The Make Music Count App and Keyboard Kits Demystify Math and Frame it in a Fun and Relevant Cultural Context
Math! The scariest school subject for many kids, but a critical one to understand. Some children would do anything to avoid math class, and it’s no wonder. In many public schools, a one-size-fits-all approach to teaching math, based on repetition, lectures and sheer memorization fails to connect with so many kids. We all have our own aptitudes, learning styles and cultural backgrounds which make this approach ineffective at de-mystifying math, let alone teaching it. It can be even more challenging for kids dealing with learning disabilities like developmental dyscalculia. That’s where Make Music Count comes in!
Like its tagline “Math Made Fun, Music Made Easy” says, this innovative method of mathematic mastery uses the language of math to simultaneously teach kids how to play the keyboard. Through an ingenious reward system delivered through a keyboard and a companion app, kids will become less intimidated by math, while also flexing their music muscles at the same time!
Hand kids a Make Music Count keyboard and challenge them to answer various musical problems using the companion app. First, select the song your child wants to learn. Make Music Count has a robust list of over 1,500 popular songs, from chart-topping artists like Kendrick Lamar, Taylor Swift and Beyonce, to classic artists and even tunes from television and movies. Once you’ve selected a song, the app will guide your child through a series of math puzzles to solve for the notes of their chosen song. For example, (F + ½ = ?) introduces kids to counting in half intervals, by viewing the piano as a number line. Starting from F, count a half interval (to the right) in the positive direction…which leads to the answer, F#! Once they’ve solved the remaining equations, their reward is getting to play those musical note answers of the song on the keyboard. This brilliant, positive reward loop draws kids in by tying math together with a tangible interest like music. Framing math in a practical and fun way shows kids how easy it can be to learn, especially when the standard classroom approach is alienating for them.
Make Music Count inventor Marcus Blackwell didn’t just recognize the problem of math-phobia in kids apropos of nothing; he lived it as a young man! As a 5-year-old boy with an exceptional interest in music, Blackwell quickly learned that math is necessary to become a skilled pianist, and thus he resolved to work through his fear of mathematics. Not only did he overcome his fear of math, he channeled his newfound confidence and went on to absolutely excel at it, earning a B.S. in Mathematics from Morehouse College. As it turned out, Blackwell had an aptitude for numbers the whole time! But what made the difference between math being intimidating and math being his primary degree focus? Interest! Music and math are inexorably linked, both informing the other. Taking math out of a vacuum and applying it in a practical and fun way was all it took. This got Blackwell to thinking, if this worked for him, why couldn’t it work for other kids? In 2013, Make Music Count was born!
From its beginnings in community service, Make Music Count evolved into an in-person after school and summer enrichment program that has helped over 500 schools across 12 years in operation. The Make Music Count app launched in 2018 and the rest is history! This app acts as a supplementary resource for school districts to use in math and music classes, but parents and kids can also use it privately in their own homes. Combined with its app, the award-winning Make Music Count blends the power of music with learning, helping students from 2nd to 12th grade build math confidence through its unique, STEAM-aligned math curriculum, and interactive product kits. Make Music Count transforms equations into musical notes so students can play popular songs on the piano while improving their math skills. Featured on CNN, TechCrunch, and TNT’s The Game Plan with Shaquille O’Neal, Make Music Count is striking a chord with educators, families, students and homeschool households nationwide.
Make Music Count offers three primary kits to give kids the opportunity to thrive with math and music. Every kit includes a 49-key keyboard and companion app, with each kit coming with different workbooks. No piano or keyboard experience is needed; each kit includes helpful stickers to put on the keyboard’s keys to provide visual cues for beginners. Math Maestro ($99.99) includes Addition and Subtraction workbooks, Ratio Rockstar ($129.99) adds in Multiplication and Division, and Piano Prodigy ($149.99) includes all the former workbooks plus Fractions and Algebra 1! Individual workbooks are also available for $19.99 each. The Make Music Count app can be used entirely for free, but even more features are available with a purchased subscription. This subscription gives adult users access to a backend data portal that tracks their children’s progress in the app. This includes songs played, time spent within the app, average math quiz score performance by subject, improvement data, and which songs drive the best results. Designed for parents and homeschool families, this subscription and tool helps you stay informed and engaged in your child’s learning. Each subscription supports up to 4 children.
More information on Make Music Count and the official keyboard kits can be found through the official website www.makemusiccount.com. Help eliminate your child’s math-phobia with Make Music Count!
ABOUT MAKE MUSIC COUNT
The mission of Make Music Count is to use creativity to allow every student to reach their full educational potential. We believe that every student should feel included during instruction and welcomed to the opportunity of being successful. Marcus Blackwell Jr has played the piano since the age of 5 studying classical, jazz, and gospel piano. He began playing professionally on the piano and organ for churches at the age of 14. However, in school he struggled in math due to intimidation. This was corrected once he saw that you need math to play the piano. This newfound confidence in his math abilities led to him receiving a B.S. in Mathematics from Morehouse College. He then invented and founded Make Music Count as a creative way to improve students math performance by playing songs on the piano. It’s the solution he wished he had growing up. Marcus believes that we need creative methods like Make Music Count to truly reach students early enough to see more students pursue STEM degrees in college.