOR ROBOT-LED PIANO COGNITIVE TRAINING: FEASIBILITY IN MILD COGNITIVE IMPAIRMENT

Cognitive training has been shown to improve neural plasticity, increase cognitive reserve and reduce the risk of dementia in older adults. Specifically, learning to play the piano has been shown to be an engaging, multimodal form of cognitive training. However, accessing this form of cognitive training can pose a challenge for older adults. Socially assistive robots present a unique opportunity to increase access to user-tailored piano learning cognitive training. The present study utilized a robot-led four-week piano lesson feasibility intervention for older adults with mild cognitive impairment (N = 11; M= 74.64 ± 6.02 years of age; 72.72% female; 90.1% White/Caucasian). Cognitive Status was assessed during screening via the Telephone Interview for Cognitive Status, and after screening via the Mini-Mental State Exam and the CNS Vital Signs computerized test suite to measure cognitive domain-specific functioning. Perceptions and acceptance of the robot were measured using the Robotic Social Attributes Scale (RoSAS) and Technology Acceptance Scale. Cognitive function improved after four weeks of training in the verbal memory, executive function, reaction time and cognitive flexibility domains, and in the computed neurocognitive index score (p<0.05). Survey data and qualitative interviews show that participants perceived the robot instructor as socially engaging, competent, useful, and easy to use. These results provide insight into the potential of SARs to facilitate cognitive training in the form of piano lessons, as well as recommendations for creating a suitable robot instructor for this application.

Piano Learning Of Blind Children In Extracurricular Program At SLB-A Karya Murni Medan

The research aims to know about learning piano of blind children in the extracurricular program at Karya Murni Medan. This research located in Jalan Karya Wisata, Medan Johor. This research was using collective data technique with a qualitative descriptive method to describe piano learning of blind children in SLB-A Karya Murni Medan. The time of the study was conducted from February 2019 – June 2019. Based on this research, it was found that in the learning piano for blind children was very different and difficult besides the learning piano for normal children, that’s why the teacher must be more patient in giving the learning.

FUN PIANO LESSON FOR YOUNG BEGINNERS STUDENTS IN SURABAYA INDONESIA

Learning piano is not an easy thing, moreover for young beginner learners. The teacher of course not only giving materials to students but also considering the approach given to the young beginner students. The teacher is also needed to be creative, and always developing the ability in techniques and approach to children. This study tried to discuss how to make piano lessons fun. This research method uses grounded research with a focus on theoretical studies on piano learning through the views of piano experts, including Dalcroze, Suzuki, Schulwerk, and Kodaly. After that, the data is analyzed using content analysis. The results of the study showed that by exploring the viewpoint of Dalcroze, Suzuki, Schulwerk, and Kodaly piano learning, art learning must be set pleasantly by the teacher. The role of the teacher and student must also have a good relationship because, in pleasant learning, an effective correlation between learning materials, teachers, and students is needed.DOI: doi.org/10.24071/ijiet.2019.030204

FunPianoAR: A Novel AR Application for Piano Learning Considering Paired Play Based on Multi-Marker Tracking

This paper describes the design and implementation of a novel augmented reality application, referred as FunPianoAR, that aiming to activate the interests of user and improve the experience of piano learning. The FunPianoAR with a user-friendly interface considers the paired play to further reduce the difficulty of playing the piano for adult novices. For the paired play, one user plays the melody and the other plays the harmony part. The app is developed by using Android Studio 3.0 and artoolkitX 1.0, an open source augmented reality SDK, and installed on the AR smart glasses, Epson Moverio BT300. Due to the textureless features of real piano and registration precision, the application is implemented by using the fiducial marker tracking instead of the markerless recognition. Besides, we divided the piano keyboard into four zones and each zone used a separate marker for tracking to solve the limited field of view (FOV) to some extent. The virtual keys can be accurately superimposed on the piano keys by using multi-marker tracking. An evaluation was also conducted to compare the effects of two types of augmented reality information superimposed, i.e., the instant way without the hints for the next note to be played and the FunPianoAR with the hints for the coming notes to be played. The correctness rate was calculated and the time differences between the notes that two players should play at the same time were collected. The FunPianoAR shows more advantages over the instant way based on the evaluation results.

