IJECES 4 (1) (2015)

Indonesian Journal of Early Childhood

Education Studies
http://journal.unnes.ac.id/sju/index.php/ijeces

THE IMPORTANCE OF MUSIC EXPERIENCE AS AN EARLY AGE

CHILDREN IN EARLY CHARACTER FORMATION OF A
BETTER NATION INDONESIA
Eka Andaryani Titi
Jurusan Pendidikan Anak Usia Dini, Fakultas Ilmu Pendidikan, Universitas Negeri Semarang,
Indonesia

Info Artikel
________________
Sejarah Artikel:
Diterima April 2012
Disetujui Mei 2012
Dipublikasikan Juni 2015

________________
Keywords:
early childhood character,
activities of the musical
experience
____________________

Abstract
___________________________________________________________________
Learning the art of music is very important in shaping the character of children in the
future. At the early age of 0-6 years is the golden age in which the brain develops very
rapidly up to 80%. At that age the brain very quickly absorb and receive information
without regard to good and bad. Therefore, it is important at the time the child is given
something good and useful for the early formation of the next character in the children.
Especially in the arts can be done by doing the musical experience. The character of
children, especially young children are generally happy with things that are entertaining,
unique, and easy to understand. One material that is taught in Early Childhood
Education (early childhood) is to introduce children songs and folk songs owned by
Indonesia. It aims to build character in children / students in the love of the homeland, a
sense of culture and the desire to preserve the unique culture of Indonesia. To introduce
the children songs and folk songs that exist in Indonesia on early PAUD one child can
experience through music. One study conducted in Indonesia is the activity of early
childhood music experience. There are some activities that can be done in the activities of
the musical experience: music activities, activities of singing, playing musical activities,
and events move to the music.

2015 Universitas Negeri Semarang

Alamat korespondensi:
Gedung A3 Lantai 1 FIP Unnes
Kampus Sekaran, Gunungpati, Semarang, 50229
E-mail: pgpaud@unnes.ac.id

ISSN 2252-6374

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implemented. Education in Indonesia is more

emphasis on the development and performance
of the left hemisphere only. Aspects of the arts
tend to be ignored. In fact, if one does not have a
sense of belong to an art, then it will die your
heart (hard to find), in other words would be a
hard heart. The impact will be very fatal. That is
why some people are at-judge or be labeled
"smart" instead be "scum" (Indonesia rife with
corruption cases).
Aspects of early childhood art deserve
the spotlight. Remember learning the art of
music is very important in shaping the character
of children in the future. At the early age of 0-6
years is the golden age in which the brain
develops very rapidly up to 80%. At that age the
brain very quickly absorb and receive
information without regard to good and bad.
Therefore, it is important at the time the child is
given something good and useful for the early
formation of the next character in the children.
Especially in the arts can be done by doing the
musical experience. Based on the above
background, the authors are interested to discuss
the activities of musical experience in early
childhood as the initial formation of the nation's
character.

INTRODUCTION
Indonesia needs of human resources in
sufficient quantity and quality as the main
supporter of the development. To meet the
human resource, education has a crucial role.
This is in accordance with Act No 20 of 2003 on
National Education System in Article 3, which
states that the national education serves to
develop skills and form the character and
civilization of the nation's dignity in the context
of the intellectual life of the nation. National
education aims at developing the potential of
learners in order to become a man of faith and
fear of God Almighty, noble, healthy,
knowledgeable, skilled, creative, independent,
and become citizens of a democratic and
responsible.
Art for children is different from art to
adults because of different physical and mental
character. It is important to note, especially in
assessing the work of students, so that the
creation of children is not measured according to
the tastes and beauty of the adult criteria.
Educational function of art in contrast to the
function of art in professional work. Art for the
education function as a medium to fulfill the
functions of child development, both physically
and mentally. Being in the professional work of
art functioned to enhance their expertise in a
professional capacity.
In the implementation of arts learning
in schools, creating learning experiences referred
to as learning the art work. Was the experience
of perception, see, and appreciate and
understand the art of learning is called
appreciation. Learning the art work contains
two aspects of competence, namely: skills and
creativity.
Early childhood education is the
foundation for further education should be done
globally (overall: developing a whole child in all
aspects, including aspects of the arts) commonly
referred to as global Joyfull learning that
includes learning, attractive learning and active
learning. With a global learning all aspects of the
present in children can thrive. Global learning is
supposed to be implemented is not fully

