Comments on: TESTS NOW SHOW IF CHILD IS TONE DEAF OR MUSICAL (Aug, 1931)

By: Eli

Eli — Mon, 13 Apr 2009 21:16:58 +0000

Yes, we can all hear tonal increments, but that doesn’t mean we can process them and reproduce them correctly. As a music student and now as an amateur musician, I’ve encountered people whose C-major scale begins on a C and ends within a half step of that C, and other for whom the same scale begins on that C and, eight notes later, ends up somewhere around a G, a fifth higher. It’s really not very different than those music students who honestly can’t distinguish when they’re flat or sharp — just a matter of degree.

By: AJ

AJ — Mon, 13 Apr 2009 18:03:03 +0000

There is no such thing as being tone deaf. People might have a bit more of an inclination to music, but, scientifically speaking, we can all hear half step incriments (Provided that there is no hearing defecit. The rest is just training.

By: Eliyahu

Eliyahu — Thu, 15 May 2008 22:42:36 +0000

It’s amazing that anyone would have thought that a simple test could measure artistic ability and creativity, both of which are components of musicianship. As child, I would have certainly failed such a test despite the fact that, as an adult, I’ve played bassoon with several symphony orchestras and community bands. The only real way to determine if someone has musical ability is to give them the opportunity and encouragement to try.

By: Daniel E. Friedman

Daniel E. Friedman — Mon, 07 Apr 2008 10:59:36 +0000

Interesting test. My concern is that the test doesn’t account for variables like a child’s maturity level, age, ability to concentrate at a given moment… In my opinion, the last thing a parent would want to do is label a kid’s musicality based on this one test.

By: addiefleur

addiefleur — Mon, 31 Mar 2008 23:50:05 +0000

yes, you could buy this thing,like a lunatic, or you could just be a normal person and notice how your kid sings and moves around, when she sings and moves around, and she will, they do both, a lot.

At first I thought, this contraption just causes tension for the child, but anyone who would buy this, has already messed up their child, so they might as well just get it, if not this, it’ll just be something else.

When I read these ads, I wish I could know how many of the item were sold.

Addie

By: Stannous

Stannous — Fri, 28 Mar 2008 18:54:17 +0000

You think the circle on the right was done by a black kid, the one on the left by a white one?

I’m just sayin’…

By: Blurgle

Blurgle — Fri, 28 Mar 2008 14:02:31 +0000

This looks like trouble with a capital T!

By: Don

Don — Fri, 28 Mar 2008 11:56:14 +0000

Wasn’t the professor named Harold Hill? And the city was “River City”, I believe . . . .