| "Music is the art of thinking with sound." Jules | | | | "Pong." Pong offered a limited visual |
| CobarieThe Continuing Serenade | | | | presence, and more importantly, an auditory |
| Music is the rhythmic accompaniment to our lives. | | | | signal that consisted of only a single |
| People are born to music, study | | | | "pong" as the electronic ball bounced from side to |
| to music, drive, eat, sleep, and dream to music. | | | | side.Home video games progressed from this |
| People spend more money on music | | | | simple beginning, becoming more |
| than on books, and music stars become our idols | | | | interactive and visually stimulating, while largely |
| and companions.We expect to hear an auditory | | | | ignoring the auditory signal. Like |
| signal and will usually supply one when none exists. | | | | silent films, home video games didn't emanate |
| | | | warmth. And also like silent films, |
| Some people will talk to avoid silence. Others will | | | | the bottom fell out of the home video game |
| leave a TV or radio on in the | | | | market. By 1984 American stores were |
| background, or provide their own music by | | | | refusing to carry video games.And then in 1985 |
| singing, humming, rapping or whistling. | | | | something revolutionary happened. Nintendo |
| An extreme example is person who whistles | | | | introduced gamers |
| while walking through a graveyard. | | | | to the Super Mario Brothers. By 1990, Mario the |
| Their auditory signal adds comfort and warmth | | | | Italian plumber was recognized by |
| to the cold and foreboding | | | | more American children than Mickey Mouse!Super |
| environment.The auditory signal is critical to | | | | Mario Brothers succeeded because it was a |
| success in live training. Imagine training devoid of | | | | complete package, offering |
| audio (no laughter, no conversation and no | | | | striking visuals and, more importantly, auditory |
| lecture) and you see the point. Audio is | | | | coherence. Lead designer Shigeru |
| present in training. What that auditory | | | | Miyamoto in describing the game's design stated, |
| presentation lacks is variety, especially where | | | | "The state of mind of a kid when |
| music is concerned.Composer George Burt once | | | | he enters a cave alone must be realized in the |
| commented, "When we see pictures and hear | | | | game. Going in, he must feel the cold |
| music at | | | | air around him. Not just the experiences but the |
| the same time we invariably make a connection, | | | | feelings connected with those |
| if only on an unconscious level." | | | | events were essential to make the game |
| When music is combined with information | | | | meaningful." The game's music was |
| powerful brain connections occur. | | | | instrumental in connecting those feelings.Mix In |
| Anyone who learned their ABCs by singing a | | | | Music |
| song, learned to say words by watching | | | | Fortunately for live training, it already has an |
| Sesame Street, or remembers the song that | | | | audio signal: the trainer. |
| was playing on the radio during a critical | | | | Unfortunately, listening to that one auditory signal |
| moment in their life knows first hand the power | | | | all day makes for really boring |
| of auditory signals.There is ample evidence of the | | | | training. It's not an accident that we refer to it as |
| effectiveness of music in aiding learning. A wealth | | | | "death by lecture."Film composer George Burt |
| of | | | | once observed, "When placed together (video and |
| studies from the education, musicology and | | | | audio) |
| health care fields demonstrate the | | | | to achieve a common goal, a great deal more is |
| effectiveness of music in increasing learning, | | | | expressed than would be possible |
| healing and self-esteem. | | | | by means of either medium alone." Music, when |
| History also proves the point. Twice in the past, | | | | properly inserted into the training |
| audio and video were separate and | | | | environment can lift some of the cold, lifeless |
| then combined. The result was electrifying.Sound | | | | quality that often typifies training.Among other |
| Wins | | | | usages, music can provide cover for silent |
| The first silent films were short scenes lasting | | | | activities and small group |
| only a minute or two. They were | | | | discussions, announce the beginning and ending of |
| immediate, but short lived sensations. Absolute | | | | breaks, reflect the emotions of |
| silence, the total absence of both | | | | the learning and enhance activities.Twice in |
| voice and musical sound proved to be a deadly | | | | history an audio-visual medium faced a |
| combination. Viewing a silent film | | | | crossroads. In both cases, success |
| was described as "cold and bare, ghostly, lifeless | | | | resulted when the auditory and the visual signals |
| and colorless."Fortunately for the theater owners, | | | | were integrated. Trainers who, |
| musicians were already on their payroll. The | | | | with history as their guide, integrate the auditory |
| theater owners told the musicians to play | | | | component will gain a huge |
| something, anything. They did, and it | | | | advantage over the competition. They will never |
| worked. Music became so effective at solving | | | | hear complaints about "death by |
| these problems that film critics of the | | | | lecture."Visit Lenn on line at |
| era called music the "flame which brought life and | | | | Blog with Lenn at Millbower, BM, MA, the |
| warmth" to the experience. | | | | Learnertainment(R) Trainer is an expert in applying |
| Live music accompaniment continued out of | | | | |
| necessity until The Warner Brother's | | | | show biz techniques to learning. He is the author |
| "talking" picture "The Jazz Singer" came out in | | | | of the ASTD Info-Line, Music as a |
| 1927. Within one year, silent films | | | | Training Tool, focused on the practical application |
| were extinct! Silent film stars, directors, | | | | of music to learning; Show Biz |
| musicians, and non-talkie theater locations | | | | Training, the definitive book on the application of |
| went silent themselves. The public had spoken | | | | entertainment industry |
| for sound.Several years later radio found itself | | | | techniques to training; Cartoons for Trainers, a |
| threatened by television. Radio networks feared | | | | popular collection of 75 cartoons for |
| that the combined audio and video signals of TV | | | | learning; Game Show Themes for Trainers, a |
| would put them out of business. | | | | best-selling CD of original learning |
| There were some dislocations, but radio did not | | | | game music; and Training with a Beat: The |
| die.The comparison between silent films and radio | | | | Teaching Power of Music, the foremost |
| is instructive. When people had a | | | | book on the application of music to learning. Lenn |
| choice between a solitary auditory signal (radio) | | | | is an in-demand speaker, with |
| or an auditory signal combined with | | | | successful presentations at ASTD 1999-2005 and |
| a visual signal they favored the combination, but | | | | SHRM 2006; a creative and |
| still patronized the audio signal. | | | | dynamic instructional designer and facilitator |
| Conversely, when people had a choice between | | | | formally with the Disney University |
| a solely visual signal (silent films) or | | | | and Disney Institute; an accomplished |
| one combined with audio, they, by acclimation, | | | | arranger-composer skilled in the |
| chose the combined signal. TV | | | | psychological application of music to learning; a |
| AFFECTED radio. Talkies DESTROYED silent film. | | | | popular comedian, magician and |
| Sound won.Sound Wins Again | | | | musician; and the president of Offbeat |
| Home video games had been around since the | | | | Training(R), infusing entertainment-based |
| late 1970s when Atari introduced the | | | | techniques into learning to keep 'em awake! |
| home video game equivalent of the silent film: | | | | |