Inner Ear: A tool for individualizing sound-focused aural skill acquisition

Abstract

Inner Ear is a browser-based aural training software designed to improve and better understand the process and means through which students acquire sound-focused aural skills. Its ongoing development follows educational principles established through years of research with undergraduate music students who major in electroacoustic studies, beginning in 2005. It provides users with ongoing detailed feedback about their performance, areas that need additional work, and an accessible notepad for students to record their insights during practice. It collects data on users’ performance and settings that can later be analysed and shared with their instructor. The design of Inner Ear follows insights that emerged in students’ feedback, provided mostly in home practice reports. Primary among these insights are the needs for individualizable practice environments, diversified exercises, speedy and informative feedback and progress evaluation methods.