The cornerstone of unity

48 FIGURENOTE METHOD

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What should you do if you want to start to play an instrument but you don’t read music? One cannot learn every 
piece of music by heart, so could there be an easier method than the traditional way of transcribing music with 
notes? This was the starting point of the figurenote method, which set out to make learning music easier. 
The figurenote method was created in 1996 by music therapist Kaarlo Uusitalo and together with music 
teacher Markku Kaikonen they developed applications and a method for learning music that used the figurenote 
method to help mentally disabled people. Uusitalo and Kaikkonen founded the music centre Resonaari in space 
that was owned by Helsinki City Council, and they began to teach music to special groups who for one reason or 
another were unable to participate in traditional ways of learning. Since 1998 they have received funding from 
the Finnish Slot Machine Association to developing research into the figure-note method and teach it to teachers 
and experts. 
In the figurenote method the notes are separated from each other with different kinds of colours and shapes. 
The use of colour in particular makes it possible for mentally handicapped people and children to perceive the 
notes more clearly. Thanks to this, most people learn faster than they would in the traditional way. Additionally, 
this is an enjoyable way to learn that produces a f
eeling of achievement and raises the player’s self-esteem and 
selfconfidence. 
All of this serves to increase the player’s motivation. As a result of studying, the student’s cognitive skills 
develop, information processing skills improve, and it becomes easier to picture the whole entity in its entirety. 
The figure-
note method also assists the development of handicapped people’s social skills. Performing and 
playing together means paying attention to the surrounding environment and other players, and this makes it 
easier to act as part of a group. These kinds of experiences help handicapped people integrate as members of 
society and are not limited to a purely musical environment, they also improve social skills and make it easier to 
deal with almost all daily tasks. The figurenote method was originally created to help mentally handicapped 
people learn music, but based on recent experiences it has been noticed that the method is also useful for 
kindergartens and younger primary school children. The children do not just learn to play, they also get an 
opportunity to experience the joy of composition. In Japan there are ongoing experiments in using the figurenote 
method with elderly people who take part in organised daytime activities. 
The figurenote method has also been researched academically and in many vocational education institutions, 
and it has even been the subject of a doctoral thesis. 
Figurenote activity and cooperation has also begun abroad. At the present moment it is taught in Estonia, 
Italy, Japan, Ireland, Latvia and Scotland, and figurenote manual has been published in Japanese, Estonian and 
Italian. 
The figurenote method is a social innovation which has made it possible for handicapped people and others 
to learn and enjoy making music. 
Machiko Yamada 
– Ph.D.