Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Missouri-Columbia, 2007. / The entire dissertation/thesis text is included in the research.pdf file; the official abstract appears in the short.pdf file (which also appears in the research.pdf); a non-technical general description, or public abstract, appears in the public.pdf file. Title from title screen of research.pdf file (viewed on November 29, 2007) Vita. Includes bibliographical references.

Thesis (D.M.A.)--Rutgers University, 2010. / "Graduate Program in Music Education." Includes bibliographical references (p. 103-118).

Thesis (Ph. D.)--Columbia University, 1939. / Vita. Published also as Teachers college, Columbia university, Contributions to education, no. 775. Music tests, etc.: [30] p. (variously paged). Bibliography: p. 106-108.

Rhythm is one of the most fundamental and important elements of musical performance, but many scholars maintain that rhythm sight-reading remains one of the biggest challenges for musicians in high school ensembles. The purpose of this study was to determine the rhythm sight-reading strategies of accomplished high school instrumentalists and whether the strategies they used were aligned with their respective visual, aural, kinesthetic, or read/write learning styles as determined by their VARK Questionnaire responses. The five questions that guided this inquiry were: (1) What learning strategies do Florida All-State musicians demonstrate while previewing challenging notated rhythm rhythms? (2) What learning strategies do Florida All-State musicians demonstrate while sight-reading challenging notated rhythms? (3) What sensory learning styles (visual, aural, read/write, and kinesthetic) do these demonstrated learning strategies represent? (4) Which sensory learning styles do these All-State musicians generally prefer while learning, according to their VARK Questionnaire results? (5) How do the learning strategies used successfully and unsuccessfully by these All-State musicians while sight-reading notated rhythms relate to their sensory learning style preferences? The 30 participants included 11th- and 12th-grade band musicians who had successfully auditioned into the Florida All-State Band or Orchestra multiple times. The verbal protocol analysis (VPA) technique was used to identify each student’s rhythm sight-reading strategies as they previewed and performed challenging rhythms on a keyboard. Data were coded and scored a minimum of two times. Each student musician’s strategies were then compared with his or her learning style preferences as determined by their responses to the VARK Questionnaire. The findings revealed that the participants used a wide variety of sight-reading strategies during both their preview time and while performing rhythms. Participants’ modality preferences, as determined by their responses to the VARK Questionnaire, were aural (83.3%), kinesthetic (73.3%), read/write (56.7%), and visual (53.3%). A comparison of the participants’ learning strategies to their preferred learning style preferences revealed that all 30 of the participants aurally or internally vocalized the rhythm patterns using “dut” or “1-e-&-a” syllables. Additionally, all but one of them utilized kinesthetic pulse strategies. The results of the study suggest that musicians may benefit from learning varied kinesthetic pulse and aural rhythm pattern strategies, as well as visual strategies, in order to select the ones that they like to use and best facilitate the execution of rhythms successfully. Additional findings indicate that high school musicians should be given adequate practice time so they can develop and apply their preferred strategies.

Sight-reading is the act of performing a piece of music at first sight. This can be a difficult task to master, because it requires extensive knowledge of music theory, practice, quick thinking, and most importantly, a wide variety of musical material. A musician can only effectively sight-read with a new piece of music. This not only requires many resources, but also musical pieces that are challenging while also within a player's abilities. This thesis presents PiaNote, a sight-reading web application for pianists that algorithmically generates music based on human performance. PiaNote's goal is to alleviate some of the hassles pianists face when sight-reading. PiaNote presents musicians with algorithmically generated pieces, ensuring that a musician never sees the same piece of music twice. PiaNote also monitors player performances in order to intelligently present music that is challenging, but within the player's abilities. As a result, PiaNote offers a sight-reading experience that is tailored to the player. On a broader level, this thesis explores different methods in effectively creating a sight-reading application. We evaluate PiaNote with a user study involving novice piano players. The players actively practice with PiaNote over three fifteen-minute sessions. At the end of the study, users are asked to determine whether PiaNote is an effective practice tool that improves both their confidence in sight-reading and their sight-reading abilities. Results suggest that PiaNote does improve user's sight-reading confidence and abilities, but further research must be conducted to clearly validate PiaNote's effectiveness. We conclude that PiaNote has potential to become an effective sight-reading application with slight improvements and further research.

