title: A cognitive model of musical sight-reading.
abstract: The author, a professional flutist and psychologist, interviewed four pianists noted for their sight-reading abilities. The results of the interviews are considered from several points of view. Sight-reading is analyzed as a problem in pattern recognition: a movement from a sonata by Handel is used to illustrate the principle of scanning for familiar patterns. The close relationship between musical sight-reading and the reading of conventional texts is also suggested. Finally, drawing on the findings of other studies, a congnitive model of musical sight-reading is proposed. The schematic model of interlocking information-processing systems explains the differences between skilled and unskilled sight-readers: it also explains why some experienced, professional musicians are poor sight-readers. Verification of the model is provided in an additional section in which conversations with unskilled sight-readers are reported.
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D003071:Cognition; D005556:Form Perception; D006801:Humans; D007257:Information Theory; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D008960:Models, Psychological; D009146:Music; D010364:Pattern Recognition, Visual; D011932:Reading