The Effects of Timbre on Melodic Dictation in Advanced Placement Music Theory Students

Author

William Thomas Ardrey, University of MississippiFollow

Date of Award

1-1-2025

Document Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Ph.D. in Music

First Advisor

Andrew Paney

Second Advisor

Graham Bodie

Third Advisor

Elizabeth Hearn

School

University of Mississippi

Relational Format

dissertation/thesis

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to determine the effects of varying timbres on melodic dictation accuracy. Melodic dictation is used not only in collegiate music curricula but also in high school Advanced Placement Music Theory (APMT) courses. Studies examining the effects of varying timbres on dictation are limited (Gephardt, 1978; Gonzalez et al., 2015), and further investigation was needed. Subjects in this study (N = 52) were APMT students who completed melodic dictation tasks in four timbres: Bb clarinet, Bb trumpet, piano, and marimba. A repeated-measures Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) revealed a significant difference in melodic dictation accuracy across the four timbre conditions. A significant difference was found in subjects' melodic dictation accuracy between the clarinet and marimba conditions and the clarinet and trumpet conditions. Subjects were most successful in the marimba condition and least successful in the clarinet condition. Paired-samples t-tests revealed that subjects were significantly more accurate in pitch and rhythm in the rapid-decay timbres (piano and marimba) than in the solid-state timbres (clarinet and piano).

Recommended Citation

Ardrey, William Thomas, "The Effects of Timbre on Melodic Dictation in Advanced Placement Music Theory Students" (2025). Electronic Theses and Dissertations. 3233.
https://egrove.olemiss.edu/etd/3233