MoPOP’s Beyond Reality Xperience

One of MoPop’s Core Values is “Light bulb moments: We use pop culture as a catalyst for learning, connecting, and creating.” Currently, MoPop has a museum exhibit called the “Sound Lab” that allows visitors to learn the basics of playing an instrument. It already provides an interactive, hands on learning experience and supports MoPop’s goal of enabling creativity. To provide visitors with an awe-inspiring experience that they cannot experience from home, the “Professor Elton John” interactive and immersive experience will allow adult visitors to learn to play the piano from a musician of their choice that impacted the music industry.

User story

As an adult visitor in the MoPop Sound Lab, I want to learn to play an instrument from a famous musician so I can be inspired while being fully immersed in the learning experience.

Solution

Provide users with an immersive experience leveraging Mixed Reality so participants can become inspired by and learn from famous musicians.

Context Scenario

Logan is at MoPOP for the first time. Jamica and his other friends were busy, so he visits on his own. When he enters the museum, he sees a prompt on his glasses inviting him to connect to the MoPOP XR network. He connects and immediately sees a scene unfold in front of him in the lobby, advertising the new Summer of Soul exhibit on the second floor. He starts there and leaves satisfied but tired after receiving large amounts of information. He sees a sign directing visitors to the Sound Lab and follows.

Entering the Sound Lab, Logan sees different stations with physical instruments: guitar, drums, piano. He hasn’t played the piano since quitting lessons as a kid and wants to try it out. As he approaches a keys booth marked as “available,” he hears and sees someone inside playing the piano. Approaching the door, a menu of available instructors is displayed for him to choose from: Amy Lee (Evanescence), Alicia Keys, Keith Emerson... A sample of music plays when he hovers on each. He chooses “Choose for me” and opens the studio door. A different musician than the first he saw turns around to introduce himself as Elton John, asking if Logan wants to learn to play with him. Logan agrees and takes a seat next to Elton John.

Elton asks Logan about his previous experience and creates a short lesson based on Logan’s response. He plays a few notes with one hand and asks Logan to repeat. When Logan tries, he makes a mistake, and Elton suggests a correction. He offers to play along to help him learn. Elton’s hands become transparent and overlap with Logan’s as Logan tries again. Now he can see how Elton plays it and copies in real time. After he learns a short piece, Elton suggests that they put it together. Elton plays the left hand while Logan plays the right. Elton congratulates Logan on a job well done and Logan concludes the session by leaving the room.