Pitch-matching accuracy in singers and nonsingers

Abstract

The present study determined the accuracy and the effect of repeated trials for singers and nonsingers when matching their vocal fundamental frequency to a preset tone near the midpoint of their modal-loft phonational range. Two measures of accuracy were obtained for nine trials for five singers and five age-matched nonsingers: (a) the difference between the target frequency and the first measureable waveform, and (b) the difference between the target and the average of the first five measureable waveforms. The results indicate that singers are more accurate than nonsingers are in their ability to match the first measureable waveform and the mean of the first five measureable waveforms to targets presented aurally. In addition, singers as a group improved from the first three trials to the final three trials in accuracy for both measures, whereas the nonsingers did not demonstrate a group trend toward improvement. The results suggest that singers as a group may rely on their training or experience to perform a pitch-matching task superiorly to nonsingers. The present study determined the accuracy and the effect of repeated trials for singers and nonsingers when matching their vocal fundamental frequency to a preset tone near the midpoint of their modal-loft phonational range. Two measures of accuracy were obtained for nine trials for five singers and five age-matched nonsingers: (a) the difference between the target frequency and the first measureable waveform, and (b) the difference between the target and the average of the first five measureable waveforms. The results indicate that singers are more accurate than nonsingers are in their ability to match the first measureable waveform and the mean of the first five measureable waveforms to targets presented aurally. In addition, singers as a group improved from the first three trials to the final three trials in accuracy for both measures, whereas the nonsingers did not demonstrate a group trend toward improvement. The results suggest that singers as a group may rely on their training or experience to perform a pitch-matching task superiorly to nonsingers.