Skip to main content
Log in

The role of teaching solfeggio considering memory mechanisms in developing musical memory and hearing of music school students

  • Published:
Current Psychology Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

The purpose of this study is to investigate the role of certain mnemonic techniques in memorizing a melodic fragment by music school students. In the study group, in the process of memorizing a given melody, students used, in addition to sound, visual, psychomotor, and logical memory. In this study, 108 third-grade students from Nanchang Postal Road Primary School participated: 54 in the study group and 54 in the control group, respectively. After listening to a piece of music three times, the children played it with their voices with appropriate accompaniment. The evaluation was carried out according to the following criteria: integral continuous performance, the number of errors associated with inaccurate hitting of the tone, and the number of errors in the structure of the melody. During the study, it was observed that incorporating mnemonic techniques, which involve engaging different forms of memory alongside auditory memory, enhances the memorization of melodies. This approach can be used in the preparation of training programs for music school students, as it contributes to the formation of musical memory and hearing.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Fig. 1
Fig. 2

Similar content being viewed by others

Data Availability

Data will be available on request.

Notes

  1. Among such researchers, it is worth mentioning (who conducted a study on the influence of solfeggio training on musical memory and musical pitch perception. He discovered that solfeggio training could enhance the ability to memorize and reproduce musical compositions, as well as the capacity to identify and differentiate different musical pitches) Elizabeth Petche (Her studies revealed that distinct regions of the brain are involved in processing various aspects of music, such as pitch, rhythm, and melody. She also found that solfeggio training can lead to alterations in brain structure and functions).

References

  • Baddeley, A. (2003). Working memory: Looking back and looking forward. Nature Reviews Neuroscience, 4(10), 829–839. https://doi.org/10.1038/nrn1201

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Blough, R. I., Petrij, F., Dauwerse, J. G., Milatovich-Cherry, A., Weiss, L., Saal, H. M., & Rubinstein, J. H. (2000). Variation in microdeletions of the cyclic AMP‐responsive element‐binding protein gene at chromosome band 16p13.3 in the Rubinstein‐Taybi syndrome. American Journal of Medical Genetics, 90(1), 29–34. https://doi.org/10.1002/(SICI)1096-8628(20000103)90:1<29::AID-AJMG6>3.0.CO;2-Z

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Carter, R. (2014). How the brain works. AST, Corpus.

  • Christensen, T. S., Gjerdingen, R., Sanguinetti, G., & Lutz, R. (2010). Partimento and continuo playing in theory and in practice (9 vol.). Leuven University Press.

  • Cowan, N., & Alloway, T. P. (2008). The development of working memory (2nd ed.). In N. Cowan (Ed.), Development of memory in childhood (pp. 303–342). Hove, England: Psychology Press.

  • Cvetković-Crvenica, J., & Jovanović, M. (2018). Mogući aspekti vokalne interpretacije u nastavi solfeđa [Possible aspects of vocal interpretation in solfeggio teaching]. In V. Marković & J. Martinović-Bogojević, J. (Eds.), Music pedagogy challenge, inspiration and creation (pp. 188–201). Cetinje: First International Symposium on Music Pedagogy. https://indd.adobe.com/view/ec780421-2452-4a68-aeda-f4787c72967c

  • Debevc, M., Weiss, J., Šorgo, A., & Kožuh, I. (2020). Solfeggio learning and the influence of a mobile application based on visual, auditory and tactile modalities. British Journal of Educational Technology, 51(1), 177–193. https://doi.org/10.1111/bjet.12792

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Dymnikowa, M. (2015). Psychometrical research of biological properties of the working aural musical memory in optimal cognitive mature age. Asian Journal of Humanities and Social Sciences, 3(2), 19–35.

    Google Scholar 

  • Felis, L. (2019). Music of the Baroque period: how its styles and techniques changed music (Doctoral dissertation).

  • Fiori, M. (2007). Il corpo è musica, la musica è corpo [The body is music, music is the body]. Anton Rubinstein Symposium (ARS). http://www.antonrubinstein.net/assets/anno4-3-mag2007.pdf

  • Freud, Z. (2000). Forgetting impressions and intentions. In B. Yu, & Gippenreyter (Eds.), Psychology of memory (p. 148). CheRo.

