Everyone Can Sing: 'Practice Makes Perfect,' Study Shows

First Posted: Feb 10, 2015 02:01 PM EST
Close

Are you a naturally sweet soprano or a bit more of a an alto? If you haven't had much singing practice, chances are, you might not be sure which one fits you. And if you've been called "tone deaf" based on any karaoke experiences, you might have given up on a music career, altogether.

Yet did you know just like an instrument that needs to be properly tuned, our singing-voices require the same maintenance. In other words, if you're having difficulties finding the right pitch for your singing voice, don't give up. Practice makes perfect when it comes to singing, too.

"No one expects a beginner on violin to sound good right away, it takes practice, but everyone is supposed to be able to sing," lead study author Steven Demorest, a professor of music education at Northwestern's Bienen School of Music, said in a news release. "When people are unsuccessful they take it very personally, but we think if you sing more, you'll get better."

For the study, researchers compared the singing accuracy of three groups: kindergartners, sixth graders and college-aged adults.
For part of the study, they were asked to listen to four repetitions of a single pitch and then sing back the sequence. The three groups were scored based on similar procedures for measuring singing accuracy.

Findings revealed that many had improved considerably over the years as they transitioned from kindergarten to grade school. However, in the adult groups, the finding was reversed. Researchers found that oftentimes, the "use it or lose it" effect also applied to singing.

Of course, while singing on key can be easier for some than others, it can still be practiced and perfected for the individual over time

"But it's also a skill that can be taught and developed, and much of it has to do with using the voice regularly," Demorest said. "Our study suggests that adults who may have performed better as children lost the ability when they stopped singing."

To help many overcome this problem, researchers are working on a new tool that would measure and test singing ability for children and adults, alike.

It's called the Seattle Singing Accuracy Profile (SSAP) and it would help standardize the way singing is measured when comparing singing accuracy.

"We first need to understand what is 'normal' in terms of age-related singing development," Demorest said. "What can we expect from a 5-year-old? A 10-year-old? Once we know that, we can identify areas where children are struggling and provide them with resources."

More information regarding the findings can be seen via the journal Music Perception.

For more great science stories and general news, please visit our sister site, Headlines and Global News (HNGN). 

See Now: NASA's Juno Spacecraft's Rendezvous With Jupiter's Mammoth Cyclone

©2017 ScienceWorldReport.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. The window to the world of science news.

Join the Conversation

Real Time Analytics