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|pdfUrl=https://ceur-ws.org/Vol-3704/paper10.pdf
|volume=Vol-3704
|authors=Weronika Stachurska,Aleksandra Witoszek-Kubicka,Magdalena Igras-Cybulska
|dblpUrl=https://dblp.org/rec/conf/realxr/StachurskaWI24
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https://ceur-ws.org/Vol-3704/paper10.pdf
Virtual Reality in Music Education: A Qualitative User
Study of HarmosphereVR
Weronika Stachurska1,† , Aleksandra Witoszek-Kubicka2,† and
Magdalena Igras-Cybulska1,*,†
1
AGH University of Krakow, Krakow, Poland
2
Cracow University of Economics, Krakow, Poland
Abstract
Harmony is considered one of the most challenging and rigorous subjects in music education. This
study focuses on the qualitative evaluation of HarmosphereVR, a virtual reality (VR) prototype designed
to support the self-learning of harmony through immersive interactive exercises. The methodology
included usability testing, reaction cards, and in-depth interviews to collect comprehensive feedback on
the application’s effectiveness and user experience. The evaluation engaged six participants (four male
and two female participants); half had previously participated in an exploratory interview to identify
challenges and needs in learning harmony at music schools before the application was designed, while
the rest of the participants were not acquainted with the project. The findings suggest that VR can serve
as an auxiliary tool in music education, providing an engaging and effective platform for mastering
complex theoretical concepts.
Keywords
Virtual Reality, Music Education, Harmony, User-centered Design, Qualitative Evaluation, Reaction cards
1. Introduction
Music theory has consistently been a core element of traditional music education. Despite
recent debates concerning its significance and role within the educational framework, evidence
suggests that music theory continues to be a vital area of study. It is essential, however, to
customize teaching approaches and materials to align with student necessities [1]. A primary
issue from the perspective of students is the failure to effectively integrate music theory content
with other related disciplines, resulting in gaps in understanding its wider relevance. Ignoring
the diverse dimensions such as cultural, physical, psychological, and metaphorical aspects has
made it challenging for learners to link music theory to their extensive musical experiences.
The predominant reliance on keyboards, divergent perceptions of theory study among various
instrumental groups, and the scarcity of content on non-traditional music genres and traditions
are identified as significant challenges [2]. Also, educators recognize the urgency in finding
supportive measures for music theory instruction. The shift towards remote education propelled
by the COVID-19 pandemic has prompted educators to incorporate new technologies and
RealXR: Prototyping and Developing Real-World Applications for Extended Reality, June 4, 2024, Arenzano (Genoa), Italy
*
Corresponding author.
$ weronasta@student.agh.edu.pl (W. Stachurska); witoszea@uek.agh.edu.pl (A. Witoszek-Kubicka);
magda.igras@gmail.com (M. Igras-Cybulska)
0000-0001-5304-3379 (A. Witoszek-Kubicka); 0000-0001-5621-7901 (M. Igras-Cybulska)
© 2022 Copyright for this paper by its authors. Use permitted under Creative Commons License Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0).
CEUR
ceur-ws.org
Workshop ISSN 1613-0073
Proceedings
Figure 1: HarmosphereVR - scene before excercise.
methodologies in music education. There exists a strong inclination to persist in the use of
these innovative tools to enhance the quality of learning experiences [3]. The application of
technology in supporting classroom instruction and its integration into students’ independent
study facilitates essential music discussions outside of traditional settings and contributes to
creating a more captivating learning atmosphere [4].
Further research corroborates the views held by both students and educators, showing
that online educational courses can bolster music education by promoting self-directed study,
fostering collaboration, and enriching musical comprehension [5]. Digital tools, including
wikis, simulators, and social networks, enable seamless communication between students
and educators, increasing the students’ learning interest [6]. Exploration into VR tools for
music theory education has led to the identification of various platforms targeting different
demographics. "Singing-Blocks," aimed at young adults with no musical background, facilitates
the learning of basic harmony principles through an interactive game. Its effectiveness, however,
remains to be evaluated [7]. "ChordAR," designed for children, incorporates a serious game
approach to teaching music theory basics such as chords through engaging activities [8]. An
AR handbook targeted at children aged 4 to 12 introduces them to orchestra compositions and
instrument characteristics, with usability tests indicating high levels of learner satisfaction,
thereby affirming the potential of AR technology in developing educational materials for music
education [9].
Beyond the realm of music theory, the application of VR is expanding to encompass practical
skills within music education. Notably, VR has been integrated into vocal music education [10]
and piano instruction [11], while Augmented Reality (AR) has been explored for conducting
training [12] and piano learning as well [13]. There are also commercial VR and AR application
for the latest mixed reality devices such as PianoVision [14].
