Pitch-Pattern Accuracy, Tonality, and Vocal Range in Preschool Children's Singing

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to assess young children's abilities to echo short pitch patterns in relation to maintenance of a tonal center in self-chosen and taught songs. Additional considerations were (1) age differences in ability to maintain a tonality and echo pitch patterns; (2) accuracy of vocal reproduction in echoing pitch patterns; (3) age differences in use of vocal range; and (4) size of vocal range used for different singing tasks. Ninety-three preschool children, aged 3-5, were individually tested in singing a self-chosen song, singing a taught song, and echoing 20 short pitch patterns. Children more accurately echoed melodic contours than correct pitches or intervals. A low positive correlation was found between ability to echo pitches or contours and maintenance of a tonal center in singing. Children consistently used larger vocal ranges in echoing pitch patterns than in singing songs.

Exploring children's singing development: do experiences in early schooling help or hinder?

“…Finally, children's singing development has typically been studied cross-sectionally, with models of developing singing based on different levels of performance from children of different ages (Goetze & Horii, 1989;Levinowitz, 1989;Flowers & Dunne-Sousa, 1990;Green, 1994). However, the large amount of individual variability found in a group of children of any given age (Goetze & Horii, 1989;Green, 1994) suggests that a longitudinal approach would be more illuminating in terms of tracing development.…”

Task-Based Variability in Children’s Singing Accuracy

“…Children tend to select lower, rather than higher keys when singing, but when given a higher register, children can evidence wide ranges (Moore, 1991). Still, children often modulate keys in order to use pitches that may be easy or comfortable for them, and children show greater ranges when echoing pitch matching tasks than when singing songs from memory (Flowers, 1990). Rutkowski (1990) described range ability in terms of development, from a student with no use of the singing voice to a student with full use of an expanded range: 1) Does not sing but chants text, 2) Sustains tones with sensitivity to pitch, usually A2 to C3, 3) Wavers between speaking/singing, usually up to F3, 4) Has initial singing range, D3 to A3, and 5) Has full singing range, beyond register lift near B-flat-3 and beyond.…”

Relationships Between Pitch-Matching and Grade Level, Sex, Ethnicity, and Classroom Teachers’ Use of Music in Grades K-3

“…Each music class began with vocalization/vocal exploration activities, followed by a rhythm/beatkeeping exercise. Flowers and Dunne-Sousa (1990) noted that children are likely to expand their vocal ranges "when modeling brief pitch patterns" and recommended implementing "welcome warm-ups" specifically designed for that purpose (p. 110). The students were then asked to echo the 4-beat so-mi pattern as a component of the roll-taking (attendance) process, and as an attempt to reduce performance anxiety.…”