O presente estudo investigou a realização de atividades de leitura à primeira vista em diferentes contextos acadêmicos. Três estudos realizados entre 2014 e 2015 investigaram a implantação de exercícios preparatórios em tarefas de leitura à primeira vista de excertos retirados da literatura do violão. Os estudos, intitulados Estudos A, B e C, contaram com a participação de estudantes de cursos de nível básico, superior e pós-graduação. A incipiência aural afetou no resultado de tarefas de transcrição e execução de um trecho melódico e de composição melódica, sugerindo que os melhores desempenhos estiveram mais baseados na memória motora de localização das notas (Estudo A). A experiência musical e com o estudo de repertório por partituras demonstrou maior influência com os desempenhos, principalmente com a questão do componente aural (Estudo B). Atividades que influenciam no desenvolvimento da leitura à primeira vista foram relatadas pelos participantes, como tocar de ouvido e improvisar. No entanto, relataram não praticar a habilidade de forma sistemática. Um aspecto não considerado como influente afetou na percepção visual de um dos participantes (diferença de escrita entre o exercício e o excerto musical). Mesmo assim, sugere-se ter ocorrido transferência da informação motora armazenada na memória do exercício para o excerto. Participantes com melhores desempenhos apresentaram um equilíbrio de entre experiência musical e experiência de estudo de repertório por partituras (Estudo C). Ainda assim, diferentes níveis de execução da habilidade foram verificados, o que sugere a importância de um treinamento específico. Os participantes pertencentes à amostragem de curso superior demonstraram maior capacidade de otimização do tempo das sessões de estudo, bem como maior autonomia na execução dos mesmos. Isto sugere forte relação com o aumento da capacidade de retenção e decodificação da informação de entrada pelo aumento da experiência geral. / The present study investigated the application of sight-reading activities on different academic contexts. Three case studies, between 2014-2015, investigated the application of preparatory exercises prior to the task of sight-reading excerpts taken from the guitar literature. The participants in the studies, named Studies A, B and C, were high school, undergraduate and graduate students. Aural incipience impacted the result of transcription of a melodic line and melodic composition. It suggests that the best performances were based more on motor memory for note location (Study A). Musical experience in association with repertoire study by scores showed more influential on the performance, especially with the aural component (Study B). Participants related activities which influenced their development of sight-reading, such as playing by ear and improvising music. However, they admitted to not practicing sight-reading in a systematic manner. Differences between an exercise of one excerpt was an aspect not considered previously. Nevertheless, it was suggested that transfer of motor information stored in the memory occurred from the exercise to the excerpt. Participants with better sight- reading results demonstrated balance between musical experience and repertoire study by scores (Study C). However, different levels of skill performance were verified, suggesting the importance of specific training. College level participants showed more ability to optimize time in study sessions, as well as more autonomy to perform it. This suggests a strong relationship between the increase of the ability to retain and decode input data by increasing the general level of experience.

O presente estudo investigou a realização de atividades de leitura à primeira vista em diferentes contextos acadêmicos. Três estudos realizados entre 2014 e 2015 investigaram a implantação de exercícios preparatórios em tarefas de leitura à primeira vista de excertos retirados da literatura do violão. Os estudos, intitulados Estudos A, B e C, contaram com a participação de estudantes de cursos de nível básico, superior e pós-graduação. A incipiência aural afetou no resultado de tarefas de transcrição e execução de um trecho melódico e de composição melódica, sugerindo que os melhores desempenhos estiveram mais baseados na memória motora de localização das notas (Estudo A). A experiência musical e com o estudo de repertório por partituras demonstrou maior influência com os desempenhos, principalmente com a questão do componente aural (Estudo B). Atividades que influenciam no desenvolvimento da leitura à primeira vista foram relatadas pelos participantes, como tocar de ouvido e improvisar. No entanto, relataram não praticar a habilidade de forma sistemática. Um aspecto não considerado como influente afetou na percepção visual de um dos participantes (diferença de escrita entre o exercício e o excerto musical). Mesmo assim, sugere-se ter ocorrido transferência da informação motora armazenada na memória do exercício para o excerto. Participantes com melhores desempenhos apresentaram um equilíbrio de entre experiência musical e experiência de estudo de repertório por partituras (Estudo C). Ainda assim, diferentes níveis de execução da habilidade foram verificados, o que sugere a importância de um treinamento específico. Os participantes pertencentes à amostragem de curso superior demonstraram maior capacidade de otimização do tempo das sessões de estudo, bem como maior autonomia na execução dos mesmos. Isto sugere forte relação com o aumento da capacidade de retenção e decodificação da informação de entrada pelo aumento da experiência geral. / The present study investigated the application of sight-reading activities on different academic contexts. Three case studies, between 2014-2015, investigated the application of preparatory exercises prior to the task of sight-reading excerpts taken from the guitar literature. The participants in the studies, named Studies A, B and C, were high school, undergraduate and graduate students. Aural incipience impacted the result of transcription of a melodic line and melodic composition. It suggests that the best performances were based more on motor memory for note location (Study A). Musical experience in association with repertoire study by scores showed more influential on the performance, especially with the aural component (Study B). Participants related activities which influenced their development of sight-reading, such as playing by ear and improvising music. However, they admitted to not practicing sight-reading in a systematic manner. Differences between an exercise of one excerpt was an aspect not considered previously. Nevertheless, it was suggested that transfer of motor information stored in the memory occurred from the exercise to the excerpt. Participants with better sight- reading results demonstrated balance between musical experience and repertoire study by scores (Study C). However, different levels of skill performance were verified, suggesting the importance of specific training. College level participants showed more ability to optimize time in study sessions, as well as more autonomy to perform it. This suggests a strong relationship between the increase of the ability to retain and decode input data by increasing the general level of experience.