  • Gjerdingen, R. (2010). Partimenti written to impart a knowledge of counterpoint and composition. Partimento and Continuo Playing in Theory and Practice: Collected Writings of the Orpheus Institute, 9, 43–70.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Gordon, E. E. (2013). A music learning theory for newborn and young children. GIA Publications.

  • Gu, Y. (2015). On national music thinking in solfeggio teaching. Music Times, 6, 1–12.

    Google Scholar 

  • Ilari, B. S. (2021). Music perception and cognition in the first year of life. Music in the lives of young children (pp. 193–209). Routledge.

  • Jaques Dalcroze, E., Di Segni-Jaffé, L., & Loiacono Husain, A. (2008). Il ritmo, la musica e l’educazione [Rhythm, music and education]. EDT.

  • Jaschke, A. C., Honing, H., & Scherder, E. J. A. (2018). Longitudinal analysis of music education on executive functions in primary school children. Frontiers in neuroscience, 12, 103. https://doi.org/10.3389/fnins.2018.00103

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Jovanović, M. (2018). Inkluzivni pristup nastavi solfeđa u prvom ciklusu šestogodišnjeg osnovnog muzičkog obrazovanja i vaspitanja [An inclusive approach to the teaching of solfeggio in the first cycle of six years of basic music education and upbringing] [Published Master’s thesis]. Niš: Univerzitet u Nišu.

  • Jung, C. G. (1994). The collected works. The psychology of the unconscious. Canon.

  • Klann, E., Antion, M. D., Banko, J. L., & Hou, L. (2004). Synaptic plasticity and translation initiation. Learning & Memory, 11(4), 365–372. https://doi.org/10.1101/lm.79004

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kodela, S., & Todorović, D. (2014). Sinergija opažanja, reprodukcije i muzičkog mišljenja u nastavi solfeđa. Tradicija kao inspiracija, tematski zbornik sa naučnog skupa “Vlado Milošević” [Synergy of perception, reproduction and musical thinking in solfeggio teaching. Tradition as inspiration, thematic collection from the scientific conference “Vlado Milosevic”]. Banja Luka: Akademija umjetnosti Univerziteta u Banjoj Luci i Muzikološko društvo Republike Srpske.

  • Larrouy-Maestri, P., & Morsomme, D. (2014). The effects of stress on singing voice accuracy. Journal of Voice, 28(1), 52–58. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jvoice.2013.07.008

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Li, Y. (2021). The role of innovative approaches in teaching the flute: A path to creative realization of students. Thinking Skills and Creativity, 42, 100959. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tsc.2021.100959

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Manning, L., Denkova, E., & Unterberger, L. (2013). Autobiographical significance in past and future public semantic memory: A case-study. Cortex; A Journal Devoted To The Study Of The Nervous System And Behavior, 49(8), 2007–2020. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cortex.2012.11.007

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Ministero della Pubblica Istruzione. (2007). Indicazioni per il curricolo per la scuola dell’infanzia e per il primo ciclo d’istruzione [Indications for the curriculum for kindergarten and for the first cycle of education]. Tecnodid.

  • Moore, B. C. J. (2012). An introduction to the psychology of hearing (6th ed.). Emerald Group publishing.

  • Nadel, L., Hupbach, A., Gomez, R., & Newman-Smith, K. (2012). Memory formation, consolidation and transformation. Neuroscience & Biobehavioral Reviews, 36(7), 1640–1645. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.neubiorev.2012.03.001

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Nikolić, I. (2014). Solfeđo: jednoglasni diktati [Solfeggio: Unanimous dictations]. Nota.

  • Ocak, G. (Ed.). (2019). Eğitimde bilimsel araştırma yöntemleri [Scientific research methods in education]. Pegem Akademi.

  • Paisiello, G. (1983). Regole per ben accompagnare il partimento, o sia il basso fondamentale sopra il Cembalo [Rules for well accompanying the part, or both the fundamental bass above the harpsichord]. Library of Congress.

  • Pavić, B. (2017). Kompetencijski profil nastavnika solfeggia [Competence profile of solfeggio teacher] [Published Master’s thesis]. Osijek: Repository of the Academy of Arts in Osijek. https://repozitorij.uaos.unios.hr/islandora/object/uaos%3A323/datastream/PDF/view

  • Petrushin, V. I. (2009). Musical psychology: Textbook. Academic Projects.

