[bambax]

> I just stopped having to look down at the keyboard

Maybe the next step is an app for people who don't read sheet music; it would light up the keys on the keyboard that you need to press, when you look at it...?

Same for guitar, highlight where to put your fingers on a fret for each chord.

[schwartzworld]

Various products have done this over the years. Forget app, actual keyboards and guitars that light up. It’s not a good way to learn.

[bambax]

It's true that it's not a good way to learn, but it's fun for a little while.

That's why an app on glasses for this is better than a complete alternative instrument; the app is much cheaper and should work with any real instrument.

[schwartzworld]

An app on glasses would also not be a great way to learn. There’s a reason we don’t color code piano keys or right the names of the notes on them.

> the app is much cheaper and should work with any real instrument.

Maybe if your instrument has keys or frets. Even if it was a good way to learn, it wouldn’t do much good for a trumpet.

[fragmede]

> There’s a reason we don’t color code piano keys or write the names of the notes on them.

When's the last time you learned to play piano? Yes we do. We take off those training wheels at some point but when learning to play for the first time, especially as a child, tools to help learning like the aforementioned do get used.

[schwartzworld]

A couple of times. I learned initially as a kid, then in college I took two semesters of piano, then in the last year I’ve delved heavily into keyboard playing.

I taught my 5 year old where C was and it took about 2 minutes.

> We take off those training wheels

Training wheels are an apt metaphor because they are a similarly wrong way to learn to bike. You get quicker initial results, but have to unlearn to use those crutches later on.

[fragmede]

What qualifies you to speak to the usefulness of techniques you've never personally used? Being able to learn without them doesn't mean they don't help in learning.

> I taught my 5 year old where C was and it took about 2 minutes.

Just 87 more keys to go! At 2 minutes per, only 2 hours, 52 minutes until they're playing Mozart's. Now if only that's how it actually works.

[mock-possum]

It’s not even a good way to play. The delay between seeing the cue, and moving to play it, completely ruins the flow of playing (and listening to) the music - it introduces too many hiccups in timing.