Genre-Specific Music Training Affects Auditory Perception
Mentor 1
Adam S. Greenberg
Location
Union Wisconsin Room
Start Date
27-4-2018 1:00 PM
Description
Acquired expertise has been shown to alter our perception of the world around us. Previous research from our lab has revealed a correlation between differences in auditory object perception and extent of formal music training. During object perception, highly trained musicians rely on a different collection of low-level sound characteristics than those with less formal music training. Here, we hypothesize that highly trained musicians of a specific genre (i.e., Classical, Jazz, etc.) may rely on low-level sound features that are different from those exploited by highly trained musicians of another genre. To test this, participants completed a detailed screening survey designed to (1) ensure that participants are highly-trained musicians (superior to previous methods of training measurement), (2) categorize participants by the degree to which they consider themselves performers versus listeners of different genres, and (3) discern participant comfort levels with deviations from notation when performing and listening to different genres. We predict that musicians who specialize in genres that promote musical improvisation (e.g., Jazz) will be more comfortable with deviations from notation when performing and listening to music; whereas, musicians who specialize in genres that promote the precise execution of notation (e.g., Classical) will be less comfortable with deviations from notation when performing and listening to music. Our preliminary analyses support this hypothesis. Future directions include an exploration of the relationship between auditory object perception and training in specific musical genres. Just as highly trained musicians differ from those with less training, we expect to find differences in auditory object perception between Classical musicians (i.e., less comfort with deviations from notation) and Jazz musicians (i.e., more comfort with deviations from notation). Genre-specific training may bias attention towards unique sound features that influence the formation of auditory perceptual objects.
Genre-Specific Music Training Affects Auditory Perception
Union Wisconsin Room
Acquired expertise has been shown to alter our perception of the world around us. Previous research from our lab has revealed a correlation between differences in auditory object perception and extent of formal music training. During object perception, highly trained musicians rely on a different collection of low-level sound characteristics than those with less formal music training. Here, we hypothesize that highly trained musicians of a specific genre (i.e., Classical, Jazz, etc.) may rely on low-level sound features that are different from those exploited by highly trained musicians of another genre. To test this, participants completed a detailed screening survey designed to (1) ensure that participants are highly-trained musicians (superior to previous methods of training measurement), (2) categorize participants by the degree to which they consider themselves performers versus listeners of different genres, and (3) discern participant comfort levels with deviations from notation when performing and listening to different genres. We predict that musicians who specialize in genres that promote musical improvisation (e.g., Jazz) will be more comfortable with deviations from notation when performing and listening to music; whereas, musicians who specialize in genres that promote the precise execution of notation (e.g., Classical) will be less comfortable with deviations from notation when performing and listening to music. Our preliminary analyses support this hypothesis. Future directions include an exploration of the relationship between auditory object perception and training in specific musical genres. Just as highly trained musicians differ from those with less training, we expect to find differences in auditory object perception between Classical musicians (i.e., less comfort with deviations from notation) and Jazz musicians (i.e., more comfort with deviations from notation). Genre-specific training may bias attention towards unique sound features that influence the formation of auditory perceptual objects.
