DOLCE | Doris Tao

Brief

What if you could compose music by manipulating visual patterns versus hearing sound? That is the essence of Dolce - a modern-day digital piano that allows you to create sound by manipulating visual patterns on a futuristic display.

Term Project

Duration: 14 weeks

Tool: Solidworks, Keyshot, Adobe Illustrator, Procreate,

Adobe Photoshop, Prototype making, Figma

Year: 2021

Why Music is Important

Music has had a deep and long-standing relationship with mankind from time immemorial:

People can express their emotions through music, and it can be used to convey messages and create stories and communication. It not only helps us to relax in times of stress, but also entertains and entertains people of all ages.

The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that there are approximately 466 million people worldwide with disabling hearing loss, which is about 6.1% of the world's population.

They can't hear the beautiful music, they can't perceive these beautiful melodies

Interview

Aron

I actually like listening to music, even though I can't hear it. But when I put on my headphones and turn up the volume, I still can feel the music vibrate with my body and emotions it brings to me.

congenital deafness

Because of my interest in musical instruments, my mom bought me a piano and hired a teacher to train me. But it's so hard and boring to practice every day.

Nick

5 years old kid

Jeff

I always loved music and used some instruments in my young age. But as I got older, I had a hard time hearing beautiful melodies and playing instruments. I really want to recall my younger days through music again.

senile deafness

I've been in a band with my friends lately, but it always feels like something is missing. It would be cool if the instruments could give us that club feel.

Elaina

Cool Teenager

Selecting Instrument

Electronic pianos excel with versatility, affordability, and tech features. Offering diverse instrument sounds, headphone support, and connectivity, they're compact for small spaces. Ideal for all levels, they boast weighted keys, replicating acoustic piano feel, and features like lessons and recording. Their portability makes them a top choice.

Introducing Dolce

Introducing Dolce, an electronic keyboard that goes beyond melodies, providing a sensory experience with tactile and visual sensations. Elevate your musical journey with this innovative instrument. At the same time enabling a wider group of people to play an instrument.

Ideations

Form Development

Functions

Physical Functions

Screen Functions

Simultaneous sound and vibration adjustment

Dedicated physical keys were slow, pause and fast

Easy to access power button

Two timbre adjustment keys let you feel the reverb

Better represent vibration through motion graphics

Digital information showing on screen

Vinyl record playing while the music operating

Using different color to distinguish timbres in MG

Converting sheet music to keyboard color

Recording button let you record your music any time

Set up personal virtual avatar

Set up preference mode (system color)

Small screen to show the time and your current function

Show the progress of a song

Flow Chart

Dolce

Open Mode

Close Mode

Vibration Pedal and Hight Adjustment

While playing, the pedal provides vibrations that correlate with the rhythm and intensity of the music. The sensation of vibration coming from the feet does not interfere with the player's thinking while playing, but rather better provides the mood that the music brings.

Height adjustment is also available for different players' heights.

Slide in to Connect

The Dolce's keyboard and stand are removable and can be assembled quite simply by scratching the keyboard's tabs into the stand's grooves. This makes the keyboard portable, so users can simply take the keyboard with them when they want to take Dolce on the go.

Speaker and Touch Bar

The left and right sides of the keyboard are equipped with a sound and touch bar, and the left and right surround sound quality allows the player to feel the beautiful melodies when playing. Although our screen is touchable, it is not very practical to use a touch screen when playing, the touch bar solves this problem and allows better control of the functions on the screen, just like a laptop.

Lighting Instructions

To better enable new users to learn the instrument, Dolce has a teaching feature. Not only will the next key to be pressed be displayed on the screen, but the keyboard will also light up in the appropriate color. It will also indicate the intensity based on the brightness of the color.

Buttons

Although it is also adjustable on the screen, I made the on/off button, volume buttons, timbre button and vibration size case physical buttons as well. This will provide the user with more of a user experience and a sense of realism in using the product.

Small Screen and Recording Button

The inclusion of a small screen allows the user to visualize more intuitively which function has just been changed, and the time is also displayed during breaks.
The record button has also been made physical, which will make it easier for the user to start recording at any time, and will also allow for better visibility of the recording process.