Researchers from Goldsmiths University and the BBC have launched an 
ambitious experiment to determine the basic musical skills shared by individuals.
The How Musical Are You? test hopes to establish, with or without formal training, the most basic musical skills possessed by individuals.
It also coincides with Radio 3’s celebration of the music of Austrian composer Mozart over 12 days in January.
To take part, members of the public are invited to go to the Radio 3 website where the experiment can be accessed. The experiment has been split up into five different dimensions of musicality, which make up a participants’ musical profile.
These dimensions include: Enthusiasm for Music; Musical Perception; Emotional Connection; Social Creativity and Musical Curiosity.
Once collected, the data will then be analysed to establish whetherpeople who are untrained but passionate about music can be just as musical as people who have been formally trained.
Roger Wright, Radio 3 controller and director of the BBC Proms, said: “This is a chance for everyone who enjoys music of whatever genre to find out more about their own capacity for engaging with music.”
As part of the experiment, individuals will be required to fill out questionnaires and take part in musical tests that evaluate their ability to classify musical styles, remember tunes and distinguish the beat in pieces of music.
Dr Lauren Stewart, senior lecturer in Psychology at Goldsmiths, added: “The ability to play music is just one aspect of being musical. Some people may not be able to play an instrument but are able to move easily to the beat while dancing.
“This is a clearly another dimension of being musical, yet they might consider themselves totally unmusical.”
Indeed, many successful musicians, including Sir Paul McCartney and Jimi Hendrix, have claimed to have never received any formal training.
ambitious experiment to determine the basic musical skills shared by individuals.The How Musical Are You? test hopes to establish, with or without formal training, the most basic musical skills possessed by individuals.
It also coincides with Radio 3’s celebration of the music of Austrian composer Mozart over 12 days in January.
To take part, members of the public are invited to go to the Radio 3 website where the experiment can be accessed. The experiment has been split up into five different dimensions of musicality, which make up a participants’ musical profile.
These dimensions include: Enthusiasm for Music; Musical Perception; Emotional Connection; Social Creativity and Musical Curiosity.
Once collected, the data will then be analysed to establish whether
people who are untrained but passionate about music can be just as musical as people who have been formally trained.Roger Wright, Radio 3 controller and director of the BBC Proms, said: “This is a chance for everyone who enjoys music of whatever genre to find out more about their own capacity for engaging with music.”
As part of the experiment, individuals will be required to fill out questionnaires and take part in musical tests that evaluate their ability to classify musical styles, remember tunes and distinguish the beat in pieces of music.
Dr Lauren Stewart, senior lecturer in Psychology at Goldsmiths, added: “The ability to play music is just one aspect of being musical. Some people may not be able to play an instrument but are able to move easily to the beat while dancing.
“This is a clearly another dimension of being musical, yet they might consider themselves totally unmusical.”
Indeed, many successful musicians, including Sir Paul McCartney and Jimi Hendrix, have claimed to have never received any formal training.