PhD Dissertation – Latex Source Repository
This repository contains the LaTeX source files for the PhD dissertation Designing Augmented Reality Training System for Piano Jazz Improvisation by Jordan Aiko Deja, completed at the University of Primorska.
Piano is a centuries-old instrument that has through the years benefited from several innovations. These include hardware augmentations, advanced sound processing algorithms, and immersive visualisations to enhance learning of the instrument. Augmented Reality (AR) has emerged as an effective approach in helping support some skills such as playing a chord or playing a music piece not just in piano but in other instruments as well. However, some advanced skills such as improvisation are under-represented both in teaching piano and in piano augmentations. The reasons for this under-representation emphasised in the literature include teachers' confidence, curriculum constraints, resource limitations, cultural perceptions, and assessment challenges, which shows the need for innovation in this domain.
This thesis addressed this gap by exploring how to holistically support the teaching and learning of improvisation through the use of technologies such as AR. First, interviews were conducted with piano educators to identify their challenges, needs, and openness to using AR in piano teaching. Next, the current state of the art in augmented pianos was surveyed, and these insights informed subsequent development. Third, collaboration with experts in teaching piano improvisation guided the design, development, and implementation of an AR training system to support piano improvisation pedagogy. This was undertaken as an iterative co-design process, resulting in a novel learning tool. Finally, the research culminated in the creation of an experimental protocol, jointly developed with piano improvisation educators as well as informed by prior works, and a controlled user study evaluating the effects of using AR in teaching improvisation.
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Advisers:
- Majtaž Kljun
- Klen Čopič Pucihar
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Committee Members:
- Branko Kavšek
- Marko Tkalčič
- Alessio Malizia
© Jordan Aiko Deja, University of Primorska.
All rights reserved unless otherwise stated.
The code repository for the prototype ImproVisAR can be found in this link.
The final acknowledgements will be put after the thesis defence.
Funding: This research was funded by the Slovenian Research Agency grants N2-0354, BI-NO/25-27-007, P5-0433, IO-0035, J5-50155, J7-50096 and the CogniCom (grant 0013103) at the University of Primorska.