I think it's safe to say that Wii Music has not quite met Nintendo's expectations based on less than titanic sales, but we've also heard word from practicing musicians about how sound a tool it is for actual education. Nintendo seems unphased as usual, recently announcing a collaborative effort with MENC: The National Association for Music Education to place Wii Music in schools curriculums.
Nintendo's Wii Music Strikes a Chord with Music Educators
New Partnerships Bring Fun Music Software to Classrooms Nationwide
REDMOND, Wash.--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Nintendo's new Wii Music™ game is spreading from the family room to the classroom, thanks to newly formed collaborations with select schools and educators. To help inspire students and promote an active appreciation for music, Nintendo is working with teachers to incorporate Wii™ consoles and Wii Music software into their lesson plans to offer teachers a unique tool for creativity and improvisation.
Nintendo's collaborators in this effort include MENC: The National Association for Music Education, which is recognized as the world's largest arts education organization and as a teaching resource for all levels from preschool to graduate school. MENC will help teachers in 51 cities across the nation integrate Wii Music into their curricula, making use of the game's 60-plus instruments and fun array of tutorial exercises in rhythm, tempo and song structure.
"The goal of Wii Music is to inspire people of all ages to enjoy music," said Cammie Dunaway, Nintendo of America's executive vice president of Sales & Marketing. "By partnering with educators and bringing Wii Music into their classrooms, we hope to give students a memorable, hands-on experience that helps them discover their own creative voice."
The Wii console's motion-sensing controls allow Wii Music users at any experience level to step up and jam, whether playing solo or as part of a group. Using the wireless Wii Remote™ and Nunchuk™ controllers, players make simple, intuitive movements to strum a guitar, play a trumpet or bang a drum.
"At any grade level, it's essential to provide students with the tools and encouragement they need to be creative," said John J. Mahlmann, executive director of MENC. "We look forward to collaborating with Nintendo to drive awareness and advocacy for music education through Wii Music."
Some teachers already have begun to incorporate Wii Music into their lesson plans.
"Wii Music has brought a renewed excitement to music class for students from first grade to fifth, myself and even some of the classroom teachers," said Helen A. Krofchick, a music teacher at Doby's Mill Elementary School in Lugoff, S.C. "I love how many music standards can be covered in such a short time. Students also have to use language skills, spatial awareness and hand-eye coordination. We have a school very supportive of the arts and Wii Music has empowered our program even more. Any system that is educational and can add a love of music to children's lives should be in every classroom."
Other collaborating and partner organizations currently include San Francisco's Blue Bear School of Music and New York's Opus 118 Harlem School of Music. Teachers in these programs will use Wii Music to build students' familiarity with technology while bolstering their ability to create and improvise. Experts in the field of music say getting kids interested in music at an early age can help build a lifelong appreciation.
"The joy of playing music is something that should be experienced by everyone, regardless of age, talent-level or experience," said Joe Lamond, President & CEO of NAMM, the National Association of Music Merchants. "Research shows that more than 82 percent of people who don't currently play a musical instrument wish they did. Wii Music can help address this by providing a positive introduction for millions of people who might not otherwise be inclined to try."
Remember that Wii features parental controls that let adults manage the content their children can access. For more information about this and other Wii features, visit Wii.com. For more information about Wii Music, visit www.WiiMusic.com.
About Nintendo: The worldwide pioneer in the creation of interactive entertainment, Nintendo Co., Ltd., of Kyoto, Japan, manufactures and markets hardware and software for its Wii™ and Nintendo DS™ systems. Since 1983, when it launched the Nintendo Entertainment System™, Nintendo has sold nearly 2.8 billion video games and more than 480 million hardware units globally, including the current-generation Wii and Nintendo DS, as well as the Game Boy™, Game Boy Advance, Super NES™, Nintendo 64™ and Nintendo GameCube™. It has also created industry icons that have become well-known, household names such as Mario™, Donkey Kong™, Metroid™, Zelda™ and Pokémon™. A wholly owned subsidiary, Nintendo of America Inc., based in Redmond, Wash., serves as headquarters for Nintendo's operations in the Western Hemisphere. For more information about Nintendo, visit the company's Web site at www.nintendo.com.
Contest:
10:40 AM on 01.13.2009
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While I think Wii music does nothing in the learning process of playing an instrument it can at least interest the kids, that's kool.
If this is used for music appreciation, then fine. I can deal with it. If this is meant to replace real instruments, that school board needs to be fired pronto.
And if this is any indication the "Save the Music" program for public schools we have here in the US isn't really working.
I also find joy in the fact that game systems are being used to teach. However, I think this is detrimental to a child actually learning a real instrument. It takes a lot of time and dedication to be able to play any instrument, and I honestly think this teaches kids that all they need to learn music is to waggle their arms around.
Music class should have instruments in it. End of story.
usually the American education system is attempting to make children into Soldiers or factory workers. Of course the teacher wants a Wii to teach kids music. Then none of them could grow up to play in an orchestra, rock and roll band, or even a write as a composer.
Real instruments teach you how to make real music. The Wii teaches you how to waste your time, and ignore the dusty guitar or saxophone in the corner.
You want to learn to play music? Go and find a real instrument.
The Wii doesn't cost more than a recorder. This is what was used to teach me music as a child in second grade. I was also given piano lessons as a child. I was also inspired to play guitar at 15. All of these things made me appreciate music more. Whereas When I see a person playing a music game, I find myself having the desire to teach or tell them "If you have the desire to play for real, put that imitation "simon" game down and grab some sticks and skins, or grab your axe and amp. Make REAL MUSIC!
Gah damn ranting.
And a recorder does not qualify as a musical instrument. ;)
Because if your kids can walk into a contest after 6 months of trained preparation, and come out with a 3,3,4, on a scale of 1-5, 1 being the best, you just suck at teaching.
Seriously though, using this to teach real instruments would be bullshit, even though instruments are damn near the most expensive shit ever, and they don't teach Guitar in class unless you buy it, down here at least. Strings are very expensive to buy and maintain, so are brass. They make you buy clarinets and Alto Sax's. Plus private lessons and that's a lot of money.
But it's much better than learning by WiiMusic. WiiMusic is better for basic music theory.
That's all you need to sing anyway. Instruments are overrated*. Go Vocal kids, especially if your male. More chances at free rides through anything that way.
(*=Except the Banjo. They don't teach that in classes for a reason.)