BBC R3 test: How Musical Are You?

[french frank]

So - what do we feel 'musicality'/to be 'musical' means?

It's the quick responsiveness of, say, a young child, to the fundamentals of music: to rhythm, beat, pitch and all the sounds and colours, which makes 'learning music' (if they have the opportunity to do so) easy.

[subcontrabass]

But (if my cynical view is indeed correct), it's not a test for Radio 3 listeners; it's principally for non Radio 3 listeners. It is in fact skewed towards music lovers other than classical music listeners, people out there in the 'real world'.

But the test only appears on the Radio 3 home page, not on any of the home pages for other BBC Radio channels broadcasting music. All the associated blurb seems to imply that the test was commissioned by Radio 3.

The background to the various tests looks very thin from a scientific perspective, but perhaps the test designers will actually learn something from it as they hope:

"By relating your survey responses to your performance on the musical tests, we’ll find out which aspects of musicality are affected by musical engagement and which require formal musical training."

[french frank]

But the test only appears on the Radio 3 home page, not on any of the home pages for other BBC Radio channels broadcasting music. All the associated blurb seems to imply that the test was commissioned by Radio 3.

Yes, the test is there, but the people who are directed to it come from all over:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-12145912

http://www.gear4music.com/news/article/Radio-3-launches-musicality-test/36X/2011-01-11

http://www.guardian.co.uk/music/2011/jan/10/how-musical-are-you

http://theamericanews.com/2011/01/10/have-you-got-the-beat-a-radio-3-inspired-test-of-your-musicality-httpswww-bbc-co-uklabukexperimentsmusicality.html

http://news1.capitalbay.com/news/what_makes_us_musical_new.html

http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/forums/showthread.php?p=47267906

http://news.scotsman.com/entertainment/BBC-to-test-what-makes.6684906.jp

http://www.gold.ac.uk/student/feature2/title,23876,en.php

http://www.eastlondonlines.co.uk/2011/01/goldsmiths-psychologists-test-uks-music-skills/

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/tvandradio/bbc/8248911/How-musical-are-you.html

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-1345689/What-makes-musical-New-BBC-Radio-3-sets-discover-untapped-talent.html

&c &c&c &c&c &c.

All this from the R3 press release sent out yesterday. Impressive?.

The Daily Mail story is great: Radio 3 in the headline, huge (out of date, but never mind) Radio 3 logo, link straight to the R3 homepage. Beautiful!

[Anna]

Am I bovvered? No, I thinks notl

[Paul Sherratt]

[decantor]

OK, I come late to the party. I apologise that I have read only half of the 13 pages on this thread.

Enthusiasm 95%, Perception 99% - should be the other way round in my view.
Emotional Connect 57% - that's fair. I neither seek, nor allow myself, to be manipulated by music. The occasional tingle is enough.
Social Creat 40% - disappointing, as I've spent a fair slice of my life making music with others. It's true I would not be great in a 'jam' session.
Curiosity 19% - well, I'm interested in everything from Leonin to Turnage, but Mongolian throat-singing and Michael Jackson hold little appeal. Hmm.

In my naivety, I was appalled to discover that the 'genres' in question were pop, rock, hip-hop, and jazz - I've dipped my toe in the last occasionally, but have spent over half a century studiously avoiding the other three on the grounds that they have only a tenuous relationship with music as I understand it. No wonder I skipped the question when the clips offended my eardrums: I was expecting to have to distinguish classical from romantic, chamber from symphony, opera from motet, etc. I guess the demotic holds sway in scientific circles, but shouldn't there have been a classical option for this question?

Incidentally, in a quick waltz, is 'the beat' one to a bar or three? I alternated, and was penalised for it.

[Mark Sealey]

Hello, Lat. Yes, thanks; and you?

I have no prescription - other, perhaps, than some sort of discussion which presents reasoned and informed alternatives to the rather narrow definition of music on which this test was built.

Hello Mark,
I hope things are going well for you. It is certainly a good suggestion but how do you envisage this being done?
Are you anticipating that individuals say what musicality means to them personally, so that we then look at the responses as a whole, or that they each attempt to produce a definition that goes beyond their own experiences, and then we look at those?
In other words, a response to a generalized approach or an attempt at an alternative one to that in the tests?
Lat.

