Musical ‘learning styles’ and ‘learning strategies’ in the instrumental lesson: the Ear Playing Project (EPP)

Journal article


Varvarigou, M. and Green, L. 2015. Musical ‘learning styles’ and ‘learning strategies’ in the instrumental lesson: the Ear Playing Project (EPP). Psychology of Music. 43 (5), pp. 705-722. https://doi.org/10.1177/0305735614535460
AuthorsVarvarigou, M. and Green, L.
Abstract

Seventy-five audio recordings of learners attempting to copy a melody by ear were transcribed and analysed. Thematic analysis through NVivo was carried out and combined with judgements from four independent experts using a criteria grid. Overall, the learners’ spontaneous responses to the ear-playing task, termed here ‘learning styles’, were classified into four main categories, termed impulsive, shot-in-the-dark, practical and theoretical. Learners who showed evidence of possible Absolute Pitch (AP) were categorised cross all the first three learning styles, suggesting that the ability to play back by ear from a recording may not be aided by AP. After the initial spontaneous response, the learners’ most common learning approaches, termed here ‘learning strategies’, included listening without playing, playing isolated notes, asking questions, listening and playing along with the recording, and experimenting. The findings suggest that the practice of playing along to a recording can reveal a range of spontaneous learning styles amongst students, of which teachers may otherwise remain unaware; and a range of further learning strategies that may provide new insights for music teachers.

Year2015
JournalPsychology of Music
Journal citation43 (5), pp. 705-722
PublisherSAGE
ISSN0305-7356
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)https://doi.org/10.1177/0305735614535460
Publication dates
Print12 Aug 2015
Online04 Jun 2014
Publication process dates
Deposited21 Sep 2016
Output statusPublished
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https://repository.canterbury.ac.uk/item/87wyq/musical-learning-styles-and-learning-strategies-in-the-instrumental-lesson-the-ear-playing-project-epp

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