When Intervals Sing: A Study of Intonation and Intervallic Amplitudes in the Field of Violin Education

Abstract

Intonation of different types of intervals is a fundamental ability in the field of stringed instruments in general, and of the violin in particular. This research, based on an ad hoc intonation exercise, has observed, registered, and analyzed the intonation of 53 violin students enrolled in different music schools located Autonomous Region of Extremadura, Spain. The aim is to determine to what extent the intonation of the participants conformed to equal-temperament-derived proportions, to observe how the direction of the intervals may have shaped such proportions, and to estimate how intonation may have been influenced by the course or academic level of the individuals in the sample. Results suggest that a good deal of the analysed intervals do not adjust to the proportions derived from equal temperament, thus showing apparent inclinations towards other systems such as just intonation, or Pythagorean intonation. Likewise, it has been observed that the direction of the different intervals may have influenced the way they were played. In this respect, some cases show differences which are significant both statistically and acoustically.