Book Description

This study applied Smith's theory in general reading comprehension to music sight reading fluency and comprehension in instrumental music performers. The study tested the proposition that students taught memory recall, eye movement as an aid to chunking, and the predictive structures of melody will learn to incorporate these strategies into the music reading process. In order to test this theory, fifty-nine 7th through 12th-grade flute students were given instruction in aid to chunking and melodic predicting in four 50-minute lessons over a two week period. The study used a 2 x 2 factorial experimental design. Subjects were pretested with the Watkins-Farnum Performance Scale, form A and classified into two categories: more-skilled and less-skilled music readers. Subjects were then randomly stratified into two instructional treatment groups: (1) Aid to Chunking plus Melodic Predicting, and (2) Melodic Predicting Alone. Aid to Chunking instruction consisted of exercises in memory recall and eye movement using a tachistoscopic technique. Melodic predicting instruction used a modified cloze method. Four main structural components were emphasized in melodic predicting: (1) phrasing and tonality; (2) melodic contour; (3) melodic and rhythmic patterning; and (4) modulation. A sight reading posttest was given on the Watkins-Farnum Performance Scale, Form B as a measure of music reading comprehension and sight reading improvement. Instructional modules for aid to chunking and melodic predicting are included, as well as a melodic predicting posttest, related sight reading exercises, and a pre-performance guide as an adjunct to sight reading. Results indicated: (1) melodic predicting and music reading comprehension are highly correlated; (2) the overall treatment effect of aid to chunking on sight reading improvement was not supported; and (3) a very large readability interaction effect between melodic predicting and music reading comprehension was found. Further findings indicate: (1) the aid to chunking effect was highly significant for less-skilled music readers; and (2) melodic predicting was most effective for more-skilled readers.