The CAMI Group

With the purpose of producing, testing and evaluating interactive and adaptive music learning programs as well as elaborating their theoretical and practical foundations, Prof. Dr. Bernd Enders initiated the CAMI group (CAMI = Computer Aided Music Instruction) at the University of Osnabrueck in 1986, a project in which students and teachers of music and computer science collaborate on an interdisciplinary level.

Further information about the project can be consulted in the Computerkolleg Musik “Credits” section of this program (by clicking the right-hand mouse key).

Introduction

The ear training course Computerkolleg Musik is a computer-supported learning system featuring several units designed as a complementary whole. It contains the most important study units enabling the user to recognize
Intervals, Scales, Rhythms, Chords, Cadences and Melodies by ear.

Since 1986, the CAMI Group at Osnabrück University has been developing the music-specific compiling system named CAMI-Talk. This programming system, particularly suited for compiling interactive and adaptive learning programs, was also used to write the courses integrated in the Computerkolleg Musik series.

From the very beginning, the following goals were set:
- Software should be as user-friendly as possible (mouse-oriented and sensitive to context)
- Programs are to be particularly designed for dialogue and interactivity with the user
- Adaptation by means of automatic analysis of the user’s current performance level and corresponding adjustment of task levels
- Easy joint use of a computer and a MIDI instrument for practical musical exercises, along with quality sound reproduction via a MIDI-capable sound card or external hardware
- Praxis-relevant tasks with units and exercise groups designed as a methodologically unified whole
- Musical notation and graphics which are easily readable, flexible and dynamically generated
- A changing and variegated learning environment
- High levels of motivation thanks to realistic task goals, individually adjusted task levels and attractive design
- Varying types of tasks with context-oriented instructions and illustrations
- Dynamic progression of task levels and types
In the wake of technical advances which had emerged since its inception, the CAMI system was adjusted to the widely used Windows platform. With the current version of “Computerkolleg Musik”, we believe to have achieved a favorable learning situation for computer-supported ear training. The authors and their publisher SCHOTT Musik International (Mainz) wish you many hours of fun and success with Computerkolleg Musik Ear Training.