DISCUSSION
Education is an endless process that
largely determines the character of the nation on
the present and future, whether a nation will
emerge as the winner or the loser is highly
dependent on the quality education that can
shape the character of the nation. In accordance
with Law No 20 of 2003 on National Education
System in Article 3, which states that the
national education serves to develop skills and
form the character and civilization of the
nation's dignity in the context of the intellectual
life of the nation.
National education aims at developing
the potential of learners in order to become a
man of faith and fear of God Almighty, noble,
healthy, knowledgeable, skilled, creative,
independent, and become citizens of a
democratic and responsible. Based on the

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function and purpose of national education, it is

clear that education at all levels, including early
childhood education (early childhood) should be
organized systematically in order to achieve that
goal. This is related to the character formation of
students so as to compete, ethical, moral, polite
and interact with the community. Based on
research at Harvard University in the United
States (Ibrahim Ali Akbar, 2000), it turns out a
person's success is not determined solely by the
knowledge and technical skills (hard skills), but
more by the ability to manage ourselves and
others (soft skills). This research suggests that
success is determined only about 20 percent by
the hard skills and the remaining 80 percent of
the soft skills. Even the most successful people in
the world can succeed because the more widely
supported than the ability of hard skills soft
skills. This suggests that the quality of education
students are very important characters to be
improved.
Characters are the values of human
behavior associated with the Almighty God, self,
neighbor, neighborhood, and nationality
embodied in the thoughts, attitudes, feelings,
words, and actions based on religious norms,
laws, manners, culture , and customs.
In general dictionary Indonesian
language, character is character, character,
psychological traits, morals or manners that
distinguish one person from another. Character
of the nation's culture is strongly influenced by
the base of the nation. Bushido Japan has a
culture that emphasizes loyalty, high discipline,
and unyielding spirit. Contiguity with the
Muslim nations of Europe through Spain, Sicily,
and the Crusades in the 11M century have
shaped the character of Europeans into the
learners so that they can explore and develop the
work of science in medieval Muslim scholars,
which led to their mastery of science and
technology to the current high this.
Early childhood has distinctive characteristics,
both physical, psychological, social, moral and
so on.
Childhood is also the most important
for all ages of life. Because childhood is the
foundation and formation of the personality that

will determine the next child's experience. So

important is the age to understand the
characteristics of early childhood to be absolute
if you want to have a generation that is able to
develop themselves optimally. The experiences
of children at an early age will have a strong
influence on later life. This experience will last a
long time. Not even be eliminated, although it
could be just covered. A time when there is
stimulation of the fishing experience of life that
had experienced the effect will appear again,
although in different forms.
Some things are important reasons to
understand the characteristics of early
childhood. Part of the reason may be described
as follows: early age is the age of the most
important stage of human development, because
that age is the period laid the basis of personality
structure that was built for a lifetime. It is
therefore necessary that appropriate education
and services. Early experience is important,
because the initial basis is likely to persist and
will influence the attitudes and behavior
throughout his life, in addition to the initial base
will quickly develop into a habit. It is therefore
necessary giving a positive initial experience.
Physical and mental development have a
tremendous pace, compared with all age. Even
the age of 0-8 years experience 80% of brain
development rather than later. Therefore it is
necessary physical and mental stimulation.
The character of children, especially
young children are generally happy with things
that are entertaining, unique, and easy to
understand. One material that is taught in Early
Childhood Education (early childhood) is to
introduce children songs and folk songs owned
by Indonesia. It aims to build character in
children / students in the love of the homeland,
a sense of culture and the desire to preserve the
unique culture of Indonesia. To introduce the
children songs and folk songs that exist in
Indonesia on early PAUD any child could
atunya through musical experience. Work
experience is the appreciation of music through
listening to a song, sing, play music, move to
music, reading music, so that the children

