What happens when you gamify the foundations of note reading, ear training, and rhythm practice? You get Musical Caterpillar, an innovative, student-friendly music game website built from the ground up by People’s Music School teaching artist and Chicago pianist & composer Nico Carter.
How Musical Caterpillar Started
“I designed and built Musical Caterpillar myself – the game design, the code, and the music education content behind it,” says Nico. That passion and expertise show in every detail of the platform, which turns music theory into fun games and challenges that kids actually want to return to.
The idea sparked from Nico’s own teaching experience. “I’d been playing a note-reading game on my whiteboard for years – my students loved it. Eventually I thought, ‘Could I make this something they could practice on their own, even when I’m not there?’ And that’s where it all started.” Now, students can expand on the skills they learn in the classroom and build on their knowledge independently – all while still having fun!
Gamifying Note Reading, Rhythm, and Ear Training
At its core, Musical Caterpillar is about making foundational skills stick. “Some of the best learning happens when students forget they’re learning,” Nico explains. “Music theory and note reading are like phonics. Once they become automatic, the whole musical world opens up. Games make the repetition feel like play instead of drilling.”
By blending play with the basics of music theory, Musical Caterpillar helps students build confidence, independence, and music literacy, all while enjoying the process.
And it’s something all ages and skill levels can take part in – for free! “Accessible tools like these are what get kids to the other side,” says Nico.
Explore Musical Caterpillar here and test your musical knowledge!