Redefining Pitch Difficulties in Sight-Singing

Description

The pilot study was conducted with 60 volunteer participants from three faculties of Atatürk University offering professional music education. Participants were informed that recordings would be taken, and consent was obtained via Participant Information and Consent Forms, which also collected demographic data. Each participant was assigned a number. The test lasted approximately 5–6 minutes per participant. Due to technical issues, three recordings were excluded, leaving 57 for analysis. Of these, 31 were female and 26 male; 29 were Conservatory students, 19 from the Faculty of Education, and 9 from the Faculty of Fine Arts; 14 were first-year, 27 second-year, 6 third-year, and 10 fourth-year students; 15 were graduates of Fine Arts High Schools, while 42 were from other schools. Evaluation was performed by two researchers, with correct responses scored as 1 and incorrect as 0. Inter-rater reliability was found to be excellent (Kappa ≈ 0.987). To establish face and content validity, expert opinions and group differences were examined. Since Fine Arts High School graduates had received four additional years of music education, their mean scores were expected to be significantly higher. Group means were calculated as 38.87 and 31.57. Due to unequal group sizes, the non-parametric Mann-Whitney U test was applied. The significance value of 0.036 indicated a meaningful difference in favor of Fine Arts High School graduates (p < 0.05), demonstrating high content validity. Reliability was assessed using KR-20, an alternative to Cronbach’s Alpha for achievement tests. The KR-20 value of 0.888 indicated high internal consistency and reliability of the test. The main study was conducted with 104 volunteer participants from the same faculties. Of these, 55 were female and 49 male; 59 were Conservatory students, 28 from the Faculty of Education, and 17 from the Faculty of Fine Arts; 36 were first-year, 19 second-year, 25 third-year, and 24 fourth-year students; 33 were graduates of Fine Arts High Schools, while 71 were from other schools. The same procedure as in the pilot study was followed. Unison intervals (e.g., C–C, D–D) were retained to ensure pitch accuracy but excluded from calculations due to their lack of discriminative value, leaving 56 measures for analysis. Item difficulty indices (pj) were calculated using a 50% upper and 50% lower subgroup division due to the limited sample size. Interval difficulty levels were compared according to the variables “second note,” “interval type,” “first note,” and “interval direction.” Intervals with the second note C were treated as a separate category and excluded from subsequent comparisons. Sixteen categories were created and ranked by pj averages, grouped into five levels from easiest (Level 1) to most difficult (Level 5). This ranking was then verified using the Rasch model, with logit difficulty parameters (bj) calculated on the raw data and compared to pj averages.

Steps to reproduce

The research process consisted of three stages: the development of the Pitch Difficulty Levels Test as a data collection instrument, its administration, and the reclassification of pitch difficulty levels based on the findings. In designing the test, the goal was to include all possible transitions from each scale degree to every other degree. The test comprised 64 independent measures, each containing two notes without rhythmic values. Because the degree system is not commonly used in solfeggio instruction in Turkey, the test was prepared using staff notation. Given that students of music education are most familiar with the key of C major, the entire test was constructed in this key. Rhythmic elements were excluded to avoid their potential influence on difficulty levels. To ensure the appropriateness of the test and procedure, expert opinions were sought, and a preliminary trial was conducted with a group of five participants. Necessary adjustments were made accordingly. The final procedure was as follows: 1. The participant was given the test sheet and provided with the following instructions: “The test consists of 64 measures, all in C major. Each measure contains two notes without rhythmic values. For each measure, I will play the C major chord followed by the first note on the piano. You will repeat this note with its name and pitch, and then attempt to vocalize the second note in the same way.” 2. The administrator demonstrated one example. 3. The participant was asked to sing the C major scale and arpeggio ascending and descending with piano support. 4. Recording was started, and the administrator announced the participant’s number. 5. The administrator announced “first line.” 6. The C major chord and the first note of the first measure were played on the piano. 7. The participant repeated the note with its name and pitch, then attempted to vocalize the second note. 8. No feedback was given regarding correctness; participants were allowed to self-correct. 9. The procedure continued with the second measure, repeating steps 6–7. 10. At the beginning of each new line, the administrator announced “second line,” “third line,” etc. 11. After all measures were completed, the recording was stopped.

Institutions

• Atatürk University

  Erzurum, Erzurum

Categories

Funders

• Atatürk University BAP

Licence