[doversoul1]

Mark
How about starting a new thread on the subject (musicality)? Then, this thread can continue discussing the test?

As for the test, I would dearly like to know what the ‘What you might like’ recommendations are based on.

[Edit] I’d be very interested in joining the thread (in case you think I am trying to kick you out of this thread!!).

[Panjandrum]

As for the test, I would dearly like to know what the ‘What you might like’ recommendations are based on.

I doubt whether there is anything remotely "scientific" behind the recommendations! My view, fwiw, is that there are a number of programmes which get dismal listening figures; and the powers that be are just trying any desperate throw of the die to get additional listeners. So, if you scored highly on curiosity they will plug Discovering Music, Late Junction, and other crossover garbage.

[doversoul1]

I doubt whether there is anything remotely "scientific" behind the recommendations!

Take part in our groundbreaking science experiment, and find out just how musical you are

Come to think of it, can you take part in an experiment and find out about yourself on the spot? Curiouser and curiouser.

[Eine Alpensinfonie]

Am I bovvered? No, I thinks notl

Quite right Anna. The trouble is, these plastic "scientists" aren't much cop, but appear to think that a reaction in one person corresponds with a reaction in someone else. As far as jigging around is concerned (as in Choir of the Year, and this test) it does not. I hope they will learn from their mistakes.

[Lateralthinking1]

Mark - I'm ok. Here's my attempt but it requires honest answers. Lat.

a. Can you read music? - a Yes b Mostly c Slightly d Not at all
b. Do you sing and play musical instruments ? - a 5 or more b 3-4 c 1-2 d None
c. Do you have qualifications for these? - a High grades b Medium c Low d None
d. Have you performed music on a stage? - a A lot b Sometimes c Once d Never
e. Have you made a record as a hobby? - a A lot b Sometimes c Once d Never
f. Have you worked in the music industry? a A lot b Sometimes c Once d Never
g. Do you buy music magazines? - a All the time b Often c Sometimes d Never
h. Do you watch music on TV? - a All the time b Often c Sometimes d Never
i. Do you listen to music radio? - a All the time b Often c Sometimes d Never
j. Do you listen to records at home? - a All the time b Often c Sometimes d Never
k. How often do you go to concerts each year? - a 25 plus b 12-24 c 1-11 d 0
l. Do you play music to others? - a All the time b Often c Sometimes d Never
m. Put these in order of emotional importance - a Music b Talk C Games D Touch
n. Do the same with these - a. Music b. Films c. Watching sport d. Travel
o. And with these - a. Music b. Holidays C. Work D. Dreams
p. Music is a diary of my life - a. Definitely b. Probably c Possibly d Disagree
q. Music makes me think of others - a. Definitely b. Probably c Possibly d Disagree
r. Music helps me to feel my emotions - a Yes b Sometimes c Occasionally d No
s. I come from a musical family - a Definitely b Probably c Possibly d Disagree
t. My parents played musical instruments - a. Yes - a lot b. Yes c. One did d. No
u. My parents were serious musicians - a. Both were b. One was c. Not really d. No
v. My friends are very keen on music - a. All of them b. Most c. Some d. None
w. I sang as a 5 year old - a. All the time b. Often c. Occasionally d. Never
x. I was rhythmical as a a 5 year old - a. Yes b. Probably c. Possibly d. Never
y. Put these in order of impact on you - a Music b Colour c Smell d Taste
z. Music helps me to work better - a. All the time b. Often c. Sometimes d. Never

