2D Learning Game, Collaborative Work, Fall 2024, Cinta Xia and Yuting Tao
Listen. Feel. Create!
Melo Go is a fun, interactive music game where players create beats using everyday sounds. Join Melo, a music-loving dog, on a journey to discover hidden sounds and rhythms in the world around her. Tap into your creativity, experiment with sounds, build the sound library, and craft your own musical masterpiece. Simple, playful, and endlessly expressive—Melo Go makes music creation accessible to everyone. Ready to groove? Go with Melo!
Our Target Audience
- Primary: Children aged 6–12 (beginner music learners).
- Secondary: Families, music educators, and adults interested in creative expression through music.
What do we want to solve?
Make music fun and engaging!
Help students rethink their relationship with music and discover its inspiring nature. Let them explore how surrounding objects can create beautiful rhythms and beats, fostering a deeper appreciation for music
Learning Outcome
Sound Recognition
Players develop auditory discrimination skills as they identify specific sounds and match them to their visual sources.
Rhythmic Precision
Players improve their sense of timing and rhythm by practicing beats with the guidance of a metronome
Creative Music Exploration
Encourage players to experiment with collected sounds, transforming them into unique musical creations and fostering creative expression.
Attention and Patience
The gameplay encourages players to pay close attention to details and practice patience in solving auditory puzzles.
How to play
In “Melo Go”, players join Melo, a musical dog, on a journey to uncover hidden sounds and create unique music compositions. Melo plays a mysterious sound, and players explore various environments—rooms in a house, a garden, or streets—to find its source by tapping objects. Once identified, players mimic the rhythm of the sound using a metronome for guidance, unlocking it for their Sound Library. As they progress through seasonal levels like Spring and Winter, players collect sounds from everyday life and special holiday-themed levels, gradually building a collection to create personalized beats. The game blends exploration, rhythm practice, and creativity, encouraging players to discover the music hidden in their surroundings while learning foundational music skills.
Listen to the Sound
Find the Sound
Rhythm Practice
Selling Points
We’re not just making another music app; we’re changing how kids experience music. From ‘ugh, do I have to practice?’ to ‘Look what cool sound I found!’ That’s the magic of MELO GO. It brings back the joy of musical discovery that traditional teaching often loses.
For Kids
For Teachers
For Parents
Hey, imagine turning your whole world into a musical playground! That’s what MELO GO does. Like Incredibox, but instead of just using pre-made beats, you’re discovering music in everything around you. Found a cool sound from tapping your desk? That’s your new beat! Hearing birds chirping? Add it to your melody! It’s like being a music detective and DJ at the same time.
We know traditional music classes can feel stuck in the past—all theory and rigid practice. MELO GO flips this on its head. Instead of telling students ‘this is how you must make music,’ we’re saying ‘show us what music you can find!’ It fits right into your classroom, gets kids excited about sound and music, and best of all? No expensive instruments needed. Just curiosity and creativity.
Worried about meaningful screen time? MELO GO turns passive screen time into active discovery. Your child isn’t just playing a game – they’re developing real musical skills, creative thinking, and environmental awareness. Think of it as Pokémon GO for music – kids explore their world, collect sounds, and create their own beats. Plus, no more arguing about traditional music practice!
NEXT STEP
Expand the game by incorporating seasonal timelines and a detailed house map to enhance the storytelling, gameplay diversity, and educational impact.
Seasonal Timeline Integration (Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter + Festivals): Create immersive gameplay tied to real-world time and events, encouraging players to explore seasonal soundscapes and festivals through UDL.
Context
- Many students feel stuck in classroom music lessons, their excitement fading and creativity stifled by an approach that’s too rigid and academic((Di Giulio, 2023).
- Mark, M. L. (1986) discusses in “Contemporary Music Education” how traditional methods often fail to engage students due to their rigid, technique-focused approach.
- Green, L. (2008) in “Music, Informal Learning and the School: A New Classroom Pedagogy” presents research showing students often find traditional classical music instruction disconnecting from their musical interests and experiences.
Background Story
Melo is no ordinary dog. She was raised in a home filled with music, where every corner echoed with the sounds of instruments and laughter. Her family was made up of talented musicians—her father, a skilled instrumentalist, and her mother, a beautiful singer. Music wove through every part of their lives, and it was more than just sound; it was the heartbeat of their home. When her young owner was born, her parents had high hopes that she would follow in their musical footsteps. From a young age, they encouraged her to learn the drums, hoping the rhythm would spark a deep connection with music. However, as time went on, her owner grew weary of the rigid practice routine. She began to feel that drumming, once something new and exciting, was becoming a chore. Instead of joy, music started to feel like a weight pressing on her. She yearned for a form of expression that was more free, more personal. However, the household grew quieter. The merry sounds that had once filled the air faded, leaving only silence and misunderstandings. Melo observed as her family split apart, the once-joyous and musical atmosphere giving way to silence and distance.
One stormy night, something magical happened. Melo suddenly gained a remarkable ability: she could hear the hidden music in the world around her. The rhythm of raindrops, the whisper of the trees, the distant hum of the city streets—all these everyday sounds transformed into melodies only she could perceive. It was as though the world was revealing its “song of life” just for her. With this new gift, Melo decided to embark on a journey to collect the sounds of everyday life, hoping to rekindle the love for music her family had lost. She wandered through familiar rooms, nearby streets, vibrant parks, and quiet forests, listening closely for hidden rhythms and unique melodies. Along the way, she encountered magical creatures and kindred spirits, overcame challenges, and collected fragments of music from the world around her.Melo turned these sounds into a symphony, each piece reflecting her perception of life and her heartfelt wish to restore music’s place in her family. Gradually, her compositions began to catch the attention of her family members. Her young owner started to perceive the drumbeat in a different way as a result of Melo’s melodies. She no longer saw music as a strict discipline but as a way to express herself and interact with others. Together, they found new ways to explore rhythm and melody, rekindling the joy that had once defined their home.
BIOGRAPHY
CREDIT
Music Assets by Cinta Xia
Illustration & Animation by Yuting Tao