“3 Piano Sonatas for the Young” op. 118 in a context of last works by Robert Schumann

“3 Piano Sonatas for the Young” op. 118 in a context of last works by Robert Schumann

The Relationship between Learning Styles of Pre-Service Music Teachers and Academic Achievement

&lt;p style="text-align:justify"&gt;The present study aims to determine learning styles of students majoring in Music Education Departments in Turkey and thus develop scale on learning styles to be used in piano lessons. Moreover, it is intended to reveal the relationship between students’ learning styles identified by the developed scale and their academic performance in piano lessons. In this sense, an achievement test was developed to assess student’s performances in piano lessons. The research was figured according to relational screening model among the screening models. The population of the research is composed of 3rd grade students majoring in Music Education Departments in Turkey. The sample of the research consists of 473 third grade students out of 730 3’rd year students studying in Music Education Departments. Developed by the researchers to assess students’ performance in piano lesson, the scales titled “Pamukkale Piano Learning Style” and “Piano Performance Test” have been used. In light of the results obtained from the study, a learning style model has been developed to learn piano instrument. According to this model, students’ independent, analytical, dependent and emotional learning styles have been identified. According to the research results, there is no high-level relationship between all learning styles and piano academic performance.&lt;/p&gt;

Development of Pamukkale Piano Learning Style Scale

In musical instrument training, piano has been taught as a compulsory instrument in all departments of Music Education. It is thought that as a major instrument, piano plays a crucial role in music education. Without question, it is highly vital to raise individuals' awareness of learning styles towards learning piano in effort to practice piano courses more efficiently and effectively. In this respect, the present study is of utmost importance as it will be a pioneer study and make a great deal of contributions to the relevant field. The current study was designed to develop a valid and reliable scale. The population of the study consisted of 170 music teacher candidates majoring in Music Education, including those who already took piano lessons. Although the study successfully accessed to the whole sample, only 133 scales were included to the research, due to inaccurate or incomplete data in subjects’ responses. To test the construct validity of the scale, explanatory factor analysis (EFA) and confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) were used. The original scale consists of four sub-dimensions, namely, independent, analytical, dependent and affective learning styles.

Lack of spacing effects during piano learning.

Spacing effects during retention of verbal information are easily obtained, and the effect size is large. Relatively little evidence exists on whether motor skill retention benefits from distributed practice, with even less evidence on complex motor skills. We taught a 17-note musical sequence on a piano to individuals without prior formal training. There were five lags between learning episodes: 0-, 1-, 5-, 10-, and 15-min. After a 5-min retention interval, participants’ performance was measured using three criteria: accuracy of note playing, consistency in pressure applied to the keys, and consistency in timing. No spacing effect was found, suggesting that the effect may not always be demonstrable for complex motor skills or non-verbal abilities (timing and motor skills). Additionally, we taught short phrases from five songs, using the same set of lags and retention interval, and did not find any spacing effect for accuracy of song reproduction. Our findings indicate that although the spacing effect is one of the most robust phenomena in the memory literature (as demonstrated by verbal learning studies), the effect may vary when considered in the novel realm of complex motor skills such as piano performance.

Фортепіанна підготовка як складова професійного становлення майбутнього вчителя музики

The article analyzes the educational issue at piano class, which should provide integration between instrumental and performance classes. Future music teacher’s piano training is seen as part of his or her professional development. Integrative connections between educational subjects (music and performing, as well as music and theoretic, music and historical) are used to overcome the contradictions between diverse knowledge in certain subjects and their synthesis and integrated application in their performing and future educational career. The article focuses on the piano study content, which includes studying instrumental works of different forms. These works can be used by students in teaching practice and in musical education of school children. Besides, the content includes acquisition of theoretical knowledge which makes it possible to comprehend various styles, forms and genres of music thoroughly. Moreover, the author mainstreams that a future music teacher has to master specific techniques of teaching music dealing with the plays of school repertoire. While focusing on these works as music samples for future educational activities and their application in work with children, developing the ability for analytical study of these works and creation of the work pedagogically adapted verbal characteristics, students realize what future music teacher work is in its complexity and diversity. In the article the author states the necessity of teaching projections for knowledge and skills, acquired during piano training, piano learning content should enhance student’s teacher thinking and form his or her ideas and basic skills for future professional activities.