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Eka Andaryani Titi / Indonesian Journal of Early Childhood Education Studies 4 (1) (2015)

receive a thorough overview of the expression of

the song.
Experience music with the observation
that conscious will leave treasury diverse
musical elements in the memory of the child. In
kindergarten competency skills are more focused
on exploration experience to train the sensory
and motor abilities, rather than make children
proficient or expert. While creativity here
include cognitive, affective, and psychomotor
look of the product or process in the work and
be busy themselves creatively (Semiawan, Jojo,
1990: 10). Conveyed the appreciation of learning
is not limited to knowledge alone, but involves
the experience of observation, experience,
appreciate, enjoy and appreciate the art exercise
activity directly.
In learning the art of music in general
early childhood learning approach there are
three of them: an appreciation of learning
models, models of creative learning and classical
learning models. For the activities of early
childhood music experience can use the learning
model of appreciation, which the participants
were introduced a wide range of songs through
listening to the song, the singing, musical play
activities, activities move to the music, reading
music and music creativity activities. For early
childhood reading music and music creativity
activities have not been given because it is still
quite difficult given by early childhood.
Music activities. Learn to listen to
music is to observe the use of musical elements
that have been studied, the rhythm, melody,
harmony, form or structure of the songs featured
in the music produced by the sound of various
musical instruments. The task of teachers is to
help children to increase the sense of the beauty
of his music by listening to a variety of quality
music.
There are two aspects that must be
developed in listening to music: The quality of
the music expression. Are happy, lively, vibrant,
funny, sad, solemn, and a variety of expressions
of feelings. Properties of the elements of music
in the song. Examples of musical elements that
are important to note that gradually is as
follows: rhythm, related to the pulse, time

signatures, and rhythmic patterns, melodies

associated with the high tones, scales, motion
tone and direction of motion of tone, harmony
associated with the texture, interval , kadens,
and chord progression, form related to the
structure, repetition, song forms, expressions
relating to tempo, dynamics, timbre, and tone
production.
The singing. The singing is a major
activity in the teaching of music in Early
Childhood Education (early childhood). In the
singing students are guided by teachers to sing
the song model. Choose a song that is well
known models such as the rainbow children, cut
the duck goose, parrot. Teachers can choose
songs that are generally known and loved each
area students. However, consider the language
skills and ambitus (the voice) students. Teachers
can also choose a new song that easily taught to
students in a short time. Prior to the singing,
determine the steps that are tailored to the tune
of the children's voices. Do not start singing just
to figure out the pitch track, because in this way
can damage children's voices. Then we set the
tempo or speed of the song that suits the song,
which is in accordance with the atmosphere
lively, happy, and happy. Determined after the
pitch and tempo or speed then the teacher gives
an example for the students sang a song then
invited to sing the whole song together. If we
teach a new song of unknown pupils do not
forget to cite the entire song to be heard. Then
set an example by parts that directly emulated by
students.
After the students mastered all the
songs, then the whole song was sung. Songs of
the model used to discuss the elements of music.
This discussion should be done gradually by
taking into account the terms and conditions of
the order of the ability of a logical sequence of
teaching materials, namely: the most basic
element of music is rhythm as the subject, with a
sub-sub subjects ranging from pulses, bars, and a
variety of rhythm patterns . Next is the most
important element in music, the melody moves
in rhythm patterns, with the parts anyway. Once
the elements of rhythm and melody elements
then we can teach the elements of harmony

