The Effect of Pitch and Rhythm Difficulty on Vocal Sight-Reading Performance

Abstract

Singing music at sight is a complex skill, requiring the singer to perform pitch and rhythm simultaneously. Previous research has identified difficulty levels for pitch and rhythm skills individually but not in combination. In this study, the author sought to determine the relationship between pitch and rhythm tasks occurring concurrently. High school singers ( N = 252) sang melodies with varying combinations of pitch and rhythm difficulty. Results indicate that pitch and rhythm skills retained their relative difficulty levels, regardless of the presence of other factors. Rhythmic success was significantly related to pitch success. Rhythm accuracy without pitch success occurred least frequently. Pitch accuracy without rhythm success occurred most frequently. Singers appeared to give priority to pitch over rhythm, performing pitch correctly at the expense of rhythmic accuracy. Singers with instrument/piano experience and singers with piano experience only scored significantly higher than did those with no instrument/piano training ( p < .05). Those with instrument and/or piano experience were more proficient at performing pitch and rhythm together than those without such experience. Implications for teachers include the necessity of emphasizing rhythmic continuity. Future research should explore the pitch and rhythm reading capabilities for instrumentalists, and singers’ ability to sight-read additional musical elements.

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