Abstract:
The present study aimed at investigating the effect of stimulus deprivation (aural, visual and kinesthetic) in the sensorial feedback during the initial approach to piano pieces by students belonging to different academic levels. Undergraduate (junior, sophomore and senior) and graduate music student (initial students of master's degree and one student of final doctoral degree) (N = 12), according to a nested experimental design, were submitted to four conditions of study: (i) Condition A: Visual decoding with kinesthetic feedback and privation of aural stimulus; (ii) Condition B: Visual decoding with privation of aural and kinesthetic stimulus (mental practice); (iii) Condition C: Aural decoding with kinesthetic feedback and deprivation of visual stimulus of the score (playing by ear); (iv) Condition D: Aural decoding without kinesthetic feedback with deprivation of visual and kinesthetic stimulus. Data were analyzed quantitatively and qualitatively in terms of time of practice spent for accomplishing the tasks, developed strategies and reached products, according to each condition of study. The results revealed the potential effect of the academic level on the time spent in practice for conditions A, C and D, as well as in the musical understanding and in the quality of attained performance takes (products), for conditions A and B. In terms of strategies and performances, data from conditions C and D suggested the performance under such conditions seem to depend on the cumulative competences of the student rather on the academic level.
Keywords:
Sensorial feedback; instrumental practice; academic levels; deprivation of sensorial stimulus
