The Effect of Male and Female Vocal Modeling on Pitch-Matching Accuracy of First-Grade Children

Abstract

The purpose of the present study was to determine whether children in first grade could, prior to practice, match pitch more accurately with a female than with a male vocal model. The investigators also sought to determine whether there would be any significant difference in pitch-matching accuracy between groups of first-grade children after a period of practice with a female versus a male vocal model. Results of this study indicated that, prior to practice, subjects who could match pitch with one model could generally match pitch with the other. Practice with vocal models, apart from pitch-matching feedback, did not produce significant differences in accuracy means among practice and control groups. The female model grand mean (pre- and posttest average) was only slightly higher than the male model grand mean. It is apparent that male vocal modeling may not necessarily present unique pitch-matching problems to first-grade children.