Relationships between Grades in Music Theory for Nonmusic Majors and Selected Background Variables

Abstract

The relative contributions of measures of musical aptitude, music experience, and sex in predicting grades in a music theory course for nonmusic majors (N = 279) were determined by multiple regression analysis. The only statistically significant predictor was the variable indicating years of performance experience, which accounted for 10% of the variation in theory grades. Although the bivariate correlations between the measures of musical aptitude and music experience were strong, the musical aptitude measures did not contribute significantly to the prediction of theory grades.