A smart music sheet to help people learn the instrument in an easier way.
Musicore is a digital music score for the instrument players to enhance their efficiency while playing the instruments and learning new songs.
Musicore - App for Piano Learners
Human-centered design | Individual Project
Year of Completion
2019
Deliverables
Problem Statement
User Research
Concept Development
User Testing
Experience & Visual Implement
Role
Project Lead
Problem Statement
I started playing the piano at 6. At first, the music sheets I played were accessible and always within 1 or 2 pages. As I learned deeper, I had more and more sheets to play with, sometimes six pages and sometimes over ten pages. Therefore, I always needed to flip the sheet while playing, which constantly interrupted me and the fluency of the music. To avoid flipping sheets while playing, I tried to memorize the score; sometimes, I forgot what I should play next, and it took me a long time to relocate the place on the music score. Many people and friends around me meet the same problems while playing the instruments and the issues frustrate them during practice.
Therefore, I would love to design a digital and intelligent music score with a better user experience to users.
Challenges and Goals
How might we bring users a more engaged and efficient experience while playing their instruments?
Will a digital music score enhance users' ability to learn an instrument more effectively than traditional paper scores?
User Journey
This user journey separates the steps of most piano learners' current experience of playing the piano.
It includes the steps:
Preparation
Practice the music score
Memorize the sheet music
Play the score fluently
Prepare to learn a new music score
Persona
Emily
25 years old
A piano learner
She wants someone who can point out her mistakes while playing.
GOALS
She wants to have some way to start a new song quickly and efficiently.
She wants to find useful answers for playing certain notes and skills online.
She wants to listen to the original song while she meets some problems.
She wants to learn new sheet music effectively by herself without a teacher.
She wants the turning pages of her music score not to interrupt her.
Opportunities
Music Score Library
It allows users to access different sheet music and its original track.
Real-time Practice Guidance
It provides different needs for users while playing the piano, such as a real-time tracking system, metronome, pointing out mistakes, etc.
Q&A Community
It helps users with a platform to seek help when meeting problems while playing the piano.
Wireframing
Users want the design to be simple but comprehensive. They don't want a social media type of design for the music score.
The only thing users want is an engaging experience of playing the piano.
On the Music Score
The automatic score can follow the sound you’ve played.
The original music track can be found with the corresponding music score.
The wrong notes/ rhythms can be identified and highlighted on the sheet music.
A digital metronome is available on the music score.
The option to record your playing.
For new learners, the music score will mark the notes for users.
The music score will provide the correct fingering for users.
The option to rate your playing.
Connected by User Cloud Account
On the App
The rank of grades is provided for every music sheet for competition among users.
Q&A session for piano learners to ask and answer questions.
Users can access the music score library to download the music sheet.
Users have the opportunity to take piano lessons through the app.
Musicore wants to bring piano learners an effective and satisfying experience of practicing the piano. Users can find the music score library, piano lessons, and discussions on the app. On the digital music score, users are able to find an engaging experience of playing sheet music.
Ideation and Storyboard
App Map
Musicore App
User Cloud Account
Sheet Music
Sketch
User Feedback
It is inconvenient to press the HELP button to reach the functions we want. Maybe you can list all the functions on the page, so users can easily get reach of them.
By using the toolbar on the music score, learners can choose any functions they want during practice, which include follow, record, original track, metronome, fingering, simple score, mistake, and mistake history. I listed some major functions below.
Visual Design
FOLLOW
As you select this follow function, the music score will follow your playing sound, so you will never get lost in these massive notes.
RECORD
As you press the Record button, you are allowed to record your playing sound. You are able to select recording with grades or without grades.
SIMPLE SCORE
For the new learners who are still not familiar with reading the piano score, open the simple score, you are able to get familiar with the notes easily.
MISTAKE
As you select the mistake function, the score will mark the notes you played wrong.
MISTAKE HISTORY
In the mistake history, you can view your mistake history of the previous playing. As you click on the specific history number, the mistake will appear in the score.
