Development of singing

Question 1

What is the singing ability of a child at birth?

Answer 1

Short vocalizations, involuntary bursts of sound. A baby can cry in musical intervals, and have a preference for consonant rhythms over dissonant ones

Question 2

What is the singing ability of a 4-6 month old child?

Answer 2

Music will elicit a vocal response such as cooing, giggling, or babbling

Question 3

What is musical babbling?

Answer 3

More variety in sounds made and pitch. Babbling is centered around middle C

Question 4

What is the singing ability of a child that is 2-3 years old?

Answer 4

Spontaneous singing (songs that aren’t taught) occurring in the minor 3rd most commonly, or potpourri songs. There is better pitch accuracy, and there is an ability to imitate pitch around 3 years old

Question 5

What are potpourri songs?

Answer 5

Combinations of spontaneous songs and conventional songs (picking a songs rhythm and putting your own lyrics to it)

Question 6

What is the singing ability of a 4-5 year old?

Answer 6

There is further development of spontaneous singing, and the songs/phrases are longer. A sense of tonality is stable around 5 and there is more ability to express emotion in music

Question 7

Are there any characteristics of infant cries that are musical in nature? If so, what are they?

Answer 7

Roots of vocal ability will develop and can technically map on intervals to crying, but they will not be precise and intentional

Question 8

When does musical babbling occur?

Answer 8

It occurs from infantry to around 6 months old

Question 9

When can a child introduce emotional components into their singing?

Answer 9

At 5 years old