Units of knowledge in music performance

Author(s): van de Sande, C.

Journal/Book: J Exp Psychol Learn Mem Cogn. 1993; 19: 457-70.

Abstract: The units of knowledge that form cognitive plans for music performance were examined in production errors. In Experiment 1, pianists performed multivoice homophonic music (containing strong across-voice associations) and polyphonic music (containing strong within-voice associations). Pitch errors reflected more chordal (across-voice) units in homophonic performances and more single-note units in polyphonic performances. Error instructions were harmonically and diatonically related to their intended pitches more often than chance, which demonstrates retrieval-based influences on planning. In Experiment 2, pianists conceptualized one of several voices as melody. Both the melody and the voice controlled by outer right-hand fingers (a common location of melody) contained fewer errors, which implies that there are conceptual, retrieval-based, and articulatory influences on units of knowledge that contribute to planning music performance.

Note: Department of Psychology Ohio State University Columbus 43210.

Keyword(s): Attention|. Concept Formation|. Music|. Pitch Discrimination|

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