PEAC
A New Physical Education Curriculum Utilizing Science and Technology
Taking solid theory based on science, and giving back to artists through the power of technology.
Physical Education for Artist Curriculum (PEAC) uses a platform that comprehensively integrates the results of research and development (called "dynaformics") into practice and instruction, to provide training recommendations, skill support, guidance, and practice support using technology-based skill assessments. Through a high-precision sensing and visualization system developed at Sony Computer Science Laboratories, PEAC encourages students to recognize their motor habits, posture while performing, and sensory-motor functions. It also uses the results of scientific research to teach students efficient music memorization methods and how to avoid unnecessary strain. This enables students to learn efficient and correct ways to use their bodies and practice, based on findings in the fields of kinesiology and neuroscience.
The Six Elements that Comprise PEAC
PEAC,s physical training for pianists
1. LECTURE
Learn how the body works to build the foundation for realizing correct practice.
Through lectures on how the body works, its mechanisms, and how to practice, students build a foundation for actualizing correct learning. In addition to how joints and muscles are related to playing movements, lectures cover specific expressions in performance and how to use the body to realize them, such as the importance of arm rotation rather than finger movement for efficient tremolo playing. Lectures also provide insights from the perspectives of brain science and neuroscience, such as how to practice and how to deal with stage fright.
Slides actually used in lectures.
2. COACHING
Use a physical education approach to solve musical problems pointed out in arts lessons.
Physical education experts promote the resolution of musical problems indicated in arts lessons through coaching. The Academy program offers hands-on instruction on how to use the body to realize the expressions indicated by the Academy instructors. In fact, students in the first year of the Academy program saw benefits that included improved posture, resolution of pain issues, enhanced expressiveness, and improved practice methods.
3. LESSON SUPPORT
Support creative practice by optimizing the pursuit of expression and body use.
PEAC facilitates the transfer of tacit knowledge from teacher to student, and aids understanding and resolution of musicians' problems. By recording and visualizing performances in a multimodal manner, it enables the transfer of subtleties of expression and ways to use the body that traditionally have not been conveyable through sounds and words alone, and supports resolution during the lesson. In addition, the student can take home their in-lesson performance with the app and check it afterward along with the teacher's advice, enabling greater clarity of lesson review.
Encourage communication through in-lesson visualization of performance. Manage the student's learning footprint with a practice support application
Manage the student's learning footprint with a practice support application.
4. PRACTICE SUPPORT
Streamline exploration of body use and support the search for new expressions.
We use our uniquely developed system to streamline the pursuit of expression and body use, and support creative practice. With a sensor system and application that accurately records touch, pedal, and body movements simultaneously, we quickly and effectively aid the optimization of expression and body usage through detailed visualization, analysis, and comparison of performances. In addition, by managing performances in the cloud and making good examples reviewable at any time, improvements can even be made, for example, during travel time.
Visualize the depth of piano keystrokes and put the information to use toward understanding and conveying performance.
5. SKILL CHECK
Know your body and how to practice in way that is right for you.
Skill Check helps students overcome weaknesses and prevent injuries by learning about their strong points and weak points in piano performance through the measurement of basic skills, as well as by learning how to use their bodies and how to practice. It measures basic skills through the performance of several basic assigned pieces, and measures basic skills for physical functions such as finger strength using a unique assessment system, to recommend practice methods and training tailored to each student's weaknesses. The system also detects early signs of injury during the measurement process in order to protect against major breakdowns
Measure sensory and motor functions that differ among people and contribute to preventing breakdowns and optimizing practice.
6. ADVANCED TRAINIING
Cutting-edge training that breaks through the limits of physical and mental capabilities that are difficult to exceed through conventional practice alone.
Advanced training supports breaking through the limits of physical functions and skills with training that is based on cutting-edge science and technology. Through training, visualization, and comparison of performance skills using the aforementioned sensor system, we optimize performance and support the creation of the expressions musician envision. In addition, by utilizing state-of-the-art exoskeleton robots and touch devices, we help realize a wider and richer range of expressions by drawing out the potential of physical functions to enable free manipulation of the body.
A piano that moves actively and has freely changeable key weights.
An exoskeleton robot with motors that move its fingers from the outside.
© 1993-2024 Sony Computer Science Laboratories, Inc.
© 2021-2024 NeuroPiano Inst.