Bach Blocks

(past projects)

Bach Blocks is a game that encourages children to create totally original music. The blocks are physical analogs to musical notes with color associated to pitch and block size to beat length. As children arrange the blocks on a play tray, image processing software determines the position and color of each block. Adjacent blocks of the same color are processed as one block providing a way for children to create more varied rhythms. They can also create harmony by placing blocks perpendicular to the melody direction. Bach Blocks can play the musical output of the block arrangements in one of four directions: up, down, left or right. This flexibility creates a richer play environment where the rhythm of one melody is the harmony in another. This encourages more two-dimensional thinking about music and spatial relationships between blocks on the play tray.

researchers: Shaun Moon, Ellen Yi-Luen Do, Mark D Gross, Susan Finger

last updated 3.22.2009 by Mark D Gross