System and method for facilitating learning of a musical instrument

#This application is a 371 application of PCT/SG2012/000145 filed Apr. 24, 2012, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference.

#The present invention relates generally to a system and a method for facilitating learning to play a musical instrument, and, in particular, learning to play a musical piece on the musical instrument.

#Most existing methods for learning to play a musical instrument are music theory orientated, meaning that the fundamentals of the theory of music are learnt before one learns to play a musical piece on the musical instrument. Learning the fundamentals of the theory of music may involve learning how to read traditional music scores, which set out the musical notes to be played. In these traditional learning methods, understanding how various musical notations carry different information on their respective pitch, timing and duration is essential for a music learner to be able to play a musical piece.

#The following detailed description of preferred embodiment(s) of the invention will be better understood when read in conjunction with the appended drawings. The present invention is illustrated by way of example and is not limited by the accompanying figures.

#FIG. 1 is an example of a music score with graphical musical notations;

#FIG. 2 is flowchart illustrating the steps of the learning method according to one embodiment of the present invention;

#The present invention relates to a system and a method for facilitating a user's learning to play a musical piece on a musical instrument, such as a piano. Targeted users of the learning method and system are music learners who wish to learn a particular piece or pieces of music to be played on the musical instrument. The learning method and system according to the present invention is designed to help music learners, including those without prior knowledge of reading traditional music scores with graphical music notations (see FIG. 1), to play or perform a particular musical piece or pieces. A desirable outcome of the present invention in its preferred embodiment is to create an immediate sense of satisfaction for music learners from performing musical pieces, such as piano songs, thereby encouraging and motivating further learning.

#FIG. 1 illustrates the complexity of traditional music scores. FIG. 1 shows an example of a music score for piano with graphical musical notations. In this example, the music score 1 consists of two staffs 2a and 2b, generally representing the musical notes to be played by the left and right hands, respectively. Each staff in turn consists of 5 horizontal lines on which musical notes in graphical music notations (such as 3, 4 and 5) are written. Each of the graphical music notations represents the pitch, timing and duration of the respective musical note. For example, graphical music notation 3 is a minim denoting the musical note C4, or commonly known as middle C, at 261.626 Hz (pitch) lasting for two beats (duration) at the start of the sixth bar (timing). Graphical music notation 4 is a crotchet denoting the musical note D3 (pitch) lasting for one beat (duration) at the end of the second bar (timing). Graphical music notation 5 is a quaver denoting the musical note E3 (pitch) lasting for half a beat (duration) at the end of the seventh bar (timing). The above example illustrates a small set of rules among a much larger set of rules that a music learner learns before being able to play a musical piece represented in such a traditional music score.

#In contrast, the present invention does not require a music learner to learn these rules before being able to play a musical piece. In a preferred embodiment, the present invention is an independent music learning system and method that may be implemented without the presence of a music teacher. The present invention may be provided in an online and conventional teaching environment. For example, the present invention may be provided via an Internet website, self-help books, CDs, DVDs or other computer or processor readable medium, or at a physical music school with the appropriate independent music learning system. If provided in an online environment, the present invention may be implemented via a music learning Internet website. The learning method may be delivered to a user of the method as an online lesson, with the user's system, such as a computer system, being configured to execute the learning method. If the present invention is provided at a music school, an appropriate learning apparatus comprising an audio device and display means may be provided to carry out the learning method as detailed below. Furthermore, the present invention may be provided to a music learner by, for example, purchasing a computer or processor readable medium such as a CD or DVD, which contains instructions for a computer or processor to execute the learning method.