Music teachers' perceptions of a new software for the assessment of intonation on musical instruments. A validation study

Abstract

Intonation is an essential skill in learning musical instruments, especially those with variable intonation, such as brass and bowed stringed instruments. A frequent problem is that beginners encounter many intonation difficulties on these instruments during their learning. Therefore, they spend a great deal of time practicing them, as do teachers in correcting the related errors. This validation study is part of a larger study that has designed and implemented software (INTON, fictitious name) to evaluate in real time the intonation in the learning of brass and bowed stringed instruments. In order to find out whether this software responded to the educational needs detected, a validation study was carried out based on a questionnaire that was completed by teachers from music schools and conservatories in Spain and Chile (n=41). The questionnaire included three validation dimensions (technical, educational, and global). Also, a dimension on educational digital technology use, and professional experience, gender, age and pre-service formation acted as covariates. The quantitative results obtained were triangulated with those from qualitative data collected in two focus groups (n=10) to lend credibility to the interpretation of the results. The finding of this study indicates that INTON has been evaluated very positively by teachers in all three validation dimensions; correlations were found between the three dimensions, as well as a positive correlation between the use of digital educational technology and the evaluation of the software. The results of this validation by teachers support the effectiveness and usefulness of the software for the development of intonation in brass and bowed stringed instruments at the initial level of musical studies.