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ERIC Number: EJ1113692
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2016-Oct
Pages: 16
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-0022-4294
EISSN: N/A
Effects of Stimulus Octave and Timbre on the Tuning Accuracy of Advanced College Instrumentalists
Byo, James L.; Schlegel, Amanda L.
Journal of Research in Music Education, v64 n3 p344-359 Oct 2016
The purpose of this study was to test the effects of octave and timbre on advanced college musicians' (N = 63) ability to tune their instruments. We asked: "Are there differences in tuning accuracy due to octave (B-flat 2, B-flat 4) and stimulus timbre (oboe, clarinet, electronic tuner, tuba)?" and "To what extent do participants' posttuning perceptions of pitch accuracy align with actual pitch accuracy?" Participants were organized according to octave played in the tuning process, thus forming bass, tenor, and soprano groups. Results showed no significant effect due to group and no significant differences due to stimulus. There was no difference in the distribution of in-tune, sharp, and flat responses. Comparisons of participants' performance accuracy and posttuning perceptions of task difficulty were favorable to the electronic tuner's viability as a tuning stimulus and less so to the tuba stimulus. Participants' responses to "describe how you know you are out of tune" and "describe the strategies you use to get in tune" brought to the foreground two observations of conceptual importance: tuning as four different and sometimes overlapping "experiences" and a self-imposed comparative strategy. Considered alongside previous research, results address developmental aspects of musicians' tuning performance.
SAGE Publications. 2455 Teller Road, Thousand Oaks, CA 91320. Tel: 800-818-7243; Tel: 805-499-9774; Fax: 800-583-2665; e-mail: journals@sagepub.com; Web site: http://sagepub.com
Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Research
Education Level: Higher Education; Postsecondary Education
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A