Despite these advancements, there is a notable absence of VR and AR solutions specifically
dedicated to harmony studies. The majority of existing tools either cover only elementary topics
or resemble traditional textbooks in their interactivity levels, failing to meet the requirements
of secondary-level music school students. This gap underscores the necessity for developing
Figure 2: HarmosphereVR - scene during the excercise.
specialized, interactive tools designed to address the sophisticated needs of students pursuing
advanced music theory and harmony studies.
In response to the demand for supportive tools in harmony education, we have developed Har-
mosphereVR - a virtual reality application designed for interactive harmony learning. Our prior
publication detailed the investigation into the challenges faced by music students in harmony
education, utilizing In-Depth Interviews (IDI), and outlined the design and development process
of the VR prototype [15]. The primary contribution of this paper lies in its detailed exploration
and qualitative evaluation of HarmosphereVR. By employing usability testing, reaction cards,
and contextual interviews, the study provides insights into the application’s reception, user
experience, and educational value. It offers evidence of the potential benefits and limitations of
VR technology in music education.
2. HarmosphereVR
HarmosphereVR is a VR application developed to support harmony learning in music education
[15]. It uses 6-degrees of freedom VR technology to offer an interactive and immersive expe-
rience, aiming to facilitate self-learning and enhance the understanding of musical harmony
concepts by engaging users actively in the learning process.
The application features a practical exercise that allows users to construct harmonic pro-
gressions within the key of C major using four distinct chords (see Fig. 1 and Fig. 2). The
interface incorporates a virtual piano keyboard for chord construction, with real-time auditory
feedback for each chord played. This is complemented by a visual display of chords on a music
staff, providing a learning experience that integrates both auditory and visual cues. To ensure
user comfort and reduce the risk of VR-induced motion sickness, the design includes smooth
locomotion for movement and a vignette effect to mitigate visual discomfort while moving with
the use of controllers.
In the exploratory study that preceded the development of HarmosphereVR, secondary music
school students were interviewed to uncover the nuanced challenges they encounter while
studying harmony [15]. This involved a selection of six participants—students and recent
graduates-who could provide varied insights into the learning process of music theory and
harmony. These interviews were semi-structured to elicit detailed responses on several key
aspects: the effectiveness of current teaching methods, the accessibility and utility of existing
music theory resources (including digital tools and applications), and the students’ personal
struggles with understanding and applying harmony concepts. The data collected from these
interviews revealed critical insights. Students expressed frustration over the lack of integration
between theoretical concepts and practical application, highlighting a gap in current educational
tools that failed to bridge this divide effectively. Many noted the absence of interactive resources
that could make learning more engaging, pointing out that most available materials were too
text-heavy and did not cater to the varied learning styles within their peer group. Additionally,
the research identified a clear need for resources that could adapt to the individual learner’s
pace, allowing for a more personalized learning experience. This was particularly evident in the
feedback regarding the difficulty of mastering complex harmony concepts through traditional
classroom and textbook methods alone.
Following the exploratory research, user stories, value proposition canvas, and the creation
of a storyboard were used as consecutive design process phases. Development of the Harmo-
sphereVR prototype was performed using utilizing the Unity engine and targeting Meta Quest
2 headsets, the prototype was designed to offer a hands-on approach to learning harmony. This
phase translated the research insights into a practical VR application. An example of gameplay
is presented under the YouTube link [16].
3. Methods
3.1. Research questions
The main goal of the user research was to evaluate the intuitiveness and overall user experience
of the HarmosphereVR prototype. This allowed highlighting its strengths and identifying
potential problems. The second goal was to check the utility of the application in the process of
learning harmony. This would determine whether the solution truly meets the users’ needs
related to music theory learning. Conducting the study also helped in defining the directions
for further application development.
The following detailed research questions were defined:
• Are all interface elements understandable?
• Does the introduction adequately explain the rules of the task?
• Is the application intuitive?
• What are the most significant difficulties encountered by the participants?
• What are the strengths of this solution?
• What feelings do participants have while performing the exercise?
• How does the application affect the overall interest and engagement of users in learning
harmony?
• How do participants evaluate the effectiveness of learning harmony with the application
compared to traditional methods?
• What are the participants’ needs in terms of further development of the application?
3.2. Reaction cards
We utilized reaction cards to facilitate participants in naming their feelings related to our solution.
