
ERIC Number: EJ708660
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2004-Sep-22
Pages: 12
Abstractor: ERIC
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-0022-4294
EISSN: N/A
Available Date: N/A
The Use of Targeted Pitch Skills for Sight-Singing Instruction in the Choral Rehearsal
Henry, Michele L.
Journal of Research in Music Education, v52 n3 p206 Fall 2004
The purpose of this study was to determine the effectiveness of sight-singing instruction using specific pitch skills emphasizing scale degree and harmonic function. Fifteen pitch skills encompassing scalar, cadential, and chordal tasks were included in the study. Over a 12-week period, two randomly assigned groups of novice high school singers received instruction. Group A (n = 41) received instruction with new melodies written specifically to incorporate the targeted skills. Group B (n = 26) received instruction using familiar melodies that contained the same skills. All participants (n = 67) achieved a significantly higher mean score on the posttest than on the pretest (t = 4.38, 66 df, p [is less than] .00004). Each treatment group also obtained significantly higher mean scores on the posttest than on the pretest; however, there was no significant difference between the two treatments. Targeting specific pitch skills in both familiar and unfamiliar melodies shows promise as an effective tool for sight-singing instruction.
Descriptors: Pretests Posttests, Singing, Music Activities, Intonation, Teaching Methods, High School Students, Auditory Perception, Scores, Music Education
MENC Subscription Office, P.O. Box 1584, Birmingham, AL 35201. Web site: http://www.menc.org.
Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Research
Education Level: N/A
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A
Author Affiliations: N/A