a. I understand musical terms - a Definitely b Probably c Possibly d Disagree
b. I can describe the structure of music - a Yes b Probably c Possibly d No
c. I can describe a chord - a Yes b Probably c Possibly d No
d. I can describe an arrangement - a Yes b Probably c Possibly d No
e. I can describe an interpretation - a Yes b Probably c Possibly d No
f. I can describe pitch - a Yes b Probably c Possibly d No
g. I can recognise a symphony - a Yes b Probably c Possibly d No
h. I can recognise a concerto - a Yes b Probably c Possibly d No
i. I can recognise an aria - a Yes b Probably c Possibly d No
j. I can recognise Haydn - a Yes b Probably c Possibly d No
k. I can recognise Rachmaninoff - a Yes b Probably c Possibly d No
l. I can recognise Stockhausen - a Yes b Probably c Possibly d No
m. I can recognise Purcell - a Yes b Probably c Possibly d No
n. I can recognise Puccini - a Yes b Probably c Possibly d No
o. I enjoy dancing alone to music - a. All the time b. Often c. Sometimes d. Never
p. I dance with others to music - a. All the time b. Often c. Sometimes d. Never
q. I can recognise hip-hop - a Yes b Probably c Possibly d No
r. I know a song in the current Top 20 - a Yes b Probably c Possibly d No
s. I can distinguish between soul and reggae - a Yes b Probably c Possibly d No
t. I can distinguish between folk and country - a Yes b Probably c Possibly d No
u. I can distinguish between jazz and blues - a Yes b Probably c Possibly d No
v. Place in chronological order - a. Beatles b. Radiohead c. Sex Pistols d. Bill Haley
w. Ditto - a. Muse b. Kraftwerk c. Velvet Underground d The Smiths
x. Ditto - a. Bach b. Britten c. Debussy d. Schubert
y. Ditto - a. Dave Brubeck. b. Muddy Waters c. Bob Marley d. R Vaughan Williams
z. Ditto - a. R Dean Taylor b. Patsy Cline c Patti Labelle d. Christina Aguilera

a. I know more than anyone I know about music - a Yes b. Probably c Maybe d No
b. I am an expert in one area of music - a Yes b. Probably c Maybe d No
c. I know a lot about one area of music - a Yes b. Probably c Maybe d No
d. I love most music - a Yes b. Probably c Maybe d No
e. I appreciate most music - a Yes b. Probably c Maybe d No
f. I love the music I love - a Yes b. Probably c Maybe d No
g. I love classical music - a Yes b. Probably c Maybe d No
h. I appreciate classical music - a Yes b. Probably c Maybe d No
i. I love a good opera - a Yes b. Probably c Maybe d No
j. I understand punk - a Yes b. Probably c Maybe d No
k. I understand R and B - a Yes b. Probably c Maybe d No
l. I understand the X Factor - a Yes b. Probably c Maybe d No
m. I understand easy listening - a Yes b. Probably c Maybe d No
n. I know a lot about the history of rock music - a Yes b. Probably c Maybe d No
o. I know a lot about the history of pop music - a Yes b. Probably c Maybe d No
p. Place in order of annoyance - a. Loud music b. Loud talk c Screaming d Silence
q. Ditto - a. Unwanted music b. Traffic noise c. Power drills d. Barking dogs
r. A lot of music is boring - a Yes b. Probably c Maybe d No
s. A lot of music isn't music at all - a Yes b. Probably c Maybe d No
t. The world would be better if everyone sang - a Yes b. Probably c Maybe d No
u. The best year in music was 2010 - a Yes b. Probably c Maybe d No
v. I wish I understood more about music - a Yes b. Probably c Maybe d No
w. I wish I played more musical instruments - a Yes b. Probably c Maybe d No
x. I wish I could sing better - a Yes b. Probably c Maybe d No
y. I am not inhibited when being musical - a Yes b. Probably c Maybe d No
z. Musicality is what anyone wants it to be - a Yes b. Probably c Maybe d No

[Bert Coules]

It's a fascinating attempt, but surely it runs into the same difficulties as a lot of multiple-choice questionnaires: how can one "mostly" be able to read music? Or listen to records at home "all the time"? Or "probably" wish to sing better? Or answer a question like " A lot of music isn't music at all"? And so on, and on...

[french frank]

Fantastic list, Lat

It makes the Goldsmiths' questions look a bit inadequate. I think I'd want to classify them more precisely, because they seem to demonstrate different things.

Very simply put, I think musicality is what we all/most possess to varying degrees which makes us successful in our close involvement with music, whether as players or listeners.

[subcontrabass]

I can recognise Haydn

At school I was taught that the way to tell the difference between Mozart and Haydn was that Haydn never used the Alberti bass. My current recreation of playing the Haydn piano sonatas indicates that that music teacher had never encountered them.