AR, VR, and AI Transforming Music Education

Marcus 'Marc' Thompson

Hello, I'm Marcus Thompson, but you can call me Marc. I'm here with my amazing co-host, Michelle Renee. Welcome to another episode of "The Sound Post," powered by Gateway Music Outreach. Alright, let’s talk AR and VR in music education. I mean, we’re we’re not just practicing scales and rhythms anymore, are we? These technologies are flipping the whole script. Like, check out this app called Fretello's Mirror. It's using AR to teach guitar and basically... overlays instructions right on your guitar. Like, imagine seeing exactly which string to pluck or what fret to hit, in real time.

Michelle Renee

That’s incredible. It’s almost like having a little tutor sitting on your shoulder, except way less intimidating. And it really levels the playing field for beginners. Think about it—no more fumbling through sheet music or second-guessing yourself. It just feels so... immediate, so hands-on.

Marcus 'Marc' Thompson

Exactly! Immediate’s the word. And then there’s PianoVision. Oh, this one’s wild—you can play on a real piano, a midi keyboard, or just, like, an air piano.

Michelle Renee

Air piano? Now I’ve heard everything. What do they do, make you feel like you’ve got a keyboard floating in front of you?

Marcus 'Marc' Thompson

Basically, yes! Plus, they overlay graphics to show you hand positions, notes—everything. And get this, you can even upload your own sheet music. Like your favorite song? Boom, you’re learning it, your way.

Michelle Renee

Wow. Talk about personalization. And that kind of control really lets students explore music at their pace. It’s like it respects their agency, you know?

Marcus 'Marc' Thompson

Totally. Oh, and wait till you hear about Paradiddle. This one’s for drummers, where space is usually a huge problem, right? Not anymore. You’ve got a full virtual drum kit in VR. You can even adjust the setup to fit your style.

Michelle Renee

That’s such a game-changer. Especially for folks who live in apartments or, you know, just don’t have the room for a giant drum kit. And I’m guessing the neighbors don’t miss the noise either.

Marcus 'Marc' Thompson

Right! I mean, it’s not just about convenience either. These tools engage students in ways that the traditional methods—let’s be honest—kinda struggled with. Like for kids who aren’t getting sheet music or the usual theory lessons? These AR and VR tools make it click visually and physically.

Michelle Renee

And they open up learning to more types of students, which is so important. It’s not just about the tech; it’s about making education accessible and meaningful for everyone. That’s what excites me the most.

Marcus 'Marc' Thompson

Exactly. And it feels like we’re we’re just scratching the surface. The possibilities here... like, they’re endless.

Marcus 'Marc' Thompson

And speaking of endless possibilities, here’s something wild—did you know that performance anxiety, like the sweaty palms and racing heart we’ve all felt, can be tackled with VR? Imagine stepping into a virtual concert hall and performing on demand. It’s like training your nerves in real time.

Michelle Renee

Oh, I love that. It's like exposure therapy, right? You're putting yourself in these situations, except it’s all controlled. No real audience, just you and this virtual space to practice in.

Marcus 'Marc' Thompson

Exactly! There’s this study from, uh, Chen and Williams in 2023, they found that students who practiced in these VR concert halls reduced their performance anxiety by, like, 40%. That’s huge.

Michelle Renee

Wow, 40%? That’s incredible. And it's such a gentle way to build confidence. You could start with a small, virtual audience, and then, when you’re ready, add more people or, like, change the venue completely. It really takes the fear out of stepping on stage.

Marcus 'Marc' Thompson

And it’s effective too. Like, you’re not just practicing the music anymore, you’re practicing the moment, you know?

Michelle Renee

Absolutely. You know, I actually tried something similar with my students. We did this virtual recital last year—each kid performed in their own little VR space. And honestly? For a lot of them, it was the first time they’d gone through a performance without just freezing up completely.

Marcus 'Marc' Thompson

Oh, that’s such a win. I mean, that’s the dream, right? Helping kids get through that mental block so they can just focus on the music.

Michelle Renee

Exactly. And then when they finally did perform in front of a live audience, it wasn’t anywhere near as scary as they thought it’d be. They’d already been through it—in VR.

