Musical Skills Research Articles

Exploring Spanish studio music teachers’ views on topics related to creativity

While creativity is a primary focus in music education, its exploration within the realm of music studio teaching is considerably less extensive compared with other educational contexts. Moreover, the related research is predominantly focused on creativity in developing music skills. In the present study, we explore how Spanish instrumental music teachers ( n = 10) perceive creativity and its development among students in the music studio, in the absence of predefined limitations (i.e., with respect to various forms and definitions of creativity inherent in the music studio as perceived from their viewpoint). By means of a case study methodology, we gathered data over a one-year period through a questionnaire, in-depth interviews, participants’ written essays, and researchers’ journal entries following observations of the participants’ teaching practices. Subsequently, qualitative analysis was conducted using thematic analysis. Among our main results, we found tensions between our participants’ theories and their practices, evidence for an underlying individual-centered theory of creativity, both positive and negative attitudes toward the development of creativity among their students, and ignorance of creativity in music listening. Our study implications emphasize the urgency of implementing strategies to enhance teacher self-awareness and underscore the need for further investigation into music studio teaching with a specific focus on creativity.

Reflection, Reflexivity, Learning and the Influence of Formalised and Experiential Piano Training

This autoethnographic study examines how music learning is influenced by teachers and socio-cultural environments and how this influences not only our musical journeys but the way we view our lives, of the progress we have made, the goals in which we hope to achieve, and the way we perceive we will achieve them. This study explores how my musical background, understanding, learning, music-making abilities, and skills have shaped my present beliefs, attitudes and identity as a musician, educator, and researcher. Focusing on teacher pedagogy and practice, the study reveals how prevailing teacher-centred and didactic approaches to teaching impact the perspectives and experiences of learning, and how music teachers have the ability to motivate, and encourage, but also demoralise and dissuade the musical learner. This study highlights understanding of reflective and reflexive teacher practice and how this can unlock impactful pedagogical and relational attributes, articulating teacher development in becoming the better musician and teacher. This study revealed important insights into the way in which I now experience and understand music through a more insightful and deeper awareness of the influences and contexts that impact the way learners engage in music instruction.

Music Psychology and its Integration in Middle School Music Education in China

This study provides insight into the importance of music psychology in music education. First, it emphasizes the key role that music psychology plays in improving students' musical literacy and skills, treating it as an indispensable component of music education. Secondly, the article points out that short-duration music videos have a significant impact on adolescents’ learning attention, highlighting the urgency of integrating music psychology into teaching. In addition, the article deeply discusses the close relationship between music and psychology, which is crucial for improving the quality of music teaching and deeply understanding the psychological process of music learning. Through an in-depth analysis of the role of musical emotion-inducing mechanisms in cognition and emotion, the article particularly emphasizes the impact of musical expectations on emotional responses. Finally, this article once again emphasizes the key role of music psychology in music education, which helps to improve students' musical literacy, deeply understand the psychological process of music learning, and improve the overall quality of music teaching.

Musical skills. Communication, diagnosis and developmental problems

How can the development of imagination, and the enrichment of the spiritual and cultural level influence the effective formation of thought processes? Fields of psychology that study the relationship between thought processes and active creative imagination in light of the development of spirituality have always been relevant. Abilities are considered individual psychological characteristics that distinguish one person from another, mainly those that are related to the success of a certain activity, and giftedness is considered as a qualitatively unique combination of individual psychological abilities, based on which it is possible, success also depends on activity.

Effect of music therapy on language skills in children with specific language impairment: A systematic review

Background: Specific language impairment (SLI) delays language development without any neurological damage or disease. This impairment extends to nonlinguistic tasks, such as music perception skills. In recent years, speech-language pathologists (SLPs) and music therapists (MTs) have collaborated to develop and improve approaches for children with communication disorders (CDs), including global developmental delay (GDD), SLI, mild developmental delay (DD), and the risk of developing reading difficulties, by integrating music therapy (MT) and speech therapy (ST). MT could be considered as one of the alternative methods offered to children with SLI to enhance their language skills. Objectives: The purpose of this study was to investigate the effectiveness of MT interventions on language skills in children with SLI and to investigate the characteristics of other intervention features in these studies, such as interventionists, intervention, settings, session type, and music methods. Materials and methods: The study was a systematic review conducted within the framework of the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and MetaAnalyses (PRISMA). The quality of the research results was assessed using the critical appraisal tools provided by the Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI). Results: Two studies met the inclusion criteria and were included in this systematic review. The two main types of MT employed were song cues and creative music therapy based on the Nordoff-Robbins approach. Current evidence suggests that music therapy improves components of language, including phonology, syntax, morphology, and other aspects of speech development, such as understanding sentences and memory for sentences, in children with SLI. Conclusion: MT can be a valuable and effective intervention for children with SLI. The introduction of transdisciplinary programs that integrate MT and ST could be recommended. However, MT training courses are required for SLPs.