This method has been widely used for formative evaluation [17, 18]. The procedure involves
showing participants paper cards with adjectives and asking them to familiarize themselves
with them and then choose, with justification, the terms that best match their feelings associated
with the application. We asked them, "Which of the cards best describes your impression of
interacting with the HarmosphereVR application?" Subsequently, we asked them to first select
five cards, then narrow these down to three and justify their choices. The participants had
39 paper cards at their disposal with the following adjectives: engaging, innovative, coherent,
useful, interesting, accessible, encouraging, clear, friendly, energetic, transparent, professional,
understandable, intuitive, attractive, fresh, simple, captivating, distracting, overwhelming, con-
fusing, incomprehensible, inaccessible, boring, irritating, time-consuming, unclear, ineffective,
difficult, pretty, frustrating, logical, cumbersome, unpredictable, ugly, annoying, inconsistent,
outdated, complicated.
3.3. Experimental design
Given that the application utilizes VR technology and requires special equipment (in this case,
Meta Quest 2 headsets), the studies were moderated and conducted in person. We incorpo-
rated elements of in-depth interviews into the usability tests to better understand the users’
impressions after using the prototype and to learn about their previous experiences with VR.
The study commenced with an overview of the research procedure and the presentation of
the informed consent form, which included contraindications for using virtual reality, objectives
of the study, and consent for audio-visual recording. Following the acquisition of consent and
clarification of any queries, participants were introduced to virtual reality with preliminary
questions to gauge their knowledge and experience with the technology.
Subsequently, the task was explained. Depending on prior exposure to VR, more detailed
guidance on controller operation was provided, technical questions were addressed, assistance
was offered in adjusting the headsets, and the application was initiated. Participants then
independently performed the exercise while their behavior was observed, and the display they
viewed in the headsets was monitored on a computer.
Concluding the exercise, several summary questions were posed, and discussions were held
regarding the reaction cards selected by the participants:
• What did you like most about the application?
• What was the most difficult or surprising?
• What was lacking in the application?
• How do you assess the application’s impact on your motivation to learn harmony?
• What do you think of this application as a tool for learning harmony?
Each session lasted approximately 45 minutes.
3.4. Participants
The study group consisted of individuals who are either currently enrolled in or are graduates
of secondary music schools. The sample comprised 6 participants, who were recruited using
the snowball sampling method (through personal contact networks). The demographic details
of the respondents are presented in Table 1. Participants numbered 4, 5, and 6 also took part in
individual in-depth interviews conducted at an earlier stage of the research.
No. Gender Age
1 Male 22
2 Male 22
3 Female 18
4 Male 22
5 Male 20
6 Female 22
Table 1
Demographics of the study participants involved in the usability tests.
4. Results
During each research session, observations were recorded. Then, related sections of the notes
were grouped into thematic clusters related to the same aspect of the prototype.
4.1. Perceptions of VR technology
All participants had very limited experience with VR. Indeed, 5 out of 6 participants were
interacting with VR for the first time during these tests, yet all exhibited significant interest
in this technology. Some mentioned that they had always wanted to try VR but never had the
opportunity, primarily associating virtual reality with gaming. The impressions post-study
were overwhelmingly positive, with no incidents of discomfort reported. Participants noted
that the tests piqued their curiosity about virtual reality and its development, expressing hope
that this would not be their last encounter with the technology.
4.2. Reaction cards
Reaction cards greatly assisted participants in opening up about their feelings towards the
application. The adjectives on the cards helped them articulate their impressions and served
as a good starting point for further discussion. Ultimately, participants selected very similar
cards, which frequently recurred, including "understandable," "interesting," "innovative,"
"captivating," "useful," "simple," and "clear." They argued that the application’s minimalist
interface, presenting only the most essential functions, made it easier to know what to do and
reduced the risk of getting lost. They were surprised by how easy it was to use despite their
lack of previous VR experience, and they appreciated the novel and interesting integration of
virtual reality with an educational application, having not heard of similar solutions before.
The immersive nature of the technology made them wish to use it for longer than the exercise
lasted, and they would gladly repeat the exercise multiple times.
4.3. Understanding exercise mechanics and control
After familiarizing themselves with the introduction, participants had no major difficulties
performing the exercise. The only initial challenge was unfamiliarity with the controller layout,
due to the participants’ lack of previous experience with VR devices. However, within a few
minutes, they adjusted to the new equipment and seamlessly constructed successive chords.
Participants often smiled during the tests, making joyful statements.
5. Discussion and future work
All participants believed that the HarmosphereVR application is beneficial for learning harmony,
describing it as a great option for those beginning their journey with harmony. It demonstrates
that the application somewhat gamifies sound exploration, potentially encouraging further
exploration of the subject. One participant, who particularly disliked harmony in school,
admitted that starting learning with such an application might have changed their attitude
towards the subject. Below are sample quotes from the participants.
"Harmony learning starts with children, and children like games. Overall, it’s a super idea and a
fun technology, more attractive than a notebook."
"A completely new experience, as if I entered the world of music, perfectly illustrates what
harmony is about, combining notes, sound, and how it looks on an instrument."
