UPDATED: 18th January to include further information from Dr. Daniel Müllensiefen.

Researchers from the “Music, Mind and Brain research group” at Goldsmiths, University of London are embarking on a project to discover how musical people are – including those who don’t consider themselves musical at all!

In collaboration with the BBC Lab UK, they have developed a simple 25-minute test which you can take online to discover how strong a sense of musicality you have.

The research hypothesis is that people without any level of musical training will be able to do very well – and in some cases just as well as formally trained musicians who take the test. They think it’s possible that people develop a strong sense of music just through everyday exposure to and appreciation of music; even if they’ve never considered themselves a musician.

Click the image below to take the test:

(You’ll need to register with the BBC website if you haven’t before – it’s quick and easy!)

What is “Musicality”?

The test is in seven short parts. Three ask you various questions about music, what it means to you, how much training you’ve had, and so on. Four are interactive musical tests, which ask you to do things like tap along with a song, or arrange short clips into groups that go together musically.

But before you start worrying that you’ll have to whip out your instrument, or brush up on your singing – there’s no need, as the test focuses on aural skills. Dr. Daniel Müllensiefen, one of the lead researchers on the project, explains “Musical performance is one aspect of musicality but by far not the only one – and maybe not even the most important one.”

At the end of the test you’re shown your scores for each of several dimensions of musicality, including “enthusiasm for music”, “musical perception” and “emotional connection”. Click to read the rest…

Children love to sing. Listen to a group of schoolchildren at the playground, and you will hear a mix of imagined songs, favorite nursery rhymes, and popular tunes intermingled with giggles and laughter. Making music seems hardwired to our DNA since childhood. Even as adults, we sing loudly in the shower or car when we think no one can hear. Music is an expression of life.

Singing gives children the freedom to express themselves in unique ways[1]. A child can immerse herself in a made-up song about rainbows, or a young boy can remember his mother by singing a favorite nighttime lullaby. Children socialize through songs and dance, learning how to interact with others through silly nonsensical song play. While you might not understand why your child wants to sing “B-I-N-G-O” or “Baby Beluga” fifty times in a row, at least you know that your child’s singing will increase her communication and vocabulary[2][3].

Singing to your child helps you pass down an important part of your own childhood and history to a new generation. Singing not only benefits your child but helps relieve stress and allows you to express emotions deep within[4].

Don’t forget to check out Music & Life: Rockin’ Baby Lullabies for great information about singing lullabies to young children and babies.

10 ways to enliven your days with song

Try some of these practical ways to add singing to your life and your child’s everyday experiences:

1. Sing your favorite childhood songs

Share fun songs from your childhood. Whether you sing Kermit’s “It’s Not Easy Being Green” or The ABC Song, your child will learn about singing in tune while sharing some of your favorite tunes.

2. Clap your hands!

As you sing, add fun gestures like stomping, clapping, waving your arms, and dancing.

Click to read the rest…

Ever pick up a piece of sheet music and wish that you could hear the notes on the page? Working on ear training can be frustrating if you can’t hear the melody and don’t know how to pick it out on a keyboard. Noteflight’s online notation software can help you develop your ear training skills whether you are a beginning musician, a music educator, or a professional.

Sign up for Noteflight’s free account at Noteflight.com. Once you have registered, you have a virtual music program at your fingertips. Not only does Noteflight give you the tools to create original music and your own ear training exercises, it gives you social networking capabilities through Facebook and Twitter. You can even set up a profile to share your work with the world. Noteflight provides you with HTML code to post your scores and exercises on your own personal blog or website and allows you to export your files as audio and MIDI files.

Picking out a melody

Use Noteflight’s simple interface to input a melody for easy playback. Click to read the rest…