Marcus 'Marc' Thompson

That’s the beauty of it. And the fact that these VR setups aren’t crazy expensive anymore makes it accessible to, like, way more schools and programs.

Michelle Renee

Which is so important. But you know what I think is key? Keeping these sessions short and focused. Like, ten or twenty minutes max, just to target something specific—whether it’s a tricky part of a piece or prepping for a solo performance. It works best as a complement, not a replacement.

Marcus 'Marc' Thompson

Totally. And even outside of performance anxiety, you could use VR to visualize music theory concepts. I mean, imagine stepping inside a soundwave or, like, seeing harmonics in 3D. That’d be insane.

Michelle Renee

Insane and, honestly, revolutionary for kids who don’t connect with traditional teaching methods. It makes everything feel so alive, you know? Like you’re not just learning, you’re experiencing the music in a whole new way.

Marcus 'Marc' Thompson

Right! And when you mix that with, uh, more traditional methods like physical practice, woof. That’s a combo that actually sticks.

Marcus 'Marc' Thompson

Alright, so we’ve talked about the incredible ways VR and AR can transform how we approach music education. But let’s take it a step further—Michelle, imagine layering AI into this equation. Picture using something like ChatGPT to revolutionize lesson planning. You could tailor lessons to match every kid’s learning style—from beginners to advanced players—all at the same time in one classroom.

Michelle Renee

Oh, absolutely. AI tools like ChatGPT really open up new possibilities. You know, I’ve used it to build lesson outlines before. What’s amazing is how it can adapt content—for instance, if I have students who need extra focus on rhythm versus those who are excelling in melody. It’s like having your own teaching assistant!

Marcus 'Marc' Thompson

Right? And it’s so fast, too! Like, you ask it for ideas—it spits out options in seconds. But, okay, here’s the thing I’ve been thinking about: What about the ethical side? Like this, uh, Rachelle Dené Poth, she talks about privacy issues and bias in AI. That’s gotta be a big thing in schools, yeah?

Michelle Renee

It’s huge, Marc. Honestly, we can’t just jump into using AI without thinking about those factors. For instance, data privacy—how much student info does it collect? Who owns that data? These are real concerns, and it’s up to educators to, well, do their homework and ensure we’re protecting our students.

Marcus 'Marc' Thompson

Yeah, and it’s not just privacy, but what about bias in the tools themselves? Like, if the AI’s been fed... limited data, it could totally skew how it suggests or analyzes things, right?

Michelle Renee

Exactly. That’s why critical thinking is so important when we use these tools. We can’t just take AI’s suggestions at face value. But, even with these challenges, AI holds huge potential. Think about underserved communities—using AI tools means we can create resources for schools that don’t have access to in-person music tutors. It levels the playing field.

Marcus 'Marc' Thompson

Yes! Like, this tech could bring quality education to places—or students—who’ve been left out before. That’s... that’s powerful, Michelle.

Michelle Renee

It really is. And I think if we’re intentional about how we use AI, it’s not gonna replace teachers but enhance what we already do. Imagine personalizing lessons for every student. That’s the dream, isn’t it?

Marcus 'Marc' Thompson

Totally the dream. Like taking music study from one-size-fits-all and making it, well, personal and meaningful. All using tech. It’s kind of mind-blowing.

Michelle Renee

And not just for students. AI can help us as educators save time too. Less time slogging through lesson prep means more time actually spent with students, building those connections that really make teaching special.

Marcus 'Marc' Thompson

Absolutely. And, you know, with everything we’ve talked about today—from AR to VR to now AI—it just feels like, wow, this is the future of music education. And it’s already happening.

Michelle Renee

It is. And if we keep balancing innovation with mindfulness, I think the possibilities for music education are limitless. Honestly, I can't wait to see where it goes next!

Marcus 'Marc' Thompson

Same here. And on that note, I think that brings us to the end of today’s session. It’s been so great diving into all this with you, Michelle.

Michelle Renee

Completely agree, Marc. And to all our listeners out there—keep exploring, keep creating, and we’ll see you next time on “The Sound Post”!