Design and Implementation of Remote Piano Teaching Based on Attention-Induced Multi-Head Convolutional Neural Network Optimized with Hunter–Prey Optimization

The continuous progress of multimedia technology in music educational institutions has led to the recognition of its importance in our country and society. The traditional approach to piano teaching has its limitations, which can be overcome by adopting alternative approaches to the instrument, using advances in science and technology. For pianist, expressing emotions and thoughts through music is crucial, and teachers can now use multimedia tools to exemplify their musical skills to students effectively. This manuscript proposes the Remote Piano Teaching Based on Attention-Induced Multi-Head Convolutional Neural Network Optimized with Hunter–Prey Optimization to improve the piano-teaching quality. At first, input data is taken from Piano Triad Wavset dataset. Afterward, the data are fed to preprocessing stage. The preprocessing stage involve data cleaning or scrubbing that is the process of identifying errors, inconsistencies, and incorrectness in a dataset with the help of adaptive distorted Gaussian matched filter. Then, the preprocessed output is fed to Attention-Induced Multi-Head Convolutional Neural Network (AIMCNN) for effectively predict the piano-teaching quality. The hunter–prey optimization (HPO) algorithm is proposed to optimize the parameters of Attention-Induced Multi-Head Convolutional Neural Network. The performance of the proposed technique is evaluated under performance metrics like accuracy, computational time, learning skill analysis, learning activity analysis, learning behavior analysis; student performance ratio and teaching evaluation analysis are evaluated. The proposed RPT-AIMCNN-HPO attains better prediction accuracy 12.566%, 12.075% and 15.993%, higher learning skill 15.86%, 15.26% and 16.25% compared with existing methods.

The Path of Cultivating Music Appreciation Ability in Piano Education in Colleges and Universities in the Internet Era

Abstract With the Internet and AI technology development, piano education in colleges and universities faces innovative challenges. This study explores the effectiveness of the Internet-based teaching mode in enhancing students’ music appreciation ability. The study adopts a teaching model based on the Internet and AI technology, combining automatic composition, arranging and piano concerto repertoire sessions, and AI+professional teachers’ collaborative evaluation. By implementing a creative thinking teaching module, including pre-course preparation, classroom training and presentation, and post-course communication, the study aimed to improve students’ music appreciation and creative thinking skills. The study results showed that students demonstrated significant improvement in music appreciation skills. The data showed that students who participated in the new teaching model showed an average of 25% improvement in music appreciation skills assessment. In addition, students’ creative thinking skills were also enhanced, with 85% of them demonstrating a high level of innovative music composition. The college piano education model integrating Internet and AI technologies significantly improves students’ music appreciation ability and creative thinking. This model enhances the interactivity and fun of teaching, provides students with a broader platform for musical understanding and practice, and offers new perspectives and methods for music education in colleges and universities.

Analysis of the role and influence of sight-singing and ear training on vocal learning skills

Abstract Sight-singing and ear training is one of the essential introductory courses for music majors, and the effectiveness of sight-singing and ear training teaching directly affects students’ growth and progress in music. In this paper, we have combined relevant contents of sight-singing, ear training, and vocal learning to construct a flipped classroom teaching model for sight-singing and ear training using the flipped classroom teaching process. Secondly, taking the students of L Conservatory of Music as the research object, two different questionnaires were designed for students and teachers, and the teaching experiment comparison method was used to test the role of sight-singing and ear-training flipped classroom on vocal music learning skills. Finally, the parameters of the multiple linear regression model were estimated using the least squares method, and the model was used to analyze the specific effects of sight-singing and ear training on vocal learning skills. It was found that after the flipped classroom teaching of sight-singing and ear-training, the ear-training scores of students in the experimental class were 90.43±9.26 points, which were 17.06 points higher than those of students in the control class, and there was no difference in the pre- and post-test scores of sight-singing and ear-training. The regression coefficient of students’ musical expression was 0.306. Every 1 percentage point increase in musical expression would enhance vocal learning skills by 0.306 percentage points. Sight-singing and ear-training can help students better master the basic skills of vocal music, cultivate their sense of rhythm, and enhance their vocal music learning skills.

