Can Videogames (Finally) Help You Play Better?

Music videogames stir strong opinions in some musicians, and Part-Time Musicians (PTMs) as a group are no exception. But with the latest round of gameplay improvements and controller updates, have we now reached the point where playing a music videogame can really improve our music-making skills?

This is a large topic that can be approached from several perspectives, and we’ve covered two of those before (see From virtual musician to real musician and Videogaming helps your mad music-making skillz!), but this zeroes in on the typical configurations that are seen in most homes – or the setups that the Rock Band folks hope soon will be.

In this article from our friends at cnet, Dan Ackerman puts Rock Band 3 to the test and finds that it comes very close to the “real thing”. And while they take a slightly different tack, Dan notes that the people behind First Act are working to close the gap between “play music” and playing music, too. It’s a great article that has had me mulling since I first saw it, and I suspect it will you, too.

So what do you think? Will music videogames eventually get to the point where (we) real musicians use them as a training aid? Or will adding sophistication spoil the fun for the larger market and kill the games before we get there? Are we already there?  

Drop us a line and share your thoughts! And whether you take an occasional videogame break or not, keep that music coming…

All the best,
Mark

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Music training boosts learning

This study has gotten a lot of coverage lately, and at the risk of “piling on”, I wanted to offer a few tidbits that seem to be missing from the discussion.

In the latest article I saw about NU’s findings, published in the article Music can boost language skills, they offer the following conclusions:

“But Kraus said currently what is known about the benefits of music training on sensory processing beyond that involved in musical performance is largely derived from studying those who are fortunate enough to afford such training.

The researchers concluded that there needed to be a serious investment of resources into music training in schools accompanied with rigorous examinations of the effects of such instruction on listening, learning, memory, attention and literacy skills.”

Where to start…  :-)

First, I fully believe that during many (if not most) rounds of budget cuts in any school district, music education gets short shrift. Unfortunate? Yes. Unfair? Absolutely. Can it be fixed? Yes…but it’s not going to happen on its own, or by accident. Until music parents support the music programs with the same energy that sports parents bring to their programs – in terms of time, commitment, and monetary investment – the music department continue to be seen as an easier target. Yes, we’re all busy, and studies like this do help; but pointing to a study and wishing our music teachers “good luck” won’t change anything.

Second, the conclusion as published in the linked article above indicates that only the wealthy are beneficiaries of music training because of its expense. This should never be the case.

Our family certainly is not wealthy, but music training has always been a priority in our house. Why? Because of the values it brings to a developing child (focus, discipline, teamwork, etc.), of course…but also because it enriches lives throughout those lives. Musical training develops a talent that can be used at 8 or 80, and “sacrificing” a temporary thing for a lifelong gift to our children always seemed like a wise investment to us.

The idea that musical training has to be expensive is also a fallacy. How many stories of pop icons have you heard in which the story begins with “my grandfather gave me this old guitar/violin/piano and I taught myself how to play”? The field of music is diverse, and each area carries different hurdles; but even in the classical music field – arguably the one with the highest barriers to entry – examples of success without extensive, expensive training exist. When will we stop making excuses and start learning, regardless of the obstacles? When will we help eliminate some of those obstacles?

As PTMs (Part Time Musicians), we bear some responsibility for that. How can we help kids learn? How can we make the world just a bit better? Volunteering to teach, helping with ensembles and events, collecting used instruments, fixing donated instruments – these are only a few ideas, and there are many more.

The important thing is to get involved! Our kids’ brains depend upon it.

Keep playing,
Mark

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Learn music and learn everything better

Let’s reach into the news pile and check out something that ought to make anyone who plays an instrument feel just a bit smarter.

I just ran across an article entitled How music training boosts learning and wanted to share it. Findings like this, while possibly a bit self-congratulating, ought to remind us (and those we ask to support the arts and arts education) of the far-reaching value of music training. To quote the article:

“The brain is unable to process all of the available sensory information from second to second, and thus must selectively enhance what is relevant,” Nature quoted Kraus as saying.