Seeing How It Sounds: Observation, Imitation, and Improved Learning in Piano Playing

ABSTRACTThis study centers upon a piano learning and teaching environment in which beginners and intermediate piano students (N = 48) learning to perform a specific type of staccato were submitted to three different (group-exclusive) teaching conditions: audio-only demonstration of the musical task; observation of the teacher's action demonstration followed by student imitation (blocked observation); and observation of the teacher's action demonstration while alternating imitation of the task with the teacher's performance (interleaved observation). Students submitted to interleaved observation were more proficient at the learned task with no significant differences for students of different proficiency levels.

English

In this study, the self-efficacy and motivation of Zeki Muren Fine Arts High School piano students were examined based on different variables as well as the reasons for their failure. The data on their self-efficacy were obtained through self-efficacy scale of piano performance and the data on their motivation were obtained through motivation scale in piano education. &lsquo;The Questionnaire of Reasons for Failure in Piano Education&rsquo; was carried out in order to obtain students&rsquo; perspective of their failure. The data were examined through t-test, Mann-Whitney U test, one way ANOVA and Pearson Correlation via SPSS 23.00. Students&rsquo; thoughts about their failure in piano performances were reported as frequency and percentage. This study reveals the fact that students&rsquo; motivation towards piano education (with its sub-dimensions; interest in and willingness to play piano and motivational factors in the piano learning process) and their self-efficacy (with its sub-dimensions; perception of technical level and perception of performance) tend to fall after 10th grade when the class level advances from 10th to 12th. Moreover, achievement grade, motivation and self-efficacy are positively correlated. Although not statistically significant, there are some additional striking results. For instance, male students can overcome stage fright more easily than female students; male students consider themselves more proficient in terms of technical level than female students. Additionally, boarding students have more trouble in managing their stage fright compared to other students, and the students who have musicians in their families perceive their technical skills to be higher than students who do not. Since all possible students were included, this study aims to express the current situation in Zeki Muren Fine Arts High School. However, considering the effect sizes of those findings, this study should be replicated with a larger sample size to get statistically significant results. Key words: Fine arts high school, piano, motivation, self-efficacy.

Estimation of tempo, timing, and melody for piano practice support systems

In piano learning as voluntary practice, it is difficult especially for beginners to judge whether their musical performances are appropriate in terms of timing and melody. Therefore, we have studied piano learning support systems for beginners. In this study, we introduce a method for the system, to estimate tempo, timing and melody of performances, and to visualize the data for piano learners and instructors. In our method, a tempo for each musical bar is firstly estimated by measuring first notes in current and incoming bars. Subsequently, a timing of each musical note in the bar is obtained based on the estimated tempo. A chroma vector is then computed for each note, in order to compare it with the vector obtained from a corresponding instructor's performance, and finally to detect misplayed keys. In order to confirm effectiveness of our method, we conducted experiments. We collected musical performances (No.12 Bayer) from seven subjects. Assuming voluntary practice, the subjects were asked to listen to music and watch corresponding movies in which an instructor played piano with musical scores and instructions, before they made performances. We analyzed the performance data and conducted questionnaire to the subjects, to confirm the effectiveness.

Analysis on the Value of Inner Music Hearing for Cultivation of Piano Learning

Piano performance, which is an auditory art, delivers fantastic melody into one’s brain through his ears. Then, the music appreciators can resonate emotionally and achieve a mutual correspondence with their aesthetic ideas. Therefore, one not only needs to absorb music with their external hearing but also needs to cultivate their inner music perception during piano learning. This paper gives a comprehensive elaboration and some suggestions on how to cultivate the inner music hearing during piano learning.

Important Role of Basic Finger Training in Piano Learning

Piano beginners mostly suffer the similar basic finger problems due to their own and external reasons. Basic finger training can improve the problems during playing and finger capacity is also required as the basis for the playing skills needed in piano works. This paper analyzes the current situation of beginners’ finger basis and combines the significance of basic finger training in piano learning to make the beginners emphasize basic training and develop good piano practicing habits.