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Experimentation as a Learning Method: A Case Study Exploring Affordances of a Musical Instrument

Fausto Lessa F. Pizzol(author)

Chapter of: Teaching Music Performance in Higher Education: Exploring the Potential of Artistic Research(pp. 47–86)

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Title	Experimentation as a Learning Method
Subtitle	A Case Study Exploring Affordances of a Musical Instrument
Contributor	Fausto Lessa F. Pizzol(author)
DOI	https://doi.org/10.11647/obp.0398.03
Landing page	https://www.openbookpublishers.com/books/10.11647/obp.0398/chapters/10.11647/obp.0398.03
License	https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/
Copyright	Fausto Lessa Pizzol
Publisher	Open Book Publishers
Published on	2024-05-27
Long abstract	Organologically classified as a melodic instrument, the electric bass has tonal and ergonomic characteristics that enhance its use beyond this designation. In this perspective, an increasing number of bassists seek to use the electric bass as a harmonic instrument. However, the lack of research on this approach hinders its development beyond individual initiatives. Based on an alternative tonal concept to consolidated practice, called LCCTO (Russell, 2001) and guided by a research design structured according to the concept of Affordances (Gibson, 1979) and the Perceptual Learning theory (Gibson & Pick, 2000), this artistic research adopts experimentation as a learning method for performing vertical harmonies on the electric bass. The development of this path involves, (i) the construction of a harmonic vocabulary for the instrument and (ii) the creation of musical works from