JSTOR is a not-for-profit service that helps scholars, researchers, and students discover, use, and build upon a wide range of content in a trusted digital archive. We use information technology and tools to increase productivity and facilitate new forms of scholarship. For more information about JSTOR, please contact support@jstor.org.

To examine the changing-voice process, 141 males were interviewed regarding their voice change. Subjects included changing-voice boys (both singers and nonsingers) and men (both singers and nonsingers during time of voice change). Audiotaped interviews were scripted and verbal content analyzed. Results included the following: Boys remembered significantly more about their voice changes than did men. Singers remembered more than nonsingers. Significantly more singers than nonsingers noticed their voice change themselves and indicated that it affected both their singing and speaking. Five of every six interviewees regarded his voice change as a positive experience, but eight times more negative than positive comments were made. Vocabulary was limited to few words and was similar across all groups. Boys used “crack” and men used “break” to describe the sensation; few used musical terminology. Results are discussed in terms of teacher preparation for those working with adolescent boys.

The present study was designed to explore the idea that boys' voices may be changing earlier than indicated in previous research. Singing and speaking voices of fifth-grade (h = 56) and sixth-grade (h = 43) boys were categorized and compared with the Cooksey changing voice stages. Data consisted of grade in school, age in years, highest and lowest sung pitches, overall singing range, speaking pitches, and voice stage categorization. Results indicated an earlier voice change than in previous research. Findings consistent with previous research included the fact that singing and speaking pitch lowered with each successive voice-change stage, the overall range narrowed in the predicted stages, and the speaking pitch remained 2-3 semitones above lowest sung pitch, regardless of voice stage.

High school singers ( N=198) individually sang two melodies from notation, with and without a 30-second practice opportunity. Overall accuracy scores were significantly higher with preparation time. The less accurate singers, however, did not benefit from practice time. Analysis of videoed tests indicated that high scorers tonicized (vocally established the key), used hand signs, sang out loud during practice, physically kept the beat, and finished practicing the melody within 30 seconds significantly more frequently than did low scorers during practice. Similar strategies were used during performance, with the addition of tonicizing before singing. Sight-singing system used made no significant difference. Characteristics appearing significantly more often among high scorers included: region/state choir, private voice or piano lessons, playing an instrument, membership in instrumental ensemble, sight-singing individually outside class, and director giving individual sight-singing tests. Results are discussed in terms of strategies for teaching individual sight-singing and recommended areas of future research. August 11, 2004 January 18, 2005.

In an effort to compare the effect of modeling on the development of musical preference, the author of this study compared subject race and sex with preferred-performer race and sex, examined subject-preferred solos given solo models of differing race and sex, and determined the relationship between performer preference and solo choices. Junior high males ( n = 67) and females ( n = 112), composed of blacks ( n = 110), whites ( n = 45), and Hispanics ( n = 24), indicated their preferences for the 21 performers of the popular song “USA for Africa: We Are the World.” The students then viewed the videotape We Are the World and verbally indicated which solo they would prefer to sing. Statistical comparisons were made between performer preference and solo choices comparing model race and sex with subject race and sex. Results indicated that, generally, subjects tended to prefer same-race and same-sex models. Consistent with previous research, the tendency was stronger for males than females.