Effects of Melodic Pattern Difficulty and Performance Experience on Ability to Play by Ear

Abstract

The primary purpose of this study was to determine the relative difficulty of playing selected types of melodic patterns by ear. Ancillary purposes were to study the effects of performance experience and instrument family on the ability to play by ear, and to investigate the relationship between tonal aptitude and ability to play by ear. Results indicated that (a) descending patterns are more challenging than ascending; (b) patterns in minor tonality are more difficult to play by ear than are those in major; (c) students tend to continue using a familiar (though incorrect) fingering pattern on the repetition of a melodic pattern in a less familiar key, even when it seems that the students realize it is incorrect; and (d) shifting the last pitch of a pattern is easier than shifting the middle pitch. Results showed there was no difference in the ability to play by ear when considering performance experience, instrument family, or the interaction between performance experience and instrument family. There was a moderate positive relationship between tonal aptitude and ability to play by ear for 7th-grade students in this investigation.