Product Description

This book is a hands-on investigation of the stages musicians go through as they learn to hear, read, and perform music. It draws on the latest research in music perception and cognition, music theory, and pedagogy, along with centuries of insight from music theorists, composers, and performers.
The first part explores the development of music listening skills, including such broader activities as dictation and transcription, and specific abilities such as meter perception, short-term musical memory, and tonic inference. The second part then examines the skills involved in reading and performing music. It looks at such physical skills as vocal production and eye movements and at such complex integrated tasks as sight-singing transpositions and modulations. Throughout the book the author presents these skills in their musical contexts and emphasizes their roles in the general development of musicality.
Aural Skills Acquisition builds important bridges between music theory, cognitive psychology, and pedagogy. It subjects ideas from music theory to the rigors of psychological testing and combines findings from the psychology of learning with ideas and methods of contemporary music theory. It will prove an invaluable guide for music teachers, music theorists, and psychologists interested in music perception and cognition.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #894599 in Books
• Published on: 2000-11-16
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Hardcover
• 272 pages

Review
"An excellent book that makes many contributions, the most groundbreaking of which is a synthesis of cognitive research, pedagogical and other more qualitative studies..."--Music Perception

About the Author

Gary S. Karpinski is Professor of Music and Coordinator of Music Theory at the University of Massachusetts at Amherst. He has served as President of the Association for Technology in Music Instruction, President of the New England Conference of Music Theorists, Board Member for Music Theory for the College Music Society, and as Reviews Editor for the Journal of Music Pedagogy. His research interests include the relationships between cognition studies and music theory pedagogy, Schenkerian analysis, musical memory, and the interval cycles in twentieth century music.

Customer Reviews

Review
This book is extremely up to date with current research. Anyone studying music theory, aural skills pedagogy or music education must read this book. This book also builds on previous studies done by scholars important in the field of music psychology as well. Separating the chapters into easily accesible units such as melodic dictation and harmonic dictation makes references quick and easy!

Clarification
I would just like to clarify for those considering buying this book as a guide for learning aural skills: that is NOT what this book was intended for. Karpinski wrote this book as a resource for music educators and those studying aural skill pedagogy; it is a scholarly book without exercises or other means of practicing sight singing or ear training. For those wishing to learn aural skills, Karpinksi has more recently produced a Manual For Ear Training And Sight Singing and an accompanying Anthology for Sight Singing.

Useful
A fine reference. Makes the subject more palatable and gives good suggestions for curriculum development.