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musical composition by humming it or create and learn music with hands-on
clapping at some critical points, while experience. Experiments in Music Lab
some music enthusiasts or experts have been built with freely accessible
can discuss the same composition web technology such as Tone.js,
in terms of its beat cycle (say, a raga Web Audio API and WebMIDI. These
Yaman composition based on teen experiments can be played across
taal), genre of music, its speed (tempo) various devices such as smartphones,
etc. One may understand or internalize tablets and laptops (Chrome Music Lab,
these ideas with practice (consciously n.d.).
or subconsciously). However, if one
tries to communicate these ideas or Exploring Music Lab to visualise and
concepts to children or the common engage with mathematical concepts:
public, it becomes a challenge both for According to Edelson & Johnson,
the learner as well as the instructor. “In music, children find patterns
Infact, exploring patterns (mathematics) in the repeated melodies,
in a musical piece is not as similar as refrains, or rhythms of a song.
finding colour patterns in a drawing or Working with patterns enhances
pattern in arrangement of something children's thinking and
concrete like pebbles. Often, people reasoning skills, because they
react in a surprised manner when must: 1) analyze the pattern to
one asks them about the relationship figure out the rule, 2)
between mathematics and music. communicate the rule in words,
The task again becomes challenging and 3) predict what will come
when one has to demonstrate and next in the pattern” (2003,
communicate with them about these p. 78).
connections. So, visualisation of music
is important and digital technology can Music Lab explores such possibilities. In
bridge this gap between mathematics Music Lab one can begin with a simple
and music. With the advent of various pattern building-understanding exercise
softwares and digital tools related to and then finally move to composing an
music, experimentation with music instrumental music or song. Children can
has become feasible. Thus, one of play with these Music Lab Experiments
the rationales behind writing this and create their music and they might
paper is also to present such activities not even realise or connect their actions
which can help in communicating and with mathematics. But, engaging them
demonstrating music as a mathematical in these Experiments through some
activity to the society. activities (which explicitly emphasise
mathematical terms and concepts) can
Chrome Music Lab help them understand their actions
as a ‘mathematical activity’. To add, an
Chrome Music Lab is an interactive inquiry based approach can let them
online resource to play and learn music develop insights into the mathematical
visually. Chrome Music Lab is a website aspect of their Music Lab activities. It
with a collection of ‘Experiments’ to
will also help them understand and

168 Indian Journal of Educational Technology
Volume 3, Issue 2, July 2021