Revision of the author's Habilitationsschrift, Universität zu Köln, 1990. / Includes bibliographical references (T. 1, p. 235-245).

Thesis (Ph.D.)--Ohio State University, 2005. / Title from first page of PDF file. Document formatted into pages; contains xiii, 180 p.; also includes graphics. Includes bibliographical references (p. 169-172). Available online via OhioLINK's ETD Center

Thesis (M.M.)--Ball State University, 2009. / Title from PDF t.p. (viewed on July 01, 2010). Creative project (M.M.), 3 hrs. Includes bibliographical references (p. 25-26).

No description available.

The purpose of this study was to investigate the ability of trained musicians and musically untrained college students to discriminate music instrument timbre as a function of duration. Specific factors investigated were the thresholds for timbre discrimination as a function of duration, musical ensemble participation as training, and the relative discrimination abilities of vocalists and instrumentalists. Under the conditions of this study, it can be concluded that the threshold for timbre discrimination as a function of duration is at or below 20 ms. Even though trained musicians tended to discriminate timbre better than musically untrained college students, musicians cannot discriminate timbre significantly better then those subjects who have not participated in musical ensembles. Additionally, instrumentalists tended to discriminate timbre better than vocalists, but the discrimination is not significantly different. Recommendations for further research include suggestions for a timbre discrimination measurement tool that takes into consideration the multidimensionality of timbre and the relationship of timbre discrimination to timbre source, duration, pitch, and loudness.

The purpose of this study was to investigate changes in selected children's Graphing Response Patterns to elemental changes in compositions in theme and variation form. The research problems were (1) to determine points and degrees of elemental change in the compositional structure of the musical examples; (2) to determine number, degree, and nature of changes in subjects' graphing response pattern to aurally presented musical examples; (3) to determine percentages of agreement between changes in graphing response patterns and points of elemental change within the compositional structures; (4) to determine the relationship of changes in subjects' graphing response pattern to the quality and magnitude of elemental change within the compositional structure. Twenty second- and fourth-grade children were individually videotaped as they listened to and graphed a series of aurally-presented musical examples. Each musical example was analysed according to such parameters as timbre, range/interval size, texture, tempo/meter, attack/rhythmic density, key/mode, dynamic level, and melodic presentation. Change in each parameter was scored using an interval scale reflecting change/no change and degree of change. Changes in graphing response pattern were determined by an interval scale which reflected the presence of change/no change and amount of change, using as analytical units speed, size, shape, type, and pause. The following conclusions were made: findings showed an observable, quantifiable relationship between changes in children's graphing response patterns and elemental changes in music parameters. This relationship encompassed not only change/no change judgements but also magnitude of response. Overall, frequency and magnitude/degree of student response was proportionate to the frequency and magnitude of change in the music parameter/s. Results indicated the existence of high-ranking correlations between student response and certain parameters regardless of the degree-of-change/points-of-change ratio. Findings showed that one degree of change in a single music parameter was not sufficient to cause an observable change in the attention of the young listener.

A combination of experimental and empirical studies investigate the assumption that musical expression is communicated in marimba performance through at least two channels – sound and action. A parallel is drawn between the bodily movements and gestures occurring with expressive musical sound, and gestures produced in concurrence with speech. Experiment 1 investigated the assumption that bodily movements and gestures can enhance or diminish the perception of expression and interest in solo marimba performance when presented audio-visually compared to presentation in audio-only form. Body movement is of particular relevance here as the expressive capabilities of the marimba are relatively restricted, and the movements required to play it are visible. Twenty-four musically-trained and 24 musically-untrained observers rated auditory-only and auditory-visual presentations of 20th Century solo marimba excerpts for perceived expressiveness and interest. Performances were given by a male and a female professional musician in projected (public performance expression) and deadpan (minimised expressive features) performance manners. As hypothesised, significantly higher ratings were recorded in response to projected performances than to deadpan. The hypothesised interaction between modality and performance manner was observed. Higher expressiveness ratings were observed for projected performances, and lower ratings were observed for deadpan performances when the presentation was audio-visual compared to audio-only. Higher interest ratings were observed for projected performances when the presentation was audio-visual. Musically-trained participants recorded higher ratings than musically-untrained observers upholding the final hypothesis. The results suggest that expressive functional bodily movements and bodily gestures play an important role in marimba performer-audience communication. Findings are relevant for both performers and educators. The aim of Experiment 2 was to investigate whether the results of Experiment 1, conducted in laboratory conditions, would generalise to an ecologically valid setting – a real concert. Experiment 2 investigated audience continuous self-report engagement responses from 21 participants collected using the portable Audience Response Facility (pARF). The stimulus material was a solo marimba piece performed in a live concert. A female musician performed two musically similar sections within the piece in two different performance manners (deadpan and projected). The second order standard deviation threshold method was used to analyse signal reliability. As hypothesised, mean engagement responses were greater in the projected sample than the deadpan sample. Reliable signal was only observed in the projected sample. Differences between deadpan and projected sample mean engagement responses may be due to expressive bodily movement from the performance manner manipulation; alternatively, serial order effect, necessitated by the concert setting, may be responsible. Such experimentation in ecologically valid settings enables understanding of audience perception of live music performance as it unfolds in time. Expressive qualities of marimba players���� bodily gestures, witnessed in several projected and deadpan marimba performances in the stimulus material from Experiment 1 were analysed in Study 1. Laban Movement Analysis (LMA) observation techniques, involving embodied thinking and kinaesthetic mirroring, enabled analysis of force. Force is the third element of motion additional to temporal and spatial aspects for which technology measuring only kinematics can not account. Effort-shape analysis and notation described and recorded expressive qualities of marimba players’ bodily gestures at specific locations on the musical score. With basic training, professional percussionist performers were able to understand and apply effort-shape analysis and notation. This inspired confidence that effort-shape analysis and notation has potential as an analytical tool for performers, teachers and students. The results of Experiments 1 and 2 and Study 1 lead to the formation of a theory of bodily gestures in marimba performance. This theory accounted for functional bodily movements and bodily gestures in marimba performance based on an embodied interpretation of the musical score. Combined experimental and empirical results indicate that bodily movements and gestures can enhance perception of expressive marimba performance and therefore warrant focussed attention in pedagogy and practice. / Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

The main purpose of the present study was to investigate whether a shift from absolute to relative pitch perception occurs during early childhood. Other factors that can influence the development of absolute pitch, such as cognitive abilities and the child's environment were examined. Young children completed (n=88): (1) a variety of pitch tasks (absolute and relative pitch tests) prior to and after two months of focused instruction on absolute and relative pitch, (2) tests of cognitive abilities, and (3) a questionnaire gathering information about family musical environment. / The results indicate that a shift from absolute to relative perception occurs between the ages of 5 and 7. Children younger than six demonstrated limited ability to perform relational tasks such as ordering bells, identifying transposed intervals, and comparing pitches. However, they memorized target pitches better than the older children, matched target tones on the xylophone and sang newly learned songs in their original key more often than did the older children. Older children benefited to a larger extent from the training on relative pitch. Cognitive and spatial abilities were related to absolute pitch development: children who identified pitches better had a more sequential and a less simultaneous way of processing information. Family musical environment seems to have influenced the development of absolute pitch. Implications for the acquisition of absolute pitch are discussed.

Thesis (Ph.D.) -- McMaster University, 2002. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 250-253). Also available via World Wide Web.

Thesis (Ph.D)--Göteborgs universitet, 2008. / Abstract inserted. Includes bibliographical references (p. 283-311)