Music in virtual reality: Apple’s latest release, the Vision Pro AR headset, is slated to transform the entire music industry for musicians, performers, and music fans alike. For students, the Vision Pro provides an “interactive and immersive learning environment” where they can learn instruments with virtual teachers, perform in simulated real-world settings, and study music theory — all from the comfort of their own homes. And, that’s just the tip of the iceberg.
Virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR) are rapidly evolving to transform music education for all. When paired with Soundbrenner’s unique line of wearables, you’ll be sure to always sound your best and stay on beat.
Guitar-learning app, Fretello, recently developed Mirror: an AR- and AI-powered platform designed to simplify the process of learning guitar. As you play, the technology overlays key information directly onto your guitar (it’s able to sense your guitar’s exact position for maximum accuracy). With Mirror, you can benefit from an immersive learning experience — you’ll learn where exactly to place your fingers, which strings to strum, and the correct rhythm to stick to — all in real-time.
Mirror is essentially designed to mimic an in-person tutor and guide you seamlessly through your lessons, so you’re able to put your full focus on mastering finger placement, chords, and tunes. With enough study and practice, you’ll soon be able to create your own beats. Beat-making cheat sheets can help you devise chords, melodies, arrangements, and bass lines quickly and easily — even if you’re a complete novice.
PianoVision is a gamified piano-learning platform powered by augmented reality and music in virtual reality — think of it as the piano version of Guitar Hero. On the PianoVison app, users can play with a real piano or midi-keyboard if they have one — however, playing on an entirely virtual air piano is also an option. The app overlays interactive graphics over your hands as you play (on either your virtual or real instrument) to teach you correct hand positions and notes. It also lets you upload your own sheet music, meaning you won’t be limited to learning songs from a preset library. Rather, you’re free to learn any piece of music you want, allowing your lessons to become that much more enjoyable and personalized.
PianoVision also includes a handy multiplayer feature that allows multiple users to log on at the same time. So, that means you can either learn with a teacher, play with your friends, or even play a concert in front of an audience. Additionally, the Pulse vibrating metronome can further enhance your piano lessons. The band can be worn on your wrist, arm, or ankle, giving you the freedom to truly focus on your music, while helping you stay in line with the beat — without having to put up with annoying clicks.
Let’s face it: drumming is a fun although inconvenient hobby. Acoustic drum kits are large, and extremely noisy, while electronic kits also require ample space. Now, Paradiddle is a virtual reality-powered drumming app designed to make it easier and more convenient for anyone to grow and strengthen their drumming skills. It provides users with responsive music in a virtual reality environment where you can play on a virtual drum kit — you’re even able to arrange and scale the kit, so it suits your needs and preferences, as well as save custom sets to your favourites.
Paradiddle also provides visual cues to let you know when and where exactly to hit, and you can also play along to recordings as fast or slow as you want. Moreover, an AR mode is also currently being developed, so drummers can further benefit from informative real-time digital overlays over the drum set. And, since drum practice can be noisy, it’s also important not to neglect ear protection during your lessons. Minuendo earplugs are ideal for musicians. They ensure a clear and natural sound, while also protecting your ears from sound levels as high as 120 decibels.
Music in virtual reality and augmented reality are undoubtedly transforming music education. Whether you’re looking to learn the guitar, piano, or drums, there’s an AR- or VR-powered app to help you develop your skills.
Thanks for reading our article on Transforming music education with virtual reality and augmented reality! We at Soundbrenner are dedicated to helping musicians stay focused on what truly matters: their music. By creating innovative devices, such as Soundbrenner Pulse and Core, our goal is to deliver the best possible practice experience for musicians. Click here to find out more.
Got a question about Soundbrenner wearables? Reach out to us at [email protected], we’re happy to help!