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Eka Andaryani Titi / Indonesian Journal of Early Childhood Education Studies 4 (1) (2015)

because harmony is a chord or a combination of

more than one tone is also moving in rhythm
patterns. Elements of the form / structure of the
songs are not bound to the terms of the order of
the rhythm-melody-harmony, because bnetuk or
song structures that we encounter on the songs
from the model used phrases, words of songs,
and the songs are simple. Similarly, the elements
of expression, from the beginning of the content
of expression is to be known songs sung by the
model.
Musical play activities. Playing music
using musical instruments commonly used in the
classroom, provide expertise to enhance
children's interest in learning music. The various
instruments used in the classroom can be
grouped into three categories, namely musical
rhythm, melody instruments, and musical
harmony. General basic steps such as playing
music, the first we have to show the children
how the sound of each instrument. Second, we
must show how to hold and ring it. Teachers
and their students can create a simple musical
instruments to be used in classroom activities.
For example, send some children to bring beksa
bottles, or beverage cans. Ask them to ring the
tools and ask for a response to the sound
generated from the objects they carry. In the
normal course of early childhood music playing,
discussions began with the singing rhythm. Then
followed by clapping by the song pulse model,
followed by clapping by the song swing bars,
hand gestures membirama song, then clapped in
a variety of rhythm patterns in the strains
biramanya.
Activities move to the music. These
activities are of two kinds, namely motion and
the motion moved in the place. Various kinds of
motion is done with the music that is played,
well played and recorded the teacher. Can also
be done from a combination of motion in a place
with a motion switch. Activities move to the
music is intended to plant, nurture, enhance,
and strengthen the understanding and
appreciation of musical elements to the children.
The purpose of moving to the music which is to
inculcate, foster, enhance and strengthen the
understanding and appreciation of musical

elements to the child. Undeniably there is

always art around us. Arts education in
Indonesia have also begun to be taught from
AUD education. Therefore, it is useful to use the
arts to the development of children's intelligence
and character formation of capital in Indonesia.
Here are some of the benefits of early
childhood learning the art of musical experience,
especially in activities; children so much easier
to absorb the input and advice provided,
Sensitivity to nature for the better because it
used to make something beautiful, give pleasure
and can help young people learn skills need to be
controlled, or something with their talents, to
help children express their creativity and develop
freely, children are able to control emotions,
feeling sad or happy. Emotions that can be
poured through the artwork they produce,
imagination children can be developed through
the work produced, building on the child's
feelings and give a lot of creative art experiences,
appreciation of the beauty of the child will grow
and develop in him. If the sensitivity is already
growing, children can produce good work, arts
education can be a positive influence in terms of
perceptions of children's emotions. (Source:
Newspaper SINDO/Minggu-10 August 2008)
CLOSING
At the early age of 0-6 years, the brain
develops very rapidly up to 80 percent. At the
age of brains receive and absorb various kinds of
information, do not look good and the bad. That
period is when the child's physical, mental and
spiritual, the child will begin to form. Because of
this, many who call this period as the golden
times of the child (golden age). The experiences
of children at an early age will have a strong
influence on later life. This experience will last a
long time. Not even be eliminated, although it
could be just covered.
The character of children, especially
young children are generally happy with things
that are entertaining, unique, and easy to
understand. One material that is taught in Early
Childhood Education (early childhood) is to
introduce children songs and folk songs owned

37

Eka Andaryani Titi / Indonesian Journal of Early Childhood Education Studies 4 (1) (2015)

by Indonesia. It aims to build character in

children / students in the love of the homeland,
a sense of culture and the desire to preserve the
unique culture of Indonesia. To introduce the
children songs and folk songs that exist in
Indonesia on early UIA any child could atunya
through musical experience.
One study conducted in Indonesia is the
activity of early childhood music experience.
There are some activities that can be done in the
activities of the musical experience: music
activities, activities of singing, playing musical
activities, and events move to the music. Of all
activities performed on the musical experience
of early childhood education (early childhood)
are expected to be useful in forming the
character of children in particular and Indonesia
build national character in general. Benefits to
be gained from the experience of musical
activities in early childhood among others, easy
to absorb the input and advice provided,
Sensitivity to the better nature, to give pleasure
and can help children learn various skills that
need to be controlled, to help children express
their creativity and develop freely , and is able to
control emotions.

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