  • Pickles, C. F., & James, O. (2012). An introduction to the physiology of hearing (4th ed.). Emerald.

  • Pireva, L. (2020). The influence of solfeggio on the development of the musical ear. In UBT International Conference. Lipjan, Kosovo: UBT.

  • Ramo, B. (2003). Philosophy of music education. Renmin Music Publisher.

  • Safronova, Y. A. (2018). The third wave of memory studies: Twenty-three years rubbing the wrong way. Political Science, 3, 12–27.

    Google Scholar 

  • Sanguinetti, G. (2010). Partimento-fugue: The Neapolitan angle. In D. Moelants (Ed.), Partimento and continuo playing in theory and practice (pp. 71–111). Leuven University Press.

  • Schacter, D. (2011). Psychology (2nd ed.). Worth Publishers.

  • Strazhnikova, T. I. (2003). Scientific and methodological bases of musical memory formation in students in solfeggio class of culture universities [Published doctoral dissertation]. Moscow.

  • Swaminathan, S., & Schellenberg, E. G. (2018). Musical competence is predicted by music training, cognitive abilities, and personality. Scientific Reports, 8(1), 9223. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-018-27571-2

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Velazco Reyes, B., Ponce, C., Terrazas, W. C. V., R. F., & Ruelas Vargas, D. (2020). Methods of musical education for the development of the musical memory of music students. COMUNI@CCION-Revista de Investigación en Comunicación y Desarrollo, 11(1), 28–39. https://doi.org/10.33595/2226-1478.11.1.431

  • Vyspinska, N. (2019). Musicians outperform non-musicians in English language vocabulary uptake and listening comprehension tasks. Revista Românească pentru Educaţie Multidimensională, 11(2), 296–309. https://doi.org/10.18662/rrem/131

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Wagner, A. D., Shannon, B. J., Kahn, I., & Buckner, R. L. (2005). Parietal lobe contributions to episodic memory retrieval. Trends in Cognitive Sciences, 9(9), 445–453. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tics.2005.07.001

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Wang, Y. (2015a). Yunnan ethnic music works in the solfeggio teaching. Art Education, 6, 15–21.

    Google Scholar 

  • Wang, X. (2015b). Analysis of solfeggio teaching of national music thinking. Contemporary Educational Practice and Teaching Research, 5, 1–8.

    Google Scholar 

  • Wang, L. (2022). The skill training of reading music in the teaching of solfeggio and ear training in the new media environment. Applied Bionics and Biomechanics, 2022, 8209861. https://doi.org/10.1155/2022/8209861

  • Williamson, V. J., Baddeley, A. D., & Hitch, G. J. (2010). Musicians’ and nonmusicians’ short-term memory for verbal and musical sequences: Comparing phonological similarity and pitch proximity. Memory & Cognition, 38(2), 163–175. https://doi.org/10.3758/MC.38.2.163

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Yan, X., & Hu, Y. (2016). On the impact of national music thinking on professional solfeggio teaching. Liaoning Radio and Television University, 4, 11–17.

    Google Scholar 

  • Zadnik, K. (2019). Nauk o glasbi v slovenski glasbeni šoli Med preteklostjo, sedanjostjo in prihodnostjo [The doctrine of music in the slovenian music school: Between the past, the present and the future]. Ljubljana University Press. https://doi.org/10.4312/9789610601593

Download references

Acknowledgements

Not applicable.

Funding

The author received no financial support for the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Lijuan Mei.

Ethics declarations

Conflict of interest

The author declared no potential conflicts of interest with respect to the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article.

Additional information

Publisher’s Note

Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.

Rights and permissions

Springer Nature or its licensor (e.g. a society or other partner) holds exclusive rights to this article under a publishing agreement with the author(s) or other rightsholder(s); author self-archiving of the accepted manuscript version of this article is solely governed by the terms of such publishing agreement and applicable law.

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Mei, L. The role of teaching solfeggio considering memory mechanisms in developing musical memory and hearing of music school students. Curr Psychol 43, 10005–10015 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12144-023-05109-8

Download citation

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12144-023-05109-8

Keywords

Navigation