An analysis of adult non-specialist responses to recorded music

Stakelum, M (2011) 'An analysis of adult non-specialist responses to recorded music.' Music Education Research, 13 (2). pp. 173-197. ISSN 1461-3808

Abstract

In a workshop setting, two pieces of recorded music were presented to a group of adult non-specialists; a key feature was to set up structured discussion within which the respondents considered each piece of music as a whole and not in its constituent parts. There were two areas of interest, namely to explore whether the respondents were likely to identify the musical features or to make extra-musical associations and, to establish the extent to which there would be commonality and difference in their approach to formulating the verbal responses. An inductive approach was used in the analysis of data to reveal some of the working theories underpinning the intuitive musicianship of the adult non-specialist listener. Findings have shown that, when unprompted by forced choice responses, the listeners generated responses that could be said to be information-poor in terms of musical features but rich in terms of the level of personal investment they made in formulating their responses. This is evidenced in a number of connections they made between the discursive and the non-discursive, including those which are relational and mediated by their experiences. Implications for music education are considered.

Item Type:	Article
Keywords:	music listening, responses, adult, non-specialists, inductive approach, music terminology
Subjects:	B Philosophy. Psychology. Religion > BF Psychology M Music and Books on Music > M Music M Music and Books on Music > MT Musical instruction and study
Divisions:	School of Education
Identification Number:	https://doi.org/10.1080/14613808.2011.577770
Date Deposited:	17 Jul 2015 15:02
Last Modified:	15 Aug 2021 09:40
URI / Page ID:	https://researchspace.bathspa.ac.uk/id/eprint/6446

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