The picture on the box gives structure to each puzzle piece for regular puzzles. We get a helping hand in putting them together because there is a border from which we can work. But basically, we are not going into the activity without some assistance.
In music puzzles, the sound, sequence, and form of the overall composition is the thing that guides us. Like a picture puzzle, we’re not going in blind.
Like the picture, the sequence of patterns that make up a composition must be followed, or it sounds wrong.
SIDEBAR: The late Sandra Trehub (University of Toronto) researched how infants perceived music. Her work shows that newborns know when music is in the wrong sequence.
Those who do not have an academic background in the arts may perceive and add value to it without understanding “the method to the madness.”
Not all arts experiences have a direct connection to math or science.
When we use the word creativity, we might think of an activity that looks like anything is fine as long as the finished product uses paper and paint, or clay to create a 3D sculpture. Creativity may be seen as entirely open-ended and whimsical.
Unfortunately, the arts can be seen as an academic form of recess, where having a good time is paramount. There is much more to the arts than a good feeling.
The creative aspect of each music puzzle lies in the choice of instruments available for each pattern.