Development of Electronic Musical Instrument Ensemble as a pilot study of music therapy for Dementia Prevention

Abstract

There is an important cohort study indicating that frequent performance of music instrument has the significant effect of reducing the risk of dementia in the elderly. We have been developing a novel electronic musical instrument Cymis (Cyber Musical Instrument with Score), showing that persons with neural or motor impairments such as cerebral palsy can play the piece easily. The aim of the present study is to develop a network system enabling the ensemble of the Cymis. Firstly we found that the elderly can play the Cymis easily under support of a music therapist. Secondly, four university students including two female majoring music and two beginners of music were able to perform ensemble with the Cymis, where two beginners watched guide of performance on the monitor. By measuring time differences in performances of four people, it was indicated that beginners also could perform ensemble with slight time differences against others.