Musical instrument training software

[akerkarprashant]

TL;DR Summary

Musical instruments training software simulators.

Similar to Flight and Power plant training simulation softwares, is it possible to design and develop musical instruments training software simulators?
Examples : Guitar,Piano,Violin,Trumpet, Drums,Saxophone etc.

If Not, What are the challenges for designing and developing Musical instruments training simulators softwares?

 

[jedishrfu]

Do you mean like a piano trainer?

I've seen many such programs where you'd select a song to play and the trainer would light up the next key to play. There's also one for the iPad that shows the music and listens to what you play hilighting wrong notes.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07NY3C95Z/?tag=pfamazon01-20

Yousician is one such tablet example:

https://www.educationalappstore.com/app/yousician-learn-guitar-piano-bass-ukulele

Difficulties in developing your own:
- tone recognition
- duration of tone ie quarter note, half note, ...
- library of songs
- chords
- polyphonic songs ie multiple notes played at the same time
- musical notation
- user interaction with your app
...

You could start with tone recognition and then duration.

 

[anorlunda]

I'm not sure what skills you are trying to train for.

For example, a stringed instrument requires the musician to train his fingertips and the muscles in his fingers. Would a simulator aid with that?

 

[f95toli]

"Training software" can mean many things
That are some useful apps that teach you music theory
There is also software for e.g. training rhythm reading and also for ear training (e.g. identifying intervals)
A somewhat separate genre would be software that you can use together with real instruments such as Rocksmith for electric guitar which can be a fun way to e.g. improve picking skills .

However, none of these will teach you to actually play a real instrument. Computers and software (online tuition videos, collections of backing tracks, software like Guitar Pro etc) can be very useful tools when practicing, but you should still most of your time actually playing your instrument of choice.

 

[akerkarprashant]

Thank you.

Do you feel man machine (Musical instrument/s) interface is a bottleneck for these?

Connecting physically a violin, piano, guitar, drum, trumpet to a computer is possible via USB- wired or Wifi-Bluetooth wireless technology?

The software (desktop,app) detects the musical instrument and trains the end user as how to use and play the musical instrument.

 

[jedishrfu]

Its hard to answer your questions since they are very broad.

Perhaps, if you can provide a use-case, how you envision interacting with a specific instrument and how you envision the computer assisting you to learn how to play it.

Many physical trainers for stringed instruments replace the strings and fret board with keys to press so you can recognize where to place your fingers but they won't give you a feel for the real instrument. Alternatively, the computer could recognize the tone and duration and indicate whether you are playing the song correctly.

 

[anorlunda]

All training simulators have a defined training purpose. They teach specific skills. In the case of musical instruments, it is the skill of manipulating your body to interact with the instrument. Or it could be the skill of choosing which combination of notes to play.

Your responses so far do not explain what skills you want.

 

[f95toli]

Thank you.

Do you feel man machine (Musical instrument/s) interface is a bottleneck for these?

Connecting physically a violin, piano, guitar, drum, trumpet to a computer is possible via USB- wired or Wifi-Bluetooth wireless technology?

The software (desktop,app) detects the musical instrument and trains the end user as how to use and play the musical instrument.

You are essentially describing Rocksmith (which uses a USB via the included hardware interface. I have the PS4 version somewhere) which has been around for a few years (a new version should be released this year). However, the problem with a software-only solution is that the only thing the computer can do it so analyse the sound and tell you if e.g. the pitch and tempo are correct (see e.g. the Fender Play software which is currently in beta); if it doesn't sound right it can't tell you WHY (are your fingers at the wrong angle?). It can be a fun practice tool, but it is not a replacement for a teacher.

Now, some instruments are probably better suited to software than others. E.g. piano/keys should be a good fit since even regular MIDI will capturer quite a lot of information. perhaps enough to help teach a beginner the basics.
Guitar and other fretted instruments are harder since the software then needs to analyze the soundstream using DSP figure out what is going on (which is far from trivial). Wind and brass Instruments (e.g trumpet) and string instruments (violin) is probably extremely hard to use in this context since beginners needs to learn quite a lot of technique before they can even create "clean" single note or say play a scale.

Also, this is a technicality, but Bluetooth and wifi are not ideal solutions for this because of the latency, when playing an instrument even a latency of a say 10ms can be problematic (this obvious to anyone who has tried using amp simulator software like Guitar rig or Amplitube). This is why most people still use cables or propriety solutions designed specifically for audio when connecting/recording musical instruments .

 

[Vanadium 50]

Which is easier? Learning to drive a car? Or learning to play a musical instrument well?

Self driving cars are not really here yet. Neither is the harder problem of autonomous Drivers Ed.

 

[russ_watters]

Connecting physically a violin, piano, guitar, drum, trumpet to a computer is possible via USB- wired or Wifi-Bluetooth wireless technology?

Yes, basically all computers, smart phones, tablets, etc are already equipped with wireless technology for interfacing with musical instruments. And there are aps to help lean music via this interface (score how well you play).

Have you tried googling any of this?

 

[Hornbein]

Which is easier? Learning to drive a car? Or learning to play a musical instrument well?

Self driving cars are not really here yet. Neither is the harder problem of autonomous Drivers Ed.

Driving a car is far easier.

 

[Vanadium 50]

Exactly.

 

[hutchphd]

I want to see the tuba simulator.