Middle School Band Students Research Articles

The Impact of Music Practice Instruction on Middle School Band Students’ Independent Practice Behaviors

The purpose of this study was to investigate the impact of music practice instruction on middle school band students’ ability to articulate and incorporate practice strategies. Participants were middle school band students at a large suburban middle school ( N = 105). Using a pretest–posttest quasi-experimental design, participants were divided into control ( n = 53) and experimental ( n = 52) groups. Participants in the experimental group received 3 weeks of practice strategy instruction during ensemble warm-up time, and the control group continued with their typical warm-up routine. Pretest and posttest data included self-reported practice strategy lists ( N = 105) and video of individual practice sessions ( n = 20). Both self-reported and video data were coded and analyzed using descriptive statistics as well as pretest–posttest within-groups comparisons. Thirteen hours of video data were further analyzed using an observational measure of self-regulation. Analyses revealed that experimental group participants identified and utilized significantly more practice strategies following the instructional intervention. Posttest experimental group practice sessions also revealed a more mature approach to practicing, including more strategic behaviors, greater variety in musical objectives, and longer periods spent focused on short excerpts of music. Implications for future research and middle school instrumental classroom practice are discussed.

The Effect of Jazz Improvisation Instruction on Measures of Executive Function in Middle School Band Students

Research investigating links between academic achievement and active music instruction has not previously differentiated between different types of instruction. In the current study, 155 seventh- and eighth-grade middle school band students were divided into two groups. Both groups received 2 months of instruction in jazz phrasing, scales, and vocabulary, but only the experimental group was taught to improvise. All instruction was part of the warm-up routine in regular band classes. All students were tested before and after instruction on the Wisconsin Card Sorting Task (cognitive flexibility) and the classic Stroop task (inhibitory control). At posttest, eighth-grade students in the experimental group scored significantly better on cognitive flexibility with a smaller percentage of perseverative errors, whereas the treatment had no effect on seventh-grade students on this outcome. Seventh graders, but not eighth graders, in the experimental group increased their posttest scores for inhibitory control, though this result was only marginally significant. In relation to previous research, the current results strongly suggest that far-transfer effects of active music participation depend on the nature of the instruction. Results of prior and future studies should therefore be interpreted in light of the type of music-making engaged by participants.

Effects of Focus of Attention on Performance by Second-Year Band Students

This study tested the effect of the motor learning paradigm of internal and external focus of attention (FOA) with middle school band students. A total of 56 second-year band students (woodwinds n = 28; valved brass n = 18; trombones n = 10) practiced isochronous, alternating pitch patterns (e.g., eighth notes C–A–C–A–C–A–C) in three conditions: control (no FOA), internal (“think about your fingers”), and external (“think about your sound”). At retention testing approximately 24 hr later, students played each stimulus three times with no directed FOA. Performance trials were scored for the average duration of each pitch per trial, or evenness. No significant differences were found between conditions (control, internal, external) on Day 1 or Day 2 ( p > .05). Likewise, no significant differences were found within instrument groups from Day 1 to Day 2 ( p > .05). When evenness scores were examined at the level of the individual student, more woodwind and valved brass players benefited from the internal (fingers) FOA than from control or external conditions. Individual differences among trombone players were less pronounced, slightly favoring the external (sound) condition. Music teachers should consider implementing both internal and external FOAs with their beginning wind students.

Gender and Musical Instrument Stereotypes in Middle School Children

Previous studies have established that gender stereotypes are associated with children’s choice of musical instrument. Though some have suggested that these gender stereotypes may be trending toward change, other studies have indicated that gender stereotypes are long-standing and still very much at issue. This descriptive study of middle school band students ( N = 99) examined instrument gender stereotypes using improved methods of measurement and found evidence that instrument gender stereotypes remain entrenched and pose a persisting problem facing music educators. Importantly, younger and more inexperienced band members may be more open to counterstereotypical views. Suggested changes in research methods and directions for future study are discussed, as are implications for music educators.

Reframing Student Practice to Facilitate Lifelong, Joyful Musicianship

Teaching students to practice independently is an important part of a music teacher’s work. Yet, many common techniques used to teach and enforce student practicing, such as practice charts and performance tests, can backfire, causing students to practice inefficiently or lose their love of music. In search of a method of teaching practicing that promotes enduring, joyful musicianship, I surveyed eighty-nine adult musicians about their practice habits and attitudes. This survey data, along with a review of current research about music learning and motivation, became the basis of a strategic approach to teaching practicing. I taught this approach to my middle school band students and evaluated its success through parent surveys, student interviews, and analysis of videotaped practice sessions. Findings indicate that it is possible to increase the effectiveness of students’ practicing without decreasing their joy. This article details this research and provides a model for reframing practicing as a personally satisfying and healthful lifetime endeavor.