No critical issues were detected during the studies, but there are areas that require enhance-
ments. Some participants felt that moving along the keyboard was somewhat time-consuming.
Increasing the speed of movement could potentially improve this situation. There was also a
suggestion that even in a practical exercise, theoretical tips should be available, as beginners
might still need help. Participants expressed a desire to play a more developed version with
different tonalities and more complex chords. One person mentioned that it would be interesting
to receive points for correctly constructed combinations and to compete with classmates. This
indicates that introducing gamification in the future could be appealing to users.
The potential for employing VR in music education is significant, offering numerous possibil-
ities for growth and enhancement. Our findings are consistent with contemporary research
advocating for the use of immersive technologies in music education, as seen in recent publi-
cations [19, 20, 21]. Notably, the study [21] indicates a positive moderate correlation between
student motivation and academic performance in a group practicing with VR compared to the
control group. Given our findings and those reported in the literature, we anticipate that the
role of VR in music education will continue to expand. However, challenges remain, such as
bridging the gap between the implementation and development of digital multimedia VR in the
arts, enhancing teachers’ operational proficiency with digital multimedia VR, and addressing
regional disparities [20].
There are several advantages of VR technology compared to other media. VR’s immersive
nature allows students to experience musical structures and relationships in three dimensions,
offering a visceral understanding of harmony that flat, 2D representations on tablets or mobile
screens cannot provide. This deepens the learning experience and aids in the retention of
complex theoretical concepts. The engaging, interactive capabilities of VR turn the learning
process into an exciting and enjoyable activity, potentially increasing student motivation
and engagement compared to static 2D applications, where interaction is limited to touch.
VR supports kinesthetic learning styles by allowing students to use physical movements to
manipulate musical elements, thus offering a more hands-on learning experience than is possible
with the drag-and-drop interfaces of 2D applications. Through VR, students can simulate real-
life music creation and theory application with virtual instruments that respond dynamically to
their actions, providing a practical, real-world application of harmony that is not as effectively
replicated on a tablet or mobile screen. VR technology not only adapts to individual learning
paces but does so in an intuitive manner that mimics natural human interaction, making complex
theoretical concepts more accessible and easier to understand for students at all levels.
The limitations of the presented study on the HarmosphereVR application include a relatively
small sample size, which may not fully represent the broader population of secondary music
school students, restricting the generalizability of the findings. Additionally, the study encom-
passed only one prototype exercise in the key of C major, limiting the scope of the harmony
concepts explored. Moreover, the research was conducted in a controlled environment, which
might not accurately reflect a natural learning setting, potentially affecting the application’s
perceived usability and effectiveness. Lastly, since the testing involved a novel technology in
virtual reality, participants’ limited prior exposure to VR might have influenced their interaction
with the application, introducing a novelty effect that could skew the results.
Building on the feedback received, future versions could include a broader range of exercises
encompassing different levels of difficulty, tonalities, and chord types to cater to a wider
spectrum of learners. The introduction of gamification elements, such as scoring systems and
competitive features, could enhance engagement and motivation. Furthermore, incorporating
theoretical content within the practical exercises could support beginners in understanding
the fundamentals of harmony. Expanding the application to support group learning scenarios,
where students can collaborate or compete with one another, might also foster a more interactive
learning environment. Lastly, exploring the integration of artificial intelligence to tailor exercises
to the user’s skill level and learning pace could provide a highly personalized learning experience.
While the paper primarily focuses on qualitative data from participant feedback, incorporating
quantitative data analysis, such as statistical measures of usability or user satisfaction ratings,
could provide additional insights and strengthen the findings in the future evaluation.
6. Conclusion
In conclusion, the exploratory study and subsequent usability testing of HarmosphereVR have
demonstrated the application’s potential as an innovative tool for enhancing harmony learning
in music education.
Our findings suggest that VR, by providing an immersive, engaging, and kinesthetic learning
environment, offers substantial advantages over traditional 2D applications. These include
deeper conceptual understanding, higher engagement and motivation, and more effective
simulation of real-world musical interaction. Therefore, VR holds significant promise for revolu-
tionizing music education, particularly in complex areas such as harmony, where understanding
spatial and relational aspects are crucial. The feedback from participants highlights the appli-
cation’s intuitiveness, ease of use, and educational value, suggesting that such technological
solutions can effectively complement traditional music education methods.
As VR technology continues to evolve, applications like HarmosphereVR present a promising
avenue for making music theory learning more accessible, interactive, and enjoyable. We
hope that the insights gained from this study not only inform the further development of
HarmosphereVR but also contribute to the broader discourse on the integration of VR in
educational settings.
Acknowledgments
Contribution of M. Igras-Cybulska was partially supported by the National Centre for Research
and Development (NCBiR) under Grant No. 0230/L-11/2019.
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