When we think of haptics, or wearable electronics, we may think of watches that measure steps and movement, or Virtual Reality headsets to play games or take us on trips. In fact, we may have even seen electronics that allow people to walk again or move prosthetic limbs and fingers. But what about music? And what about the early years?
The state of technology in music
A German study in 2022 (Dorr et al) researched 17 studies on music and technology. Researchers acknowledged that technology had been used in music for decades, including technology in music education, especially if it met teacher’s educational goals. Examples of technology in music included a tablet to experience a pop-up book with “tangible elements of different textures”, electronics giving the sensation of timbre with a feeling of smooth and rough sandpaper, touching a metal plate in order to experience a sound installation, and the experience of playing virtual musical instruments in a group.
Opportunities Through Additional Needs
A Dutch study in 2024 found that despite all the gaming and traditional advances, very little “stand-alone” equipment was available for the deaf and hard of hearing, effectively opening opportunities for inventors to make music more accessible and shareable. This would offer clear opportunities for musical creation for younger children, too.
Apps! Apps! Apps!
Finally, a Chinese study (2024) used a number of apps with different groups – one group with parental involvement and the other without. Activities on apps involved developing musical skills including musical hearing, rhythm repetition, technical components of melody and singing clarity. 83% of the children in the group with parental involvement achieved strong musical skills after 6 months, whereas only 21% the group without parental involvement had strong skills, demonstrating the impact of parental involvement at this age. Apps used included GNU Solfege, MUSIQUEST, LOOPIMAL, and Penxy.
Benefits
One of the biggest benefits of using technology in music for preschool opens musical access to all communities with an internet connection, whether or not they have real instruments or trained musicians available. Haptics enhances this in specific ways, from tablets to apps. So despite not quite being at a point of wearables, the access to musical apps is the start to greater musical access for the early years.
Here are a few songs that could work with new-found haptics!
Here We Go ‘Round The Mulberry Bush
Here we go ‘round the mulberry bush
The mulberry bush, the mulberry bush
Here we go ‘round the mulberry bush
So early in the morning
This is the way we put on our shoes …
This is the way we put on our clothes …
This lovely favourite is the perfect song for an article on wearable musical instruments! And depending what haptic equipment you decide to use, you could actually use this song when getting children ready!
Lil Liza Jane
I know a girl that you don’t know, Lil’ Liza Jane
Way down south in Baltimore, Lil’ Liza Jane
Oh! Eliza! Lil’ Liza Jane
Oh! Eliza! Lil’Liza Jane
This is a lovely song emphasising the different lengths of rhythms and beats. It is a wonderful way to get the brain used to doing two things at the same time, too. The rhythm pattern is: stamp, stamp, tap knees and clap.
I know a girl Stamp, stamp
That you don’t know Tap knees – clap
Lil’ Liza Stamp, stamp
Jane Tap knees – clap
Way down south in Stamp, stamp
Baltimore Tap knees – clap
Lil’ Liza Stamp, stamp
Jane Tap knees – clap
Oh! Stamp, stamp
Eliza! Tap knees – clap
Lil’ Liza Stamp, stamp
Jane Tap knees – clap
Oh! Stamp, stamp
Eliza! Tap knees – clap
Lil’Liza Stamp, stamp
Jane Tap knees – clap
John Kinacker-nacker
I heard, I heard the old man say
John Kinacker-nacker doo rye ay
Today, today’s a holiday
John Kinacker-nacker doo rye ay
Doo rye ay, doo rye ay
John Kinacker-nacker doo rye ay
This is a lovely song for emphasising rhythm and beat through kinaesthetic action. Younger children can walk or dance during each line until they get to “John Kinacker-nacker”, when they tap their knees with their hands to the beat of the name, and then twirl on “doo-rye-ay”.
Older children can stand opposite a partner, in a circle dance.
I heard, I heard the old man say
Link elbows as they go around each other for the first line.
John Kinacker-nacker doo rye ay
Facing their partner, children stop and tap their knees with their hands to the beat of the name.
Today, today’s a holiday
Change direction and link elbows as they go around each other for the third line.
John Kinacker-nacker doo rye ay
Facing their partner, children stop and tap their knees with their hands to the beat of the name.
Doo rye ay, doo rye ay
Children move about the room to find a new partner.
John Kinacker-nacker doo rye ay
Facing their new partner, children tap their knees with their hands to the beat of the name.
Haptics can be a different and exciting way to introduce children to music. They can help children to feel and experience rhythms instead of finding ways to explain them cognitively. This type of self-correcting exploration allows children to make life-changing “discoveries” for themselves!
Reference:
Dörr, B., Norouzinia, F., Altmeyer, K., Werth, D., (2022). Haptic Technology in Digital Music Learning Context: A State-of-the-Art Analysis. European Conference on e-Learning 21(1):87-94. DOI:10.34190/ecel.21.1.529.
May, L., Malik, R.B., Thomas, A., (2024). Co-Designing Haptic Instruments With Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing Children. Proceedings of the International Conference of New Interfaces for Musical Expression, 52-62.
Zhu, J. (2024) The significance of musical educational interactive technologies for the development of performance and memory in preschool children: The role of pedagogical-parental relationships. Educ Inf Technol 29, 13993–14014 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10639-023-12404-1