Graveyard Symphony; A Study Investigating the Effectiveness of a Prototype Music Game

Learning to play a musical instrument, particularly the keyboard, can be challenging for adults who are beginners or have previously given up due to a lack of foundational skills and engaging practice methods. To address this issue, we have developed prototype games aimed at honing specific musical skills. Through several pilot studies, it became evident that assessing the effectiveness of video game experiences in skill acquisition compared to traditional practice methods was essential. Therefore, we hypothesised that video games could encourage sustained practice and reduce dropout rates among beginners. Consequently, our focus shifted to creating games centred on sheet music reading, specifically matching musical staff positions to keyboard keys. This article presents a study aimed at evaluating the effectiveness of a specific prototype game in enhancing musical notation reading skills. Additionally, we assessed the game’s engagement, educational value and usability in comparison to a conventional practice tool. The results indicated that the game was equally or potentially more effective than the practice tool in improving the targeted skill. Furthermore, participants perceived the practice game as having greater educational value, although it did not surpass the practice tool in terms of engagement. Further discussion is provided to elucidate the reasons behind this finding.