Seeing into the music score: eye-tracking and sight-reading in a choral context

Abstract

Musical sight-reading is a complex task which requires fluent use of multiple types of skills and knowledge. The ability to sight-read a score is typically described as one of the most challenging aims for beginners and finding ways of scaffolding their learning is, therefore, an important task for researchers in music education. The purpose of this study is to provide a deeper understanding of how an application of eye tracking technology can be utilized to improve choir singers' sight-reading ability. Collected data of novices' sight-reading patterns during choral rehearsal have helped identify problems that singers are facing. Analyzing corresponding patterns in sight-reading performed by expert singers may provide valuable information about helpful strategies developed with increasing experience. This project is expected to generate an approximate model, similar to the experts' eye movement path. The model will then be implemented in a training method for unskilled choral singers. Finally, as a summative result, we plan to evaluate how the training affects novices' competency in sight-reading and comprehension of the score.