Development of Harmonization and Sight-Reading Skills among University Class Piano Students

Abstract

This study is an exploration of the development of sight-reading and harmonization skills among nonkeyboard music majors enrolled in six intact sections of class piano ( N = 39). Classes included 10 minutes of instruction in each of two topics, harmonization and sight-reading, with the remaining time spent on keyboard skills not directly related to the study. Subjects were videotaped twice completing two harmonization and two sight-reading tasks. Videotapes were analyzed for pitch and rhythm errors. Statistical analysis compared pretest to posttest scores, right-hand to left-hand scores, the four tasks, and practice-group condition. Results indicated the right hand was more accurate and consistent than was the left hand, made less improvement on all tasks, and was slightly more accurate on the harmonization tasks than the sight-reading tasks. The left hand made noticeable gain in accuracy on all tasks and was more accurate on the easier tasks than on the more difficult ones.