When they listen and when they watch
Pianistsā use of nonverbal audio and visual cues during duet performance.
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Abstract
- Nonverbal auditory and visual communication helps ensemble musicians predict each otherās intentions and coordinate their actions. When structural characteristics of the music make predicting co-performersā intentions diļ¬cult (e.g., following long pauses or during ritardandi), reliance on incoming auditory and visual signals may change. This study tested whether attention to visual cues during pianoāpiano and pianoāviolin duet performance increases in such situations. Pianists performed the secondo part to three duets, synchronizing with recordings of violinists or pianists playing the primo parts. Secondosā access to incoming audio and visual signals and to their own auditory feedback was manipulated. Synchronization was most successful when primo audio was available, deteriorating when primo audio was removed and only cues from primo visual signals were available. Visual cues were used eļ¬ectively following long pauses in the music, however, even in the absence of primo audio. Synchronization was unaļ¬ected by the removal of secondosā own auditory feedback. Diļ¬erences were observed in how successfully pianoāpiano and pianoāviolin duos synchronized, but these eļ¬ects of instrument pairing were not consistent across pieces. Pianistsā success at synchronizing with violinists and other pianists is likely moderated by piece characteristics and individual diļ¬erences in the clarity of cueing gestures used.
- Date Issued 2015
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Authors
Goebl, Werner | University of Music and Performing Arts ViennaBishop, Laura | Austrian Research Institute for Artificial Intelligence (OFAI)
- DOI 10.1177/1029864915570355
- Language en
- License CC-BY-NC-4.0
- Subjects piano performance nonverbal communication duet action prediction ensemble performance interpersonal coordination musical expertise sensorimotor synchronization musical communication musical gesture