Exclusion, engagement and identity construction in a socioeconomically diverse middle school wind band classroom

The purpose of this multiple case study was to explore the wind band classroom as a social context and examine its influence on middle-school students' identity constructions. The integration of sociologically based identity theory and social identity theory from social psychology suggested by Deaux and Martin as well as Stets and Burke proved most applicable to this inquiry. Findings in this study indicated that middle-school band students made choices regarding course enrolment based on influences of those around them. Based on others' affirmation or rejection of their competency in particular band classroom roles, they reevaluated whether they felt they belonged to the band. Those who felt rejected or less competent chose to enrol in other courses. Students who felt successful and found unique roles within the band more strongly identified with the group. Additionally, increased awareness of socio-economic status appeared to influence students' emerging musical identities.

The Musical Self-Efficacy Beliefs of Middle School Band Students: An Investigation of Sources, Meanings, and Relationships with Attributions for Success and Failure

Abstract This study investigated the musical self-efficacy of middle school band students. A volunteer sample of 45 students from 14 suburban schools completed a 60-item questionnaire measuring students’ self-efficacy beliefs, as well as their attributions for success and failure in music. Background information, including practice habits and family participation in music, was also collected. Measures included the Schmidt Self-Efficacy Scale (2007), a researcher-adaptation of Hendricks’s Self-Efficacy Scale (2009), and the Asmus Motivating Factors (AMF) scale. Students reported generally high musical self-efficacy levels and cited ability as the strongest attributional factor in music success. Many significant relationships were detected among the self-efficacy measures and the AMF subscales (p < .01). A maximum variation subsample was selected for interviews designed to investigate experiences contributing to feelings of self-efficacy. Interview questions reflected Bandura’s (1994) four primary sources of influence upon perceived self-efficacy: mastery or failure experiences, social models, social persuasion, and somatic experience. Responses were transcribed and coded according to a researcher-developed coding scheme. Results revealed that mastery and failure experiences were cited nearly 1 1/2 times more by students with low musical self-efficacy than students with high musical self-efficacy. Somatic experiences were cited nearly equally among students regardless of self-efficacy beliefs.

The Development of a Measure of Self-Regulated Practice Behavior for Beginning and Intermediate Instrumental Music Students

The purpose of this study was to develop and test the construct validity and reliability of a self-report measure of self-regulated practice behaviors for beginning and intermediate instrumentalists. A questionnaire was designed to assess the motive, method, behavior, time management, and social influences dimensions of the theoretical model of self-regulation proposed by McPherson and Zimmerman. The questionnaire’s construct validity was tested using confirmatory factor analysis, and a preliminary assessment of predictive validity was estimated by correlating the measure with self-reported practice habits. The measure’s reliability in regard to internal consistency and consistency over time was assessed as well. The sample consisted of middle school band students in grades 6 to 8 ( N = 302). Confirmatory factor analyses indicated that a model including factors representing the dimensions self-efficacy, method/behavior combined, time management, and social influences was the best fit. Cronbach’s alpha and test–retest reliability results indicated good to excellent consistency across all self-regulation subscales, with coefficients ranging from .76 to .90. Significant correlations ( p < .001) between the self-regulation subscales and self-reported practice habits (i.e., time spent practicing, average daily practice efficiency, percentage of time spent on formal practice) provided preliminary evidence of predictive validity of the measure.

A Study of Middle School Band Students' Instrument Choices

The purpose of this study was to investigate reported influences on middle school band students' instrument choices. A questionnaire was developed to gather information concerning students' instrumental music experience, family participation in instrumental music, and reported reasons for instrument choice and nonchoice. The sample ( N = 990) consisted of sixth-, seventh-, eighth-, and ninth-grade band students from 13 middle schools in the Dade County (Florida) Public Schools. Results revealed strong gender/instrument associations, and students indicated that their instrument choices were most influenced by the instrument sound. Other reported influences included “people,” that is, middle school music teachers, parents, and friends. Although students did not indicate it directly, gender association with certain instruments seemed to override professed reasons for instrument selection.

The Effects of Learning Procedure, Tempo, and Performance Condition on Transfer of Rhythm Skills in Instrumental Music

In this study, I examined the effects of learning procedure and performance tempo on the ability of middle-school-level instrumentalists to perform previously learned rhythmic passages in novel test melodies. Sixty-four advanced- and intermediate-level middle school band students practiced four three-measure rhythmic passages, using one of four learning procedures for each rhythmic passage, until achieving a specified performance criterion, and subsequently performed lest melodies that included the same rhythms. The learning procedures represented verbal and manual techniques that are common in rhythm instruction in instrumental classes and that had been used regularly in daily lessons in which all subjects participated. Performances were evaluated on the basis of tempo accuracy, rhythm accuracy, and pitch accuracy. Results indicate no significant multivariate effect attributable to learning procedure; however, significant differences were found among performance tempi, p < .02. Subjects' tempo accuracy was adversely affected by differences between the tempo at which specific passages were originally learned and the tempi at which they were subsequently performed.