Effects of Stimulus Octave and Timbre on the Tuning Accuracy of Secondary School Instrumentalists

Abstract

To test the effects of octave and timbre on tuning accuracy, four stimuli-B-flat 4 sounded by flute, oboe, and clarinet and B-flat 2 sounded by tuba-functioned as reference pitches for high school wind players (N = 72). The two stimulus octaves combined with participants' assigned tuning notes created soprano, tenor, and bass tuning groups. All participants tuned to each instrument. Results indicated no effect due to tuning group. There was a significant difference due to stimulus. Participants' responses were more out of tune to the tuba stimulus than to the oboe, clarinet, and flute stimuli, which were not different from each other. There was no difference in the distribution of in-tune, sharp, and flat responses across tuning stimuli, a result that differs from the "preference for sharpness" effect in previous research. Verbal and performance responses to the tuba, oboe, and flute stimuli revealed misconceptions between participants' perceptions of tuning difficulty and actual performance difficulty and favored the use of oboe and flute as tuning references. Most of the participants (82%) reported tuning to the tuba as the prevalent approach to mass tuning in their school bands.

Effects of Pre-Tuning Vocalization Behaviors on the Tuning Accuracy of College Instrumentalists

“…We asked the oboe professor at the first author's institution to record the stimulus tone (B-flat 4) that would be heard by participants, chosen for its frequent use (Silvey, 2013) and effectiveness (Byo, Schlegel, & Clark, 2011). The oboist viewed a tuner while performing and played without vibrato.…”

“…The resulting eight long tones lasted approximately 7 seconds in length each. Consistent with prior research (Byo et al, 2011), we conducted a mean frequency analysis of the middle 3 seconds of each tone using Praat software (Boersma & Weenink, 2016) to determine which of the performed tones most closely matched the equal-temperament standard frequency for B-flat 4 (466.16 Hz) and avoid the likely pitch deviation at the attack and release. The chosen stimulus tone, selected through consensus after multiple listenings, had a mean frequency of 466.75 Hz.…”

Effects of Dark and Bright Timbral Instructions on the Production of Pitch and Timbre

“…Results suggested a minimum sample size of 54 (input parameters included Pillai’s criterion = .6, an alpha level of .05, and a power level [1 – β] of .8). We selected these input parameters based on a review of Cohen’s (1998) power guidelines as well as effect sizes reported in previous research focused on pitch and timbre performance (e.g., Byo et al, 2011; Schlegel & Springer, 2018). Participants ( N = 56) were high school trumpeters from three successful high school band programs in the southeastern United States (as evidenced by their regular superior ratings at adjudicated performance assessments and the number of students who participated in honor bands) and collegiate trumpeters from two large schools of music in the southeastern United States accredited by the National Association of Schools of Music.…”

Research to Resource: Evidence-Based Strategies for Improving Wind Intonation

“…This practice is important because it allows musicians to adjust their instrument to an optimum length, calibrate their aural expectations, and prepare themselves psychologically for a successful rehearsal or performance. Byo et al (2011) investigated how wind instrumentalists’ tuning accuracy was affected by the instrument that sounded the tuning note (i.e., flute, oboe, clarinet, or tuba). They found that high school musicians were significantly more accurate when tuning their concert B-flat note to a flute, oboe, and clarinet as compared with the tuba, even though 82% of participants reported that their ensembles used tuba as the stimulus instrument when tuning.…”

“…It is not known why the tuba stimulus resulted in less accurate tuning than the flute, oboe, or clarinet stimuli among high school band students (Byo et al, 2011). The result could be due to the different octave that the tuba played relative to the other stimuli (i.e., most instruments would perform one or two octaves above the tuning stimulus) or unique timbral characteristics of the tuba sound.…”