Dissertation Index
Author: Lapidaki, Eleni Title: Consistency of Tempo Judgments as a Measure of Time Experience in Music Listening Institution: Northwestern University, School of Music Begun: unspecified Completed: June 1996 Abstract: This study was designed to determine whether listeners from different age groups (30 adults, 30 adolescents, and 30 preadolescents) and musical backgrounds (musicians and nonmusicians) could set tempi in a consistent manner over an extended period of time. The variables of musical style (e.g., Baroque, Impressionistic, contemporary idiom, rock ballad, and dance music), familiarity, and preference were also considered. Subjects heard the same six compositions on four separate occasions. Each session systematically varied the order of the presentation and the initial tempo of the examples. Each was recorded digitally and performed in real time with a computer controlling a MIDI synthesizer. Subjects were asked to listen to each piece and indicate whether the experimenter should set the tempo "faster" or "slower" until it sounded right to them. Results of repeated measures ANOVAs indicated that the initial tempo significantly dominated subjects’ "right" tempo judgments: the slower initial tempo generally evoked slower tempo selections, and so on. However, a relatively small number of adults, mostly musicians, were remarkably consistent in their tempo judgments across all four trials. It appeared that these individuals possess an exceptional ability with respect to acute stability of large-scale timing in music that was labeled "absolute tempo." There was also evidence that the degree of consistency in right tempo judgments gradually increased from preadolescence through adulthood. Few statistically significant differences in consistency of tempo judgments were found as a result of musical background. Findings strongly suggested that the style of musical examples influenced the degree of tempo consistency across trials. Moreover, there was statistically significant evidence that an increase of familiarity with the musical examples and the musical styles resulted in an increase of consistency of right tempo judgments. Finally, there was statistically significant evidence that subjects tended to render more consistent tempo judgments for the pieces they like than for the ones they dislike. This research was awarded the "Outstanding Dissertation Award for 1996" by the Council for Research in Music Education (CRME) during Music Education National Conference (MENC) in Phoenix, AZ, U.S.A., April 1998. Keywords: musical time, tempo perceptio, absolute tempo, musical ability, depelopmental psychology of music, music education TOC: CHAPTER 1. INTRODUCTION Purpose of the Study Research Questions Need for the Study Organization of the Study Background for the Study Relation of the Dissertation to the Center for the Study of Education and the Musical Experience (CSEME) The Problem of Time: A Perennial Issue of Bifurcation Absolute Time Relational Time New Concepts of Time in the Twentieth Century The Dialectic of Time in Music The Significance of Tempo in Music Summary CHAPTER 2. REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE General Considerations Physiological Basis of the Sense of Tempo Psychological Tempo in Music Listening and Performance The Impact of Tempo on Affective Responses to Music Tempo Changes in Music Performance The Ability for Discrimination of Tempo Changes in Music Listening Defining Personal Factors of Tempo Perception: Age Musical Background Preference and Familiarity Consistency in Tempo Perception Conclusion CHAPTER 3. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODOLOGY Basic Assumptions Research Questions Methodology: Characteristics and Selection of Musical Examples Subjects Apparatus Procedures CHAPTER 4. REPORT AND DISCUSSION OF RESULTS Presentation of Data Research Question 1: Consistency of Tempo Judgments Research Question 2: The Variable of Age Research Question 3: The Variable of Musical Background Research Question 4: The Variable of Musical Style Research Question 5a: The Variable of Familiarity with Musical Examples Research Question 5b: The Variable of Familiarity with Musical Styles Research Question 6: The Variable of Preference Discussion of Results: Consistency of Tempo Judgments Absolute Tempo The Variable of Age The Variable of Musical Background The Variable of Musical Style The Variable of Familiarity The Variable of Preference CHAPTER 5. SUMMARY AND RECOMMENDATIONS Additional Reflections Summary:depelopmental psychology of music Representative Ideas of Time, Musical Time, and Tempo Related Empirical Research Review of the Present Study Recommendations for music research Recommendations for music education Contact: Dr. Eleni Lapidaki Faculty of Music Department of Musical Studies Aristotle University of Thessaloniki 54006 thessaloniki Greece email: lapidaki@mus.auth.gr Office phone/voicemail: +30 31 995876 |