The Practice and Application of Philosophical Thought of Music Education in the Information Age in the Education of College Music Curriculum

Abstract Taking the philosophical view of music education as an entry point, this paper investigates the relevance of music education and philosophical thought from three aspects, focusing on the compatible philosophical view of music. Based on the random forest algorithm under machine learning, the music data samples are classified, and the algorithm is chosen to be optimized and improved when the dimension of music features is high. Using the extreme gradient boosting algorithm, the model is penalized to avoid the phenomenon of overfitting during the operation process. The RF-XGBoost hybrid music recommendation algorithm is proposed to help students learn personalized music by combining the two models mentioned above. Utilize ICT integration technology to combine music education and information technology in order to create the M-ICTPACK model. Create music simulation experiments to evaluate the impact of the music recommendation model proposed in this paper. Based on the idea of music education and philosophy, design music teaching content that meets the needs of students in colleges and universities and analyze its impact. The results show that in the music simulation recommendation effect, the smallest gap between the recommended musicians and the type of interest of the students is only 0.00001. The same student scores differently in music skills in different periods of music learning, and after 9 months of learning, except for the learning interest score of 79.365, the scores of all other aspects are more than 80. This paper proposes more effective philosophical ideas for music education in music curriculum education.

Playing music together: Exploring the impact of a classical music ensemble on adolescent's life skills self-perception.

This paper explored the effectiveness of ensemble performance on the development of adolescent's life skills. An explorative qualitative study investigated young musicians' self-perception about the benefits and challenges of learning and playing music together. A convenience sampling technique was adopted for interviewing 15 adolescents (12-18 years old) who participated in a long-term music education programme led by a charity in the North-West of England. The data were analysed using NVivo, employing a thematic analysis approach. Two main themes emerged from the analyses: (1) the main benefits of playing and learning in an ensemble: the development of music and life skills; (2) the challenges experienced by the musicians learning in the ensemble. The findings suggest that participants were conscious of the positive effects of playing in an ensemble on their lives. This extended beyond merely learning a musical instrument, i.e. acquiring music skills. In particular, young musicians recognised they had developed greater self-confidence and cognitive skills such as critical thinking and self-awareness. Primarily, they developed effective communication and interpersonal skills. At the same time, these young musicians recognised they had to face challenges related to the process of learning music in an ensemble, such as managing emotions of frustration and adapting to different music learning styles and techniques. Finally, suggestions are made for the implementation and evaluation of future projects to explore the impact and effectiveness of classical music programmes, with a particular emphasis on ensemble-based initiatives and their influence on life skills.

The importance of observing the master's hand: Action Observation Training promotes the acquisition of new musical skills.

Via mirror mechanism, motor training approaches based on the alternation of action observation and execution (i.e., Action Observation Training-AOT) promote the acquisition of motor abilities. Previous studies showed that both visual and auditory stimuli may elicit a common motor representation of music-related gestures; however, the potentialities of AOT for the acquisition of musical skills are still underexplored. Twenty-one music-naïve participants underwent two blocks of training: AOT and Key-light Observation Training (KOT). AOT consisted of the observation of a melodic sequence played on a keyboard with the right hand by an expert model, followed by participant's imitation. Observation and execution were repeated six consecutive times (T1-T6). KOT followed the same procedure, except for the visual content of the stimulus, depicting the sequential highlighting of the piano keys corresponding to the melody. The rate of correct notes (C), the trainee-model similarity of key-pressure strength (S), and the trainee-model consistency of note duration (R) were collected across T1-T6. Both AOT and KOT improved musical performance. Noteworthy, AOT showed a higher learning magnitude relative to KOT in terms of C and S. Action Observation Training promotes the acquisition of key elements of melodic sequences, encompassing not only the accurate sequencing of notes but also their expressive characteristics, such as key-pressure dynamics. The convergence of listening and observation of actions onto a shared motor representation not only explains several pedagogical approaches applied in all musical cultures worldwide, but also enhances the potential efficacy of current procedures for music training.

