Future Keyboard

UX Lead Designer

Yamaha Music R&D I 2011
Making Playing Piano Fun Again
London, UK

Scenario

Jon is bored with learning music through classical and traditional methods. He finds practicing the piano unmotivating and prefers playing video games and browsing social networks. Piano learners often find it challenging to stay motivated and connected, especially when learning alone. Yamaha envisioned a future-focused keyboard experience that would make learning more engaging and foster a sense of community among learners. The challenge was to design a platform that seamlessly integrated digital technology with traditional piano playing, transforming it into a fun and socially interactive experience. Additionally, from a business perspective, it was crucial to integrate new technology into the traditional piano instrument, as learners were already embracing new ways to learn and entertain themselves.

Integration

Crafted a seamless, engaging learning experience by integrating interactive sheet music, social network features, popular musical content, and gamification elements. This effort culminated in the creation of NoteStar, Yamaha’s iPad application featuring hands-free, smooth-flowing, easy-to-read digital sheet music, paired with real audio backing tracks and lead vocals.

Outcome

Successfully developed a revolutionary platform that redefined how people learn and play piano. The platform increased user engagement and boosted daily practice sessions. The social integration encouraged collaborative learning, while gamification elements significantly enhanced motivation and retention. NoteStar became a crucial tool for piano learners, praised for its innovative approach to digital sheet music, further solidifying Yamaha's reputation as a leader in cutting-edge musical experiences.

Design Process

Utilized paper prototypes, hardware prototypes, iterative testing, and a showroom exhibition in Japan to refine and validate the design.

User Scenario - Playing Together

Kathy and Jon collaborate remotely using the Yamaha Future Keyboard ecosystem and NoteStar:

1. Starting the Session
They connect their Yamaha keyboards and open a shared score in NoteStar.

2. Collaborative Practice
Kathy plays while Jon listens and provides feedback. Both can comment and suggest improvements in real-time, with gamification elements like scoring and badges enhancing engagement.

3. Sharing Performances
They share their performances to social networks directly from the platform, allowing friends and followers to view and interact.

4. Review and Progress
They review their performances and annotations, tracking progress through gamified features that motivate continued improvement.

YFK - Note Star App

Experience Vision:
The Yamaha Future Keyboard ecosystem enhances remote collaboration and interactive learning by integrating real-time feedback, gamification elements, and social sharing, creating an engaging and motivating practice experience.

Sketching Out User Scenarios

User Journeys Mapping

Yamaha Future - Keyboard - Tangible Paper Prototype

Score Selection For Song Looping Prototype

Yamaha Future Keyboard - Paper Scrolling Experience Tablet Prototype

Paper Scrolling Experience On Tablet Prototype

In App Integrated Shopping Experience Prototype

Large Visual Menus for Easy Selection

User Flow for Social Networks Connection

Hi-Fi Prototypes with Popular Music Content

We introduced the Future Keyboard experience prototype to a group of mothers and teenagers aged 11 to 15 years old. Following their interaction with the Hi-Fi prototypes featuring popular music content, we collected user insights on their experiences and interactions with the prototype. This insight was crucial in refining the Future Keyboard ecosystem. The enhanced prototype was showcased at a Music & Tech exhibition in Japan, marking the beginning of a cultural shift toward a modernized piano experience within Yamaha.

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