From grid to groove: e-Orch on air

Since 2017, Dr Leung Chi-hin, Assistant Professor from the Department of Cultural and Creative Arts (CCA)* has been actively advocating the advantages of the e-Orch Innovative Music Project in lowering the barriers to composing and playing music. His efforts were recently featured by HOY TV and Cable TV in a special programme about how innovative technology can enhance people’s future lives. The TV programme first aired on 3 August on HOY TV78, with repeated broadcasts on 5 and 9 August, drawing significant attention from the general public.

Using Grid Notation and iPad tablets, the e-Orch project has developed an iPadOS AI-enabled application that simulates dozens of musical instruments, ranging from Western orchestral instruments, Chinese musical instruments to percussion. Thanks to its built-in simulation function, the e-Orch app allows students to play as if they were in a multi-instrument orchestra, even if they have no training and do not possess the required instruments.

By selecting an instrument and touching the screen of the iPad, students can play and switch between different instruments at their fingertips. The AI-enabled technology helps students understand the characteristics of different instruments and perform various parts of a musical composition with ease. This has greatly enriched their musical experiences.

Not only does the application enable players to try different instruments, but the AI also simplifies musical composition. “Music education aims to train learners to listen, play, and compose music, with composition being the highest goal. For various reasons, composing music is not an easy objective for learners to achieve. However, e-Orch’s AI-enabled application has reduced the obstacles to composing,” Dr Leung stated in the TV interview.

To be precise, it is Grid Notation, a key feature of the e-Orch music project, that facilitates composing. This patented notation employs a grid-like layout to depict rhythm and pitch. Music learners can control various parameters such as pitch, rhythm, dynamics, and articulation using the application's functions namely Expression Grid, SmartKey, SmartChord, HexKey following the built-in Grid Notation music scores. Compared with traditional five-line staff notation, Grid Notation provides a shorter learning curve for score-reading. “Grid Notation offers a very intuitive and visual way to understand rhythm and melody,” Dr Leung continued in the TV programme. By using Grid Notation, students can arrange and compose musical pieces in an enjoyable and experiential manner.

By inputting a melody into the Grid Notation music scores, the AI-empowered music composition function automatically generates chords, bass sections, and rhythms, even developing the notes into different parts of a musical piece. “Because of this function, users can easily create a musical piece performed by various instruments with several parts suitable for teaching. It saves teachers’ time and makes music education more effective,” he explained in the programme.

The TV programme also featured an interview with Professor Leung Bo-wah from CCA. The Executive Director of the University’s Xiqu and Intangible Cultural Heritage Centre, Professor Leung shared how the Cantonese opera learning app “Yueju Accomp” (粵曲拍和), a modified version of e-Orch app co-developed by him and Dr Leung, enables users to manipulate the sounds and notes of various Cantonese opera instruments with multi-touch gestures on tablets. “Young people love playing with electronic gadgets. They find ‘Yueju Accomp’ relatable, which helps promote Cantonese opera among youth,” said Professor Leung.

The e-Orch music project has transformed how primary and secondary school students learn music. The TV programme interviewed students and teachers from both primary and secondary schools, highlighting how these institutions harness the power of technology to make learning more accessible. Instead of learning music through reading five-line scores and listening, students composed and played their own musical pieces using iPad tablets equipped with Grid Notation. Thanks to the e-Orch music project, they experienced the joy of composing and playing music.

Dr Leung shared his vision of providing valuable opportunities for ordinary people to compose and enjoy music at the end of the TV programme. He hopes that the e-Orch music project can facilitate more people in participating in music, not only listening to performances passively, but also actively creating and enjoying music. “When more people form e-Orch and play music, a broader base of music lovers will emerge. From there, we can gradually progress to higher artistic creation. In this way, ordinary people and musical professionals can enjoy the beauty of music together,” the music professor said.

Over the years, the e-Orch music project has won numerous knowledge transfer and innovation awards, both from the University and external bodies. “We value our colleagues’ efforts in transferring knowledge, skills, and expertise to benefit people. Dr Leung’s e-Orch Innovative Music Project has significantly reduced the hurdles to music learning, encouraging more school students and the general public to experience music. His work is a prime example of how our knowledge transfer endeavours positively impact society,” Professor Li Wai-keung, Dean of FLASS, remarked.

Click the following links to view the programme:

智．創未來｜平板電腦組樂團 (10-minute full version, programme on e-Orch begins at 12:32)

智．創未來｜學生用平板電腦組成樂團 透過應用程式隨時合奏 提升音樂教學效率

(3-minute abridged version)

Note*: CCA has departed FLASS and joined the Faculty of Humanities in September.