O presente estudo investigou a realização de atividades de leitura à primeira vista em diferentes contextos acadêmicos. Três estudos realizados entre 2014 e 2015 investigaram a implantação de exercícios preparatórios em tarefas de leitura à primeira vista de excertos retirados da literatura do violão. Os estudos, intitulados Estudos A, B e C, contaram com a participação de estudantes de cursos de nível básico, superior e pós-graduação. A incipiência aural afetou no resultado de tarefas de transcrição e execução de um trecho melódico e de composição melódica, sugerindo que os melhores desempenhos estiveram mais baseados na memória motora de localização das notas (Estudo A). A experiência musical e com o estudo de repertório por partituras demonstrou maior influência com os desempenhos, principalmente com a questão do componente aural (Estudo B). Atividades que influenciam no desenvolvimento da leitura à primeira vista foram relatadas pelos participantes, como tocar de ouvido e improvisar. No entanto, relataram não praticar a habilidade de forma sistemática. Um aspecto não considerado como influente afetou na percepção visual de um dos participantes (diferença de escrita entre o exercício e o excerto musical). Mesmo assim, sugere-se ter ocorrido transferência da informação motora armazenada na memória do exercício para o excerto. Participantes com melhores desempenhos apresentaram um equilíbrio de entre experiência musical e experiência de estudo de repertório por partituras (Estudo C). Ainda assim, diferentes níveis de execução da habilidade foram verificados, o que sugere a importância de um treinamento específico. Os participantes pertencentes à amostragem de curso superior demonstraram maior capacidade de otimização do tempo das sessões de estudo, bem como maior autonomia na execução dos mesmos. Isto sugere forte relação com o aumento da capacidade de retenção e decodificação da informação de entrada pelo aumento da experiência geral. / The present study investigated the application of sight-reading activities on different academic contexts. Three case studies, between 2014-2015, investigated the application of preparatory exercises prior to the task of sight-reading excerpts taken from the guitar literature. The participants in the studies, named Studies A, B and C, were high school, undergraduate and graduate students. Aural incipience impacted the result of transcription of a melodic line and melodic composition. It suggests that the best performances were based more on motor memory for note location (Study A). Musical experience in association with repertoire study by scores showed more influential on the performance, especially with the aural component (Study B). Participants related activities which influenced their development of sight-reading, such as playing by ear and improvising music. However, they admitted to not practicing sight-reading in a systematic manner. Differences between an exercise of one excerpt was an aspect not considered previously. Nevertheless, it was suggested that transfer of motor information stored in the memory occurred from the exercise to the excerpt. Participants with better sight- reading results demonstrated balance between musical experience and repertoire study by scores (Study C). However, different levels of skill performance were verified, suggesting the importance of specific training. College level participants showed more ability to optimize time in study sessions, as well as more autonomy to perform it. This suggests a strong relationship between the increase of the ability to retain and decode input data by increasing the general level of experience.

No description available.

Studiens syfte är att få inblick i hur elgitarrlärare arbetar för att få sina elever att lära sig notskrift. I bakgrundskapitlet beskrivs tidigare forskning om notläsning och notskrift. Som teoretisk utgångspunkt används ett designteoretiskt perspektiv, vilket fokuserar på hur människor använder olika tecken för att designa sin kommunikation och sitt lärande. Studien vilar på en kvalitativ forskningsansats med videoobservation som metod. Sex elgitarrlärare på olika kulturskolor har videoobserverats. Det inspelade materialet har sedan transkriberats och analyserats med fokus på de teckenskapande resurser lärarna använder i sin undervisning. I resultatet framkommer att lärarna använder såväl tal, sång, kropp, instrument, musikaliska termer och ljudande bakgrunder för att undervisa traditionell notskrift och/eller tabulatur till eleverna. I diskussionen berörs två övergripande undervisningssätt som har lyfts fram hos lärarna: en traditionell notbunden och musikteoribaserad undervisning och en tabulatur- och gehörsbaserad undervisning. / The study aims to gain insight into how guitar teachers working to get their students to learn musical notation. In the background chapter, previous research in music reading and notation is shown. As a theoretical basis the design theory perspective is used, which focuses on how people use different characters to design their communication and learning. The study is based on a qualitative research with video observation as method. Six electric guitar teachers at different arts schools have been observed using video recording. The recorded material was then transcribed and analysed with a focus on the character-building resources teachers use in their teaching. The result shows that teachers use speech, voice, body, instrument, musical terms and sounding backing tracks to teach traditional music notation and/or tablature for students. In the discussion two comprehensive teaching methods that have been highlighted by the teachers is discussed: a traditional sight-reading and music theory based teaching and a tablature and ear based instruction.