DESIGN NAME: Rhythm Martrix
PRIMARY FUNCTION: Music Education Toys
INSPIRATION: The product is inspired by the musical form of a cappella.We aim to utilize the creative process and presentation style of a cappella composition, integrating it into an educational tool. Motivated by the desire to blend creativity with education, our goal is to impart fundamental music theory about rhythm in an engaging manner.
UNIQUE PROPERTIES / PROJECT DESCRIPTION: Mainstream music toys often limit children to preset snippets or lack educational content on basic music theory. Our innovation integrates music theory into rhythm creation. Visual shapes on the top board correspond to rhythm rules, allowing intuitive learning. The app lets kids customize sound effects, choosing instrument sounds or recording their own, for more interesting and personalized music.
OPERATION / FLOW / INTERACTION: Children create music rhythms by placing blocks on track holes, each color representing a different sound. Tracks on the base signify rules for quarter and eighth note play. Pressing the play button triggers playback according to these rules and block sounds.
The app customizes block sound effects, offering instrument options and the ability to record unique sounds. This fosters the creation of personalized and engaging music rhythm snippets by children.
PROJECT DURATION AND LOCATION: The project commenced in January 2024 in Ningbo, Zhejiang, and concluded in March 2024
FITS BEST INTO CATEGORY: Toys, Games and Hobby Products Design
|
PRODUCTION / REALIZATION TECHNOLOGY: The product body is made of lightweight wood and plastic.
The musical blocks are made of silicone and wood materials.
Sensors are used to allow the track holes to recognize different types of blocks, triggering different sound effects. Built-in speakers play the created music rhythm snippets.
SPECIFICATIONS / TECHNICAL PROPERTIES: The dimensions of Product Body are Width 350mm x Depth 350mm x Height 60mm.
The dimensions of Musical Blocks are Diameter 30mm x Height 15mm.
TAGS: Music education toys, music enlightenment, rhythm education, basic music theory, music composition, creativity, multi-sensory
RESEARCH ABSTRACT: Our design research aimed to improve music education for children by integrating music theory into creative rhythm creation. Through iterative design and user feedback, we addressed limitations of existing music toys. Data from children and educators informed our approach. This research has the potential to positively impact music education, promoting creativity and engagement among children.
CHALLENGE: The most challenging aspect of this design activity was striking the right balance between incorporating educational content and maintaining an engaging and playful experience for children. Ensuring that the product effectively conveyed basic music theory concepts while remaining intuitive and enjoyable for young users required careful consideration and iteration.
ADDED DATE: 2024-03-06 09:48:52
TEAM MEMBERS (3) : Leijing Zhou, Yanlin Liu and Aiwen Mai
IMAGE CREDITS: Leijing Zhou, 2023.
|