When Comedy Becomes Reality
On April 1, 2023, I created an elaborate April Fools Day joke called PlayGPT. The funny post was all about a fictitious software and hardware platform that I created that would allow AI to play students instruments for them using a software program that triggered PlayGloves and PlayFace and synced together using a PlayBaton. I spent an inordinate amount of time creating the graphics and post, and most people immediately realized that I was indeed joking - although I did get some really harsh comments as well. I use this funny idea to reinforce to teachers that companies like MusicFirst would never create something that would basically eliminate everything that is wonderful about music education - from the discipline of practicing to the role of a music educator in the process of learning a musical instrument. This morning I woke up to a post on a MusicFirst Teams channel from one of my employees in the UK with a link to an article about a Robotic Hand that helps pianists learn to play the piano. I thought it was a joke.. I was wrong.
This is SO bizarre to me, and proof that sometimes comedy can become reality. Japanese scientists have introduced a robotic exoskeleton glove that promises to boost pianists' finger speed and dexterity. The device, which can move each finger up to four times per second, claims to help musicians gain skills during practice. Absurd? I think so!
These scientists conducted a study involving over 100 pianists, where the glove was used in 30-minute sessions to guide finger movements in complex patterns. Reports suggest participants experienced measurable improvements in speed and accuracy, even after the glove was removed. Interestingly, untrained hands also appeared to improve, implying some sort of bilateral skill transfer. While these findings sound impressive, the evidence lacks detail about the depth and sustainability of these gains. Research results aside, who on EARTH would want to wear this thing while playing the piano??
The scientists claim that these improvements involve the rewiring of neural pathways through a combination of passive finger movements and non-invasive brain stimulation. Currently, the glove only moves fingers in mid-air, disconnected from actual piano playing. While future iterations may enable use during performance, the practicality and comfort of incorporating such a device into regular practice routines are uncertain. I looked all over the internet to see if these gloves were a joke, and they aren’t.
For now, the robotic glove feels more like an ambitious (and WHACKY) concept than a game-changing tool. I have no idea why anyone would want to strap on two massive and heavy gloves to play the piano. Obviously they will be prohibitively expensive, so I’m relatively sure that these won’t be catching on. The process of learning to play the piano hasn’t changed very much in centuries, and I can’t imagine piano teachers and their students will be changing anytime soon.
What do you think??