Date of Award
1-1-2022
Document Type
Thesis
Degree Name
M.M. in Music
Department
Music
First Advisor
Rhonda Hackworth
Second Advisor
Michael Worthy
Third Advisor
Andy Paney
Relational Format
dissertation/thesis
Abstract
The purpose of this study was to examine the effect of pitch height on instrument gender ratings. This study’s participants (N=64) consisted of music major (n=32) and non-music major (n=32) students who are enrolled at the University of Mississippi. Using a 5-point semantic rating scale, participants rated the perceived masculinity and femininity of six musical instruments (flute, clarinet, saxophone, trumpet, trombone, tuba) as they are played at the approximate midpoint of their ranges and as they played in ranges that countered their established instrument-sex-stereotype. Specifically, female instruments (flute, clarinet) played in their low ranges while male instruments (trombone, tuba) played in their high ranges. Instruments with unclear or neutral gender ratings (trumpet, saxophone), played in both extremes of their ranges. Once the data were collected, participants’ ratings of the instruments were compared using the Wilcoxon signed rank test. This statistical analysis revealed that pitch height had a significant effect on music majors’ perceived gender ratings for the flute and the trumpet performing at the lower extremes of their ranges. The analysis also revealed that pitch height had a significant effect on non-music majors’ perceptions of all instruments except the tuba and the saxophone in its low range. The Mann-Whitney test determined that the only instruments music majors and non-music majors rated significantly different were the trumpet in its high range and the trombone at the midpoint of its range. There was no evidence to support a difference between the ratings of any of the listening examples as a function of participant sex.
Recommended Citation
Thompson, Raven Gordon, "The Effect of Pitch Height on Instrument Gender Ratings" (2022). Electronic Theses and Dissertations. 2282.
https://egrove.olemiss.edu/etd/2282
Concentration/Emphasis
Music Education