Effects of Sound Transmission Through Bone Conduction on Intonation

Abstract

Musical ear is a natural ability based on the ability to hear and vocalize musical sounds with great precision (intonation). This ability can be taken to a higher level through a process called ear training. Having the correct intonation is very important during solfege studies, which are part of this process. Therefore, the sense of hearing also plays an important role in this process.

Environmental sounds are primarily transmitted to our ears through the air. However, a significant part of our own voice is transmitted to our inner ear through the bones in our skull, that is, through bone conduction. In this study, a pre-test-post-test controlled group experimental design was used to evaluate the effect of sound transmission through bone conduction on intonation in solfege practice. Participants in the experimental group used bone conduction headphones, allowing them to focus more on their own voices without being isolated from the outside world. The control group completed the planned training process without using headphones. Pre-test and post-test recordings taken before and after one-on-one training with a total of 20 students were digitized in cents and then interpreted statistically and psychoacoustically. Statistically, it was concluded that the control group, which did not use headphones, performed better than the experimental group, but from a psychoacoustic perspective, this change was not at a level to make an audible difference.