Research Studies in
Orff Schulwerk
Orff Research Webliography
Full Listings > The effect of harmonic accompaniment on the tonal achievement and tonal imp...
Guilbault, D. M. (2004). The effect of harmonic accompaniment on the tonal achievement and tonal improvisations of children in kindergarten and first grade. Journal of Research in Music Education, 52, 64-76.
| Author(s): | Guilbault, Denise M |
| Title: | The effect of harmonic accompaniment on the tonal achievement and tonal improvisations of children in kindergarten and first grade |
| Source Type: | Journal |
| Source Name: | Journal of Research in Music Education |
| Year: | MENC |
| Year: | 2004 |
| Volume: | 52 |
| Pages: | 64-76 |
| Orff Topic Category: | Creativity/Improvisation |
| Secondary Orff Topic Category: | Learning and development/Diverse learners |
| Research Methodology I: | Quantitative |
| Research Methodology II: | Quasi-Experimental |
| Participants: | K-1 |
| Purpose: | To discover effect of root melody on tonal achievement and improvisation |
| Independent Variables: | root melody |
| Dependent Variables: | tonal achievement, tonal improvisation |
| Abstract: | This research examined the effect of harmonic accompaniment on the tonal ahcievement and tonal improvisations of young children. The specific problems of theis study were the following: (1)Does the addition of a root melody accompaniment to song instruction affect the tonal achievement of children in kindergarten and first grade? (2)Does the addition of a root melody accompaniment to song instruction affect the tonal strength of the improvisations of children in kindergarten and first grade? |
| Results/Conclusions: | Instruction with root melody had no effect on tonal achievement on this age child. However, children who received song insruction with root melody accompaniment improvised melodies with implied harmonic functions while maintaining the tonic pitch and tonality of the song better than those children who did not have such instruction. |
| Implications for music education (continued research): | Longitudinal study on this aspect of tonal achievement/improvisation or a cross-sectional study with wider span of age-groups. Investigations of the type of root melodies which best enable tonal improvisations. How would a large listening vocabulary of bass lines affect children's future improvisations? |
| Keywords: | Elementary Methods Curriculum, Improvisation, melodic improvisation |