Louisiana State University LSU Digital Commons LSU Historical Dissertations and Theses Graduate School 1995 The ffecE t of Tuning Stimulus Vibrato, Timbre, and Frequency on Tuning Accuracy of University, High School, and Junior High School Instrumentalists. Wilma L. Benson Louisiana State University and Agricultural & Mechanical College Follow this and additional works at: https://digitalcommons.lsu.edu/gradschool_disstheses Recommended Citation Benson, Wilma L., "The Effect of Tuning Stimulus Vibrato, Timbre, and Frequency on Tuning Accuracy of University, High School, and Junior High School Instrumentalists." (1995). LSU Historical Dissertations and Theses. 5934. https://digitalcommons.lsu.edu/gradschool_disstheses/5934 This Dissertation is brought to you for free and open access by the Graduate School at LSU Digital Commons. It has been accepted for inclusion in LSU Historical Dissertations and Theses by an authorized administrator of LSU Digital Commons. 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THE EFFECT OF TUNING STIMULUS VIBRATO, TIMBRE, AND FREQUENCY ON TUNING ACCURACY OF UNIVERSITY, HIGH SCHOOL, AND JUNIOR HIGH SCHOOL INSTRUMENTALISTS A Dissertation Submitted to the Graduate Faculty of the Louisiana State University and Agricultural and Mechanical College in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in The School of Music by Wilma L. Benson B.M.Ed., Western Kentucky University, 1981 M. Ed., University of Louisville, 1985 May 1995 Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. OMI Number: 9533783 OMI Microform 9533783 Copyright 1995, by OMI Company. All rights reserved. This microform edition is protected against unauthorized copying under Title 17, United States Code. UMI 300 North Zeeb Road Ann Arbor, MI 48103 Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. TABLE OF CONTENTS Page LIST OF TABLES.......................................................................................... iii ABSTRACT................................................................................................... iv INTRODUCTION AND REVIEW OF LITERATURE........................................ 1 Introduction and Need for Study .................................................... 1 Review of Literature........................................................................ 6 Direction of Deviation: Sharp or Flat .............................. 8 Instructional Methods for Intonation and Tuning 22 Relationship of Timbre to Intonation .............................. 28 Vibrato Effects on Intonation and Tuning ..................... 33 Purpose of Study.............................................................................. 36 Terminology Used in Study........................................................... 37 METHODOLOGY............................................................................................ 41 Subjects ......................................................................... 41 Tuning Stimulus Selection ............................................................... 42 Experimental Environment............................................................. 43 Procedure.......................................................................................... 45 Data Analysis .................................................................................... 48 Reliability.......................................................................................... 49 Variables ........................................................................................... 49 RESULTS...................................................................................................... 51 Magnitude of Absolute Cent Deviation Data .............................. 53 Directional Deviation Analysis ....................................................... 57 Summary of Results ........................................................................ 61 DISCUSSION................................................................................................. 63 Direction of Deviation ..................................................................... 65 Absolute Cent Deviations as Affected by Timbre and Vibrato ................................................................................... 69 Conclusions and Recommendations for Further Research. 72 REFERENCES................................................................................................ 75 APPENDICES ........................................................................................ 84 A. Individual Data: ........................................................................... 84 B. Directional Data: Flat/ln-tune/Sharp .................................. 94 VITA...............................................................................................................104 i i Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. LIST OF TABLES Table Page 1. Counterbalanced Design for Oboe Stimuli of Non-vibrato and Vibrato and Korg™ Stimuli of A = 430 Hz, A = 435 Hz, and A = 445 H z ............................................................... 44 2. Example of String/Wind Order for Twenty-five Subjects ....... 45 3. Frequency Distribution of Subjects Among the Orders of Stimuli Presentation .............................................................................52 4. Analysis of Variance: Educational Level x Instrumental GroupxTuning Stimuli.........................................................................55 5. Mean Absolute Cent Deviations: Educational Level x Instrumental Group x Tuning Stimuli ...............................................59 6 . Directional Data: Flat/ln-tune/Sharp Educational Level x Instrumental Group x Tuning Stimuli ...........................................60 i i i Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. ABSTRACT The purpose of this study was to examine intonation in response to a variety of conventional stimuli. Specifically, the tuning accuracy of university, high school, and junior high school woodwind, brass, and string instrumentalists was compared when responding to taped stimuli of A = 440 Hz played on oboe non­ vibrato and oboe with vibrato; and pitches produced electronically on a Korg™ tuner of A = 430 Hz; A = 435 Hz; and A = 445 Hz. In question were the effects of vibrato, timbre, and frequency on tuning accuracy. Subjects (N = 198) were university music students (n = 85), high school students (n = 55) and junior high school students (n = 58). Subjects were individually recorded tuning to each of the five stimuli. Responses were analyzed through a computer system using MacRecorder™ software. These digitized pitches were analyzed for absolute and directional cent deviation with a Korg™ Auto Chromatic Tuner. Results demonstrated significant differences in absolute cent deviation scores among educational levels, among instrumental groups, and among tuning stimuli. University students deviated less from tuning stimuli; junior high school deviated most. String players were most accurate in tuning; brass players were least accurate. Students tuned most accurately to the oboe vibrato, A = 440 Hz stimuli and least accurately to the oboe non-vibrato, A = 440 Hz. Results regarding directional cent deviation analysis demonstrated a propensity toward flat responses. However, i v Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. while more flat responses occurred for strings and brass, there were more sharp responses for woodwinds. There were more flat responses to the higher tuning stimuli (A = 440 Hz and A = 445 Hz) and more sharp responses for