Playing an instrument primes the brain to choose what is relevant in a complex process that may involve reading or remembering a score, timing issues and coordination with other musicians.

And that’s only a teaser. 

Just some food for thought to make your day. Now, pull out that axe and practice, encourage your kids and/or spouse to practice, or volunteer with a youth music group. Better yet, do all three! After all, it’s up to all of us to do all we can to make the world just a little smarter… 

Keep playing,
Mark

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From virtual musician to real musician

It wasn’t always the case, but I now believe that music video games can contribute to the Part-Time Musician’s development in some ways – and they’re a lot of fun! That last part – the fun – is what draws the vast majority of gamers to pick up Rock Band or Guitar Hero. But why should the fun stop when you shut off the game console?

It’s common sense, regardless of the activity: if you enjoy it, you’ll be more committed, you’ll do it better, and you’ll reap more benefits…which leads to deeper commitment, better performance, more benefits…well, you know where this is going. 

I’ve already written about the benefits of music video games to current PTMs, but what about those who have yet to discover their longing to play real music? Don’t we all want to get others hooked on our playing addiction? Well…of course we do!

I ran across this article about some great things Fender is doing to entice new musicians into the fold and to appeal to current musicians as well. Check out these nuggets:

“Guitarists using Fender’s new $299 G-DEC 3 amplifier, on sale in April, will get the traditional boost, echo, reverb and other heavy amplified sounds. But the G-DEC 3 is also a “band in a box,” letting musicians play along with 100 music tracks in various styles created by guitarists such as Brad Paisley and Keith Urban. There’s an SD slot for adding MP3 files to the amp.”

“Fender just launched ejamming.com, a site where guitarists can plug into the Net and jam with musicians around the world. The site features free downloadable software that allows musicians to connect. The music can be recorded and saved. There’s a one-month free trial and $9.99 a month subscription.”

I’m excited enough about these developments to give ejamming.com a try myself, and if anyone has any connections at Fender, I’d be more than willing to do a review of the G-DEC 3…so put me in touch, please!

What do you think? While these developments can’t fully replace a live, in-person jam session, they certainly could help keep one driving toward their musical goals with a smile. Interested? Leave a comment! We’d love to hear from you.

Keep playing,
Mark

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PTMs in the news: “passion players” in the UK

I will not denigrate Full-Time Musicians (FTMs) by saying that they play without feeling; I also won’t denigrate Part-Time Musicians (PTMs) by saying that “what we lack in ability we make up with enthusiasm”. Each idea can true or false at an individual level only. But – and you knew there had to be a “but”! – there is something to be said for the feelings that are stirred in someone for whom playing music is an obsession rather than a profession.

This article in the Guardian covers it very nicely. Here’s a small taste:

“Some friends and I started a Sunday evening chamber group – sometimes it’s a quartet, sometimes a piano quintet, sometimes a sextet. Some of the time we sound pretty ropey. But once in a while, something amazing happens: the endless complexity of those threads of Brahms, Schumann or Schubert come together and our individual lines become one. It’s almost embarrassing to use the word, in our cynical times, that best describes this feeling: joy.”

I can barely begin to describe how well this hits home, and I suspect you feel the same way. At various times, I have played in the following configurations:

• Small, mixed-instrument ensemble
• Unaccompanied solo
• Piano-accompanied solo
• Small band
• Full orchestra
• Dixieland jazz combo
• Brass choir

While I have my preferences (which can change based upon the instrument I’m playing and my mood at the time!), all are richly rewarding and provide me with the deep satisfaction that playing good music provides. How can you play and not be touched by it?!?

If you have a story you’d like to share, please post a comment (below) or drop us a line; we’d love to hear about it! In the meantime, take some “artistic license” and play your music like the addiction it is. What can they do? Fire you?  :-)

All the best,
Mark

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