Effect of keyboard ownership on keyboard performance in a music fundamentals course

Abstract

This study examined whether requiring undergraduate college nonmusic majors, enrolled in a music fundamentals course, to own a keyboard would enhance their keyboard skills. The course included instruction in reading notation, singing and keyboard skills. There were two groups. One group (experimental) owned keyboards and had them accessible at their homes for practice, while the other group (contact-control) had to check out keyboards for use in the music building. Students' keyboard skills were tested three times. There was no significant difference in keyboard performance data between groups. There was also no significant difference in overall student achievement, which included music reading, singing, rhythm accuracy and keyboard skills. While one might assume that students having ready access to their own keyboard at home would increase the likelihood of practice and therefore enhance their keyboard performance, as well as other music skills, that was not the case in this study. Copyright © 2007 International Society for Music Education.