Intro to Music Learning Theory

Summary

In this video, Heather Schlise introduces Music Learning Theory (MLT), developed by Edwin Gordon. The theory focuses on two main concepts: audiation, or thinking in music, and sequential learning. Audiation is the ability to comprehend and predict musical sounds, similar to how we process language. Gordon compares music learning to language acquisition, where children first listen, then babble, and eventually speak and read. The theory also emphasizes that everyone is born with musical aptitude, and music educators can help students develop this innate potential. The video outlines the stages of music learning and encourages educators to foster lifelong music making.

Takeaways

• 😀 Audiation is the process of thinking in music, and is central to the Gordon approach to music learning.
• 😀 The term 'Gordon method' is a misnomer; the correct term is Music Learning Theory (MLT), a theory about how we learn music.
• 😀 Audiation is different from inner hearing—it involves both the hearing and comprehension of music in the mind.
• 😀 Audiation is to music what thought is to language. It helps us understand the structure and meaning of music.
• 😀 Comprehension in audiation includes recognizing tonal and rhythmic syntax, much like understanding the rules of language syntax.
• 😀 Prediction is a key part of audiation—listeners use prior musical knowledge to anticipate where music might go next.
• 😀 Sequential learning in music follows a process similar to language development, beginning with immersion in a musical environment.
• 😀 Just as children babble before they speak, children learn music by 'babbling' with sounds before they can sing or play music fluently.
• 😀 Musical speaking vocabulary includes singing, chanting, moving, and possibly playing instruments by ear.
• 😀 Before learning to read and write music, children develop a musical vocabulary through listening and performing familiar tonal and rhythmic patterns.
• 😀 All humans are born with music aptitude, the potential to learn and achieve in music, which music educators must nurture to enable a lifetime of music learning.

Q & A

What is the primary concept of Music Learning Theory (MLT)?

The primary concept of Music Learning Theory is to understand how people learn music, with a focus on the development of audiation, which is the ability to think in music. This theory emphasizes how people internalize music through hearing and understanding musical sounds before they can perform or read music.

What is audiation and how does it relate to language?

Audiation, coined by Edwin Gordon, is the process of thinking in musical sounds. It is analogous to how we think in language. Just as we understand language by processing sounds and context, audiation involves understanding musical sounds and structures in the mind, even when not physically hearing them.

How does audiation differ from mere inner hearing of music?

Audiation goes beyond inner hearing. While inner hearing involves simply recalling sounds, audiation includes comprehension of music—understanding tonal and rhythmic syntax, predicting musical progressions, and mentally processing music in a way that makes sense.

Can you give an example of how audiation works in music?

An example of audiation is when a person listens to a musical phrase and mentally predicts how the music will continue, even without explicit instruction on the song's meter or tonality. This prediction is based on the listener's prior exposure to similar musical structures and their ability to sense tonal and rhythmic patterns.

What is the relationship between language acquisition and music learning according to Gordon?

Gordon theorizes that music learning follows a process similar to language acquisition. Just as a child is immersed in a language environment to develop a listening vocabulary before speaking and reading, a child learns music by being immersed in a rich musical environment, developing a musical listening vocabulary before speaking and eventually reading music.

What stages are involved in learning music according to Gordon's sequential learning theory?

Gordon’s sequential learning theory suggests that learning music progresses through stages, starting with auditory exposure to music sounds, followed by experimenting with those sounds (similar to babbling in language), and later developing a vocabulary of tonal and rhythmic patterns. Only after achieving fluency in these stages should a child be expected to learn to read and write music.

What role does musical aptitude play in learning music?

Musical aptitude refers to the inherent potential for musical development that all humans possess. It is the capacity to audiate and learn music. Music educators are tasked with nurturing this aptitude, guiding students to develop their musical skills and reach their full potential in music.

How does Music Learning Theory address the concept of sequential learning?

In Music Learning Theory, sequential learning means that music skills are developed in a step-by-step progression. Just as we learn language by first understanding sounds, then forming words, and later reading and writing, music is learned by first internalizing sounds and patterns, then developing the ability to perform and eventually read and write music.

Why is it important not to confuse Music Learning Theory with a specific 'method'?

Music Learning Theory is not a strict method, but rather a theoretical framework for understanding how music is learned. It provides insights into the cognitive processes involved in learning music, but it does not dictate a specific curriculum or timeline for teaching, which is what a method would do.

How does Gordon’s theory of music learning relate to improvisation?

Gordon’s theory suggests that improvisation is a natural extension of audiation. As students develop fluency in recognizing and understanding tonal and rhythmic patterns, they can begin to use this internalized knowledge to create spontaneous musical ideas. Improvisation becomes a way for students to communicate musical thoughts, just as spontaneous conversation occurs in language.