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Historically, musical ability has been conceptualized in relation to aural abilities. Recently, this view has been challenged. Musical ability is now viewed by a number of authors as a social construction acquiring different meaning in different cultures, sub-groups within cultures and at the individual level. This study aimed to explore conceptions of musical ability in the United Kingdom. An inventory adopting a five point rating scale was developed to assess individuals ’ perceptions of musical ability. The inventory included 77 statements derived from previous qualitative research categorized into 21 themes (Hallam and Prince, 2003). The inventory was completed by 660 individuals. Musical ability was most strongly perceived as relating to a sense of rhythm, followed by the ability to understand and interpret the music, express thoughts and feelings through sound, being able to communicate through sound, motivation to engage with music, personal commitment to music, and being able to successfully engage musically with others. Least important were having technical skills, being able to compose or improvise, being able to read music, and understanding musical concepts and musical structures. Factor analysis revealed 6 factors. The first was concerned with being able to read music and play an instrument or sing. The second focused on musical communication, the third valuing, appreciating and responding to music, and the fourth to composition, improvisation and the skills required for undertaking these. The fifth factor related to personal commitment to music, motivation, discipline and organisation, and the sixth to rhythmic and aural skills. The findings suggest that the construct of musical ability is perceived broadly in the general population. The high proportion of participants stressing the importance of having a sense of rhythm may reflect the characteristics of popular music where ‘the beat’ is central. The stress on motivation and commitment also suggests an awareness of the time required to successfully develop musical skills.
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