A descriptive study of high school and university students' focus of attention in fast and slow orchestral excerpts

MacLeod, Rebecca B.; Geringer, John M.; Scott, Laurie

doi:10.1177/0255761409336030

Cited by 1 publication

(3 citation statements)

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“…There is no work to our knowledge that identifies dynamics and rubato, both musical features, as aspects conducive to flow. However, previous literature does support that such features modulate attention (Macleod et al, 2009). Thus, the musical features identified in this study may modulate attentional aspects of flow.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 40%

“…While the relationship between flow and melody, harmony, and dynamics has not been directly studied, previous research has indicated a relationship between dynamics, melody, harmony, and attention, of which is a significant factor of the focused flow state. Dynamics are one of the most salient factors that attract attention when listening to music (Macleod et al, 2009), and nonmusicians and musicians are sensitive to dynamics and melody in music (Geringer and Madsen, 1995) as well as harmonic expectations (Loui and Wessel, 2007). Therefore, since dynamics, melody, and harmonic changes seem to attract our attention, unexpected changes in these musical features may draw attention away from the focused state of flow.…”

Section: Musical Factors That Disrupt Flowmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…As an example, one person indicated that it was a "slight error in intonation" that brought them "back into awareness. " Previous research has not studied the relationship between intonation and flow specifically, though work on modes of listening has found that intonation is one of the factors that caught listeners' attention when listening to orchestral performances with focus (Macleod et al, 2009). Thus, it may make sense that mistakes in intonation, as an attentiondrawing mechanism, could bring someone out of the flow state.…”

Section: Musical Factors That Disrupt Flowmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Inducing and disrupting flow during music performance

2023

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Flow is defined as a state of total absorption in an activity, involving focused attention, deep engagement, loss of self-conscious awareness, and self-perceived temporal distortion. Musical flow has been associated with enhanced performance, but the bulk of previous research has investigated flow mechanisms using self-report methodology. Thus, little is known about the precise musical features that may induce or disrupt flow. This work aims to consider the experience of flow from a music performance perspective in order to investigate these features and introduces a method of measuring flow in real time. In Study 1, musicians reviewed a self-selected video of themselves performing, noting first, where in the performance they recalled “losing themselves” in the music, and second, where their focused state was interrupted. Thematic analysis of participant flow experiences suggests temporal, dynamic, pitch and timbral dimensions associated with the induction and disruption of flow. In Study 2, musicians were brought into the lab and recorded while performing a self-selected musical composition. Next, participants were asked to estimate the duration of their performance, and to rewatch their recordings to mark those places in which they recalled “losing themselves in the moment.” We found that the proportion of performance time spent in flow significantly correlated with self-reported flow intensity, providing an intrinsic measure of flow and confirming the validity of our method to capture flow states in music performance. We then analyzed the music scores and participants’ performed melodies. The results showed that stepwise motion, repeated sequence, and a lack of disjunct motion are common to flow state entry points, whereas disjunct motion and syncopation are common to flow state exit points. Overall, such initial findings suggest directions that warrant future study and, altogether, they have implications regarding utilizing flow in music performance contexts.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 40%