Octopus Piano Prodigy: Swedish Musician's Creative Teaching Method
By Hazel Davis
In a fascinating display of creativity and animal intelligence, Swedish musician Mattias Krantz has taken his eccentric experiments to a new level. He's teaching an octopus to play the piano! Krantz, a regular YouTube content creator, has been making waves with his unique approach to music education.
Krantz's journey began when he rescued a young octopus named Takoyaki from a live fish market. Intrigued by the octopus's potential, he decided to explore the idea of teaching an animal to play the piano. In his own words, Krantz explains, "I’ve always wanted to teach an animal piano. Octopuses are incredibly smart, with problem-solving abilities comparable to a three-year-old human. Each of their eight arms has its own mini-brain, making them like eight pianists in one body."
The musician tried various teaching methods, but none seemed to work effectively. That's when he came up with a brilliant idea: a custom-built "octopus piano" designed specifically for Takoyaki's unique abilities and curiosity. Every time Takoyaki presses a piano key, a small food tube lowers a crab closer to him, encouraging him to complete a melody to reach the crab. This innovative approach has not only taught Takoyaki some basic piano skills but has also attracted a lot of attention on social media.
Despite Takoyaki not yet performing Chopin etudes, his progress has been remarkable. Krantz's experiment has garnered thousands of followers on Instagram and YouTube, and Takoyaki now lives a peaceful life with his teacher. This unique teaching method challenges traditional piano education and opens up exciting possibilities for animal intelligence and learning.
So, the next time you're struggling to motivate your students, consider a different approach! Perhaps a little crab-based incentive might just do the trick!
