In our spotlight today is the Musical Jigsaw Puzzle (MJP), a patented and innovative platform for educational computer games for kids, including classical music games for children. In the apt words of Douglas Lowenstein, President of the Entertainment Software Association, “Interactive entertainment is an incredibly rich art form, and an incredibly powerful form of expression. Still in its infancy, we’ve already accomplished amazing things, and we have still not yet seen the best this technology has to offer.”
Research conducted by Music Games International (MGI) shows that that popular music converted into a musical game format appeals not only to children of the approrpate age group (K-7 or 5-11 year old for the classical music games market), but also to teenagers and adults. MGI has invented a multigenerational genre of entertainment: the Musical Jigsaw Puzzle (MJP). The MJP is analogous to a conventional visual jigsaw puzzle, with one important difference: To solve the puzzle, the player must use listening skills instead of visual ones.
When a piece of music is recorded, it usually comprises so called “voices,” i. E. Separate instrument tracks, which can be handled in isolation from each other. To get a complete recording, the instrument tracks are put together, or mixed. The player’s task, as in a jigsaw puzzle, is to re-assemble the entire song from its component musical tracks. Individual musical instruments e.G. Guitar, drums, etc., become the pieces of the puzzle to assemble. To create levels of difficulty, additional “incorrect”, or “distractor” tracks are added to the puzzle in various configurations. When all correct tracks/instruments are identified, the puzzle is solved.
- “This musical jigsaw puzzle is one of the most intriguing, unique ideas I’ve seen in any computer game in many years” – GT PC Club
- “The musical jigsaw puzzles are always fun” – Computing With Kids
- “[Musical jigsaw puzzle] A truly fascinating concept” – Superkids