Effect of Tempo on Music Preferences of Children in Elementary and Middle School

Abstract

This study was designed to examine the effect of tempo on preference responses of kindergarten to Grade 8 children. Listener age and gender were additional variables under consideration. In total, 996 subjects indicated preference opinions on pictographic Likert written response forms while listening to 15 excerpts of orchestral music from early Romantic opera. Two moderate and three fast musical examples were given the highest mean ratings. Spearman rank correlation indicated a positive significant relationship between tempo and preference (p < .01). Friedman analyses of variance revealed significant differences in mean preference ratings for music of differing tempos within Grades 3-8 (p < .01). Listener age was also indicated as a strong influence on overall preference ratings, with youngest children generally giving highest ratings. Results provide further support for the role of tempo and listener age in musical preference.

Get full access to this article

View all access options for this article.

References

Duke, R . (1989). Effect of melodic rhythm on elementary students and college undergraduates perceptions of relative tempo. Journal of Research in Music Education, 37, 246–257.

Finnas, L . (1989). How can musical preferences be modified? Bulletin of the Council for Research in Music Education, no. 102, 1–45.

Flowers, P . (1988). The effect of teaching and learning experiences, tempo, and mode on undergraduates' and children's music preference. Journal of Research in Music Education, 36, 19–34.

Getz, R. (1966). The effects of repetition on listening response. Journal of Research in Music Education, 14, 178–193.

Greer, R ., & Randall, A. (1974). Music listening preferences of elementary school children. Journal of Research in Music Education, 14, 284–291.

Huebner, M . (1976). The effect of three listening methods and two tempi on the music attitude of sixth grade students. Dissertation Abstracts International, 37, 3257A.

Kuhn, T , & Booth, G . (1988). The effect of melodic activity, tempo change, and audible beat on tempo perception of elementary school students. Journal of Research in Music Education, 36, 140–155.

LeBlanc, A . (1981). Effects of style, tempo, and performing medium on children's music preference. Journal of Research in Music Education, 29, 143–156.

LeBlanc, A . (1982). An interactive theory of music preference. Journal of Music Therapy, 19, 28–45.

10.

LeBlanc, A ., & Cote, R. (1983). Effect of tempo and performing medium on children's music preference. Journal of Research in Music Education, 31, 57–66.

11.

LeBlanc, A ., & McCrary, J. (1983). Effect of tempo on children's musical preference. Journal of Research in Music Education, 31, 283–294.

12.

LeBlanc, A ., & Sherril, C. (1986). Effect of vocal vibrato and performer's sex on children's music preference. Journal of Research in Music Education, 34, 222–237.

13.

LeBlanc, A. , Colman, J. , McCrary, J. , Sherril, C , & Malin, S. (1988). Tempo preferences of different age music listeners. Journal of Research in Music Education, 36, 156–168.

14.

Madsen, C , Duke, R ., & Geringer, J. (1986). The effect of speed alterations on tempo note selection. Journal of Research in Music Education, 34, 101–110.

15.

May, W . (1985). Musical style preferences and aural discrimination skills of primary grade children. Journal of Research in Music Education, 33, 7–22.

16.

Moskovitz, E . (1992). The effect of repetition on tempo preferences of elementary children. Journal of Research in Music Education, 40, 192–203.

17.

Prince, W . (1972). Some aspects of liking responses of junior high school students for art music. Contributions to Music Education, 1, 25–35.

18.

Rogers, V . (1957). Children's musical preferences. Elementary School Journal 57, 433–435.

19.

Siegel, S ., & Castellan, N. (1988). Nonparametric statistics for the behavioral sciences. New York: McGraw Hill.

20.

Sims, W . (1987). Effect of tempo on music preference of preschool through fourth grade children. In C. Madsen & C. Prickett (Eds.)Applications of research in music behavior (pp. 15–25). Tucaloosa: University of Alabama Press.