Abstract
This study was intended to examine whether differences exist in the motions employed by pianists when they are sight-reading versus performing repertoire and to determine whether these differences can be quantified using high-speed motion capture technology. A secondary question of interest was whether or not an improvement in the efficiency of motion could be observed between two sight-reading trials of the same musical excerpt. This case study employed one subject and a six-camera digital infrared camera system to capture the motion of the pianist playing two trials of a repertoire piece and two trials of a sight-reading excerpt. Angular displacements and velocities were calculated for bilateral shoulder, elbow, wrist, and index finger joints. The findings demonstrate the usefulness of high-speed motion capture technology for analyzing motions of pianists during performance, showing that the subject's motions were less efficient in sight-reading tasks than is repertoire tasks.
Original language | English (US) |
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Pages (from-to) | 10-16 |
Number of pages | 7 |
Journal | Medical Problems of Performing Artists |
Volume | 21 |
Issue number | 1 |
State | Published - Mar 2006 |
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- History and Philosophy of Science