Can XR tech make you a musical prodigy?
XR is going to change the way we do everything — including learning how to play instruments.
A new app called PianoVision, available on Meta’s Quest headset, can now teach users how to play the piano.
Just seeing that in action, you can probably start to imagine the multitude of ways this functionality could be utilized.
Piano proficiency relies heavily on muscle memory. XR can make gaining that muscle memory quicker than ever by shrinking the gap between sheet music and fingers — and make it more fun and interesting than ever in the process.
Don’t you think XR could accomplish those same goals in a million other scenarios?
When I speak with folks who make instruments, or hardware for music, they don’t usually consider themselves to be a part of the tech industry. And they can’t even imagine being part of the XR industry!
Well, I’ve made it my mission to convince them otherwise. I believe nearly everyone needs to consider themselves a part of the tech industry if they want to lead whatever industry they’re in (and make more money while they’re at it).
Think back to the heat of the Covid pandemic; many people didn’t want anyone coming over to their house (in many places, it was illegal!). Immediately, we saw a massive Zoom boom for things like dance classes, recitals, and music lessons.
And well… if we’re being honest… it sucked for a lot of folks, especially in the music industry. It was difficult to learn effectively from others over zoom, because everything that was normally done or explained physically had to be translated into words. And that’s no small feat.
Although most people are back to in-person classes for musical instruments, we’re now seeing instructional tech that’s more immersive than ever, which opens up a world of possibilities.
Within these metaverses, individuals can “meet” with each other using volumetric video (read more about Volcap on my definitions article), where instead of a 2D screen, you can see a full 3D rendering of somebody’s face. And that means you can also see their hands and instrument easily, too! That sounds much more effective than a Zoom class…
XR and metaverse tech will enhance the experience of learning from a music instructor. But what about PianoVision? Will we also see technological competition for music instructors?
Well, yes. But that’s not actually new at all. There are thousands of self-taught programs in the form of books and video courses. You can learn everything you need to without a real time instructor!
That competition will create new challenges for music instructors, for sure. But hopefully that competition will push them further differentiate themselves and what they’re truly offering: an individualized experience with a real person that has an understanding of music that’s more than just mechanical.
And, we have to see this “competition” as more than just a binary choice: why can’t they go hand in hand? Musicians can either run from the tech, or start running toward it!
Why can’t a music teacher guide the progress of their student, encouraging them to use incredible XR tech between lessons? That’s the whole package: a tangible path toward incredible progress on my own, guided by the expert that can help me go from sounding like a bagel to Beethoven!
So as a business, here are the questions you can ask yourself to figure out how XR can level up how you serve your employees or customers:
- Should we be building out similar tech for our niche area? Are there any tactile experiences that our customers or employees have to learn that would be aided by visual guides?
- Should we be reviewing the latest tech out there and incorporating it into our curriculum or our flow?
- How can we create immersive experiences for more effective marketing?
Do you need further guidance on how to navigate XR for your business? DM me on LinkedIn and we can chat!
