Editing PLATO (computer system) (section)

==== Musical instrument identification ====
In 1967, Allvin and Kuhn used a four-channel tape recorder interfaced to a computer to present pre-recorded models to judge sight-singing performances.<ref>{{cite journal|last1=Kuhn|first1=Wolfgang E.|last2=Allvin|first2=Raynold|date=1967|title=Computer-Assisted Teaching: A New Approach to Research in Music|journal=Council of Research in Music Education|volume=11|issue=Fall|pages=1–13}}</ref>

In 1969, Ned C. Deihl and Rudolph E. Radocy conducted a computer-assisted instruction study in music that included discriminating aural concepts related to phrasing, articulation, and rhythm on the clarinet.<ref>{{cite report |title=Development and Evaluation of Computer-Assisted Instruction in Instrumental Music |last=Deihl |first=N.C. |date=1969 |publisher=[[ERIC]] Document Reproduction Service |id=ERIC Number: ED035314 |url=https://eric.ed.gov/?id=ED035314}}</ref> They used a four-track tape recorder interfaced to a computer to provide pre-recorded audio passages. Messages were recorded on three tracks and inaudible signals on the fourth track with two hours of play/record time available. This research further demonstrated that computer-controlled audio with four-track tape was possible.<ref>{{cite journal|last1=Deihl|first1=Ned C.|last2=Radocy|first2=Rudolf E.|date=1969|title=Computer-Assisted Instruction: Potential for Instrumental Music Education|journal=Council of Research in Music Education|volume=15|issue=Winter|pages=1–7}}</ref>

In 1979, Williams used a digitally controlled cassette tape recorder that had been interfaced to a minicomputer (Williams, M.A. "A comparison of three approaches to the teaching of auditory-visual discrimination, sight singing and music dictation to college music students: A traditional approach, a Kodaly approach, and a Kodaly approach augmented by computer-assisted instruction," University of Illinois, unpublished). This device worked, yet was slow with variable access times.

In 1981, Nan T. Watanabe researched the feasibility of computer-assisted music instruction using computer-controlled pre-recorded audio. She surveyed audio hardware that could interface with a computer system.<ref name="watanabe" />

Random-access audio devices interfaced to PLATO IV terminals were also available. There were issues with sound quality due to dropouts in the audio.<ref name="eddins">{{cite journal|last1=Eddins|first1=John M.|date=1978|title=Random-access Audio in Computer-Assisted Instruction|journal=Journal of Computer-based Instruction|volume=5|pages=22–29}}</ref> Regardless, Watanabe deemed consistent fast access to audio clips critical to the study design and selected this device for the study.

Watanabe’s computer-based drill-and-practice program taught elementary music education students to identify musical instruments by sound. Students listened to randomly selected instrument sounds, identified the instrument they heard, and received immediate feedback. Watanabe found no significant difference in learning between the group who learned through computer-assisted drill programs and the group receiving traditional instruction in instrument identification. The study did, however, demonstrate that use of random-access audio in computer-assisted instruction in music was feasible.<ref>{{cite thesis|last=Watanabe|first=Nan T.|title=Computer-assisted music instruction utilizing compatible audio hardware in computer-assisted aural drill|date=1981|publisher=University of Illinois, Dissertation Abstracts International, A-42/09, University Microfilms, AAI 8203628|type=PhD}}</ref>