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- Title
Expressive timing and dynamics in infant-directed and non-infant-directed singing.
- Authors
Nakata, Takayuki; Trehub, Sandra E.
- Abstract
Expressive variations in timing and dynamics were examined in infant-directed performances of Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star by mothers and in non-infant-directed performances by non-mothers. Mothers sang to their infants, and non-mothers sang informally on their own. Acoustic analyses revealed that infant-directed performances had fewer expressive variations in timing such as rubato and ritardando than did non-infant-directed performances. By contrast, infant-directed performances exhibited a greater dynamic range than non-infant-directed performances. Moreover, relations between pitch height and amplitude were more tightly coupled in infant-directed than in non-infant-directed performances. We interpret mothers' liberal modulation of dynamics and their limited modulation of timing as fine-tuning to the perceptual, emotional, and informational needs of infants.
- Subjects
CHILDREN'S songs; MOTHER-infant relationship; MUSICAL meter &; rhythm; RUBATO; INFANTS; MUSIC theory
- Publication
Psychomusicology: Music, Mind & Brain, 2011, Vol 21, Issue 1/2, p45
- ISSN
0275-3987
- Publication type
Article
- DOI
10.1037/h0094003