Application of auditory perception technology to multimodal teaching innovations in college music

Abstract This study explores a university music teaching system enhanced by auditory perception technology. It delves into the intricacies of auditory perception technology and its integration with multimodal music education, highlighting the potential applications in university settings. Using short Fourier transform and wavelet transform techniques, the system computes Mel frequency cepstrum coefficients (MFCCs) and first-order differential dynamic music characteristics. These are then utilized to construct the multimodal teaching framework through computer programming languages. The multimodal music teaching system was tested and analyzed using data analysis software. The results showed that the experimental group and the control group produced significant differences (P<0.05) in the four aspects of fluency (0.005), flexibility (0.003), originality (0.001), and the total score of singing skills (0.004) of music singing skills. This study not only enriches theoretical research on multimodal teaching innovations in music but also promotes the development of university music education.

Diversified Teaching Strategies for Ethnic Instrumental Music Courses in Colleges and Universities in the Information Age

Abstract The information age is an era of innovation. Instructional design and development tools make it easier and faster for teachers to organize teaching content; instructional evaluation tools make it more scientific and objective for teachers to evaluate teaching effects; and student management tools pay attention to individual differences of students and realize diversified evaluation perspectives for students. On the basis of the MIDI dataset, signal separation information filtering and other related operations are used to preprocess ethnic instrumental music signals, followed by the construction of an automatic composition model using deep learning technology. Based on the diversified teaching needs of ethnic instrumental music courses in colleges and universities, an instrumental music teaching system was designed by using the automatic composition model and computer programming language, and an empirical analysis of the informatization teaching of ethnic instrumental music courses in colleges and universities was carried out by using experimental comparative analysis. The results show that the overall level of ethnic music in the experimental group improved significantly P<0.05, indicating that the students in the experimental group made significant progress in ethnic music literacy. In contrast, the students in the control group improved but did not highlight, indicating that the proposed teaching system has a facilitating effect on the enhancement of the teaching performance of ethnic instrumental music courses. This study improves the teaching quality of ethnic instrumental music courses in colleges and universities and is of great significance in enhancing students’ music literacy and skills.

The Investigation on Harmonic Teaching Strategies for the Efficiency Development of Music Learning Skills: A Case Study of A Junior Middle School in China

The Investigation on Harmonic Teaching Strategies for the Efficiency Development of Music Learning Skills: A Case Study of A Junior Middle School in China

Combination of Efficient Informationized Music Teaching and Traditional Music Culture in the Internet Era

Abstract Music teaching in education is undergoing a profound change under the development of information technology. Integrating information technology not only enhances teaching efficiency, but also expands the reach of teaching resources. The challenge for educators is to combine the use of modern information technology with the preservation and promotion of traditional music culture. This study discusses how to effectively combine efficient informatization teaching methods with China’s rich traditional music culture in the Internet era, intending to provide new perspectives and strategies for the innovative development of music education. By comparing and analyzing the learning effectiveness of the experimental group (using informatized teaching methods) and the control group (using traditional teaching methods), the study shows that the experimental group’s average improvement rates in music comprehension, skill mastery, and creativity reached 20%, 30%, and 40%, respectively, which were higher than those of the control group. The combination of informatization teaching tools and strategies in this study can significantly improve students’ interest and effectiveness in learning traditional music culture, injecting new vitality into conventional music education.

The Development of Applied Piano Teaching Method to Cultivate Undergraduate Students’ Ability in Music Learning Skills

The Development of Applied Piano Teaching Method to Cultivate Undergraduate Students’ Ability in Music Learning Skills

Practical Teaching of Music Curriculum in Colleges and Universities Based on Multiple Intelligences Theory

Abstract Traditional piano teaching usually focuses on students’ mastery of music skills and music theory, but neglects the cultivation of students’ musical expression and creativity. In this paper, the multiple intelligence theory is used as the guiding theory, and the multiple hybrid teaching model of the piano course is established by combining the flipped classroom. The Fuzzy-CDF model is introduced to quantify students’ piano music cognitive level, the Apriori algorithm is used to generate piano music knowledge point sequences, and multiple algorithms are used to collaborate on personalized recommendations of piano music knowledge resources for students. For the application effect of the piano music multivariate hybrid teaching model established in this paper, a teaching experiment was conducted to analyze it with H Music Academy as an example. The results show that the combined ability of song arrangement and playing and singing of the experimental class improved by 9.74 and 11.10 points respectively compared with the performance of the control class, and the average value of the difference between the pre-and post-tests of the experimental class’s note recognition ability compared with that of the control class reached 5.8 points. The application of Multiple Intelligences Theory can stimulate the individual’s sensitivity to timbre, pitch, and meter, fully enhance students’ musical expression and creativity, and make piano learning more effective.

Artistic Guidance and Emotional Expression Pathways in Piano Performance - Based on Deep Score Characterization Fusion

Abstract In the evolving domain of artificial intelligence and deep learning, the pedagogical applications of piano performance— specifically its artistic instruction and emotional expressiveness—have garnered increasing scholarly attention. This research leverages MIDI music file formats to mine necessary data, engaging in a detailed examination of the structural and characteristic elements of MIDI files. To optimize the precision of mathematical models applied in this study, MIDI music data underwent preliminary preprocessing steps, including hexadecimal encoding and feature filtering, which facilitated the transformation of MIDI features into vectors representing emotional attributes. The study introduced the development of a BiLSTM_BLS model tailored to articulate the nuances of piano performance and emotional expression. This model synthesis integrates features reflective of emotional states induced by piano playing. A mathematically derived loss function was utilized to gauge the model’s fidelity, thereby enabling an assessment of its efficacy in the realms of artistic instruction and emotional conveyance in piano performance. Findings indicate a proximity between the emotional states of Anger (0.392) and Stress (0.385), with Depressed (0.422) presenting a slightly elevated distance from these states. Moreover, the BiLSTM_BLS model achieved a performance score of 3.214 in the evaluation of artistic expression, which corresponds to 64.28 on a standardized 100-point scale. This investigation contributes to the enhancement of musical skills and theoretical knowledge among pianists, promotes cognitive development, augments emotional expression, and nurtures creativity.

Blending Synchronous and Asynchronous Based on Visualization Strategy in Music Lesson to Promote Music Students’ Performance Skill

During the COVID-19 pandemic, music lessons greatly impact teachers and students, especially the constraints of applying proper tools in online music lessons including delivering lessons, classroom interactions, and conducting assessments to ensure students’ learning goals attain a desired end. This research study aimed to examine the effect of blending synchronous and asynchronous music lessons based on visualization strategy towards students’ music performance skill. This research applies a quasi-experimental design where obtaining validation from teachers and experts on the learning activities through blended learning based on visualization strategy, Wilcoxon Signed Rank Test and Spearman Correlation for measuring the effectiveness of learning activities for music lesson based on blended learning approach towards student’s musical performance skill and achievement, and a quantitative design supported with quantitative data where descriptive statistics are used to examine the perception of student’s on learning activities based on blended learning using synchronous and asynchronous towards their performance skill. This study was conducted based on an experiment whereby students participated during their music lesson via synchronous and asynchronous with the support of visual media. Digital platform with learning activities was used to conduct the synchronous and asynchronous lessons, and student’s performance skill were measured in relation to learning effectiveness. Six weeks of planning evaluation variables were tested involved rubric scores according to students’ pre-activity and post-activity in addition to test the interrelationship of students’ achievement grading system during pre-test and post-test conducted. A questionnaire with items of 30 student’s perception on the learning activities based on blended learning using synchronous and asynchronous with visualization strategy towards music performance skill were brought forward after the completion of 5 weeks program. Using visualization strategy positively impacts students’ understanding and enhances their skill in music performance and music theory achievement. Nevertheless, there was no correlation between students’ music performance skill and music theory achievement in promoting students’ music performance skill. Based on the students’ perception, they were able to improve in music performance skill substantially developed from viewing visualized materials, understanding the concept of music performance skill, and implementing on their musical instruments. Teachers’ perceptions should be considered to provide expectations towards students’ motivation and accomplishment.

Teaching Piano to Blind Children: An Analysis of Positive Perceptions Based on Perma Framework in Qingdao, China

Blind children can benefit from music education as it enhances their musical skills and auditory abilities. However, blind children in China face challenges in pursuing music education due to issues such as social stigma and lack of qualified teachers. Moreover, research in this area is lacking. On the basis of the PERMA (positive emotion, engagement, relationships, meaning, accomplishment) framework, this study attempts to identify the positive psychology of blind children’s piano learning among teachers, blind students, and parents. This study aims to to fill the research gap of piano learning among blind children. Interviews were conducted with piano teachers, blind students, and their parents (N=56) using a qualitative research methodology through PERMA framework. The data identified that piano teachers’ instruction was influenced by their preparation of teaching and personal attitudes. Findings also revealed that the positive emotion, sense of engagement, and positive relationships, impacted the accomplishment and achievement of all participants. This study demonstrates that teachers’ preparation experience and positive attitudes, engagement, and building rapport with blind children and their parents are crucial to promoting their piano learning. This study offers readers the chance to get insight into the field of piano instruction for the blind as well as illumination from thought and empirical support for piano teachers and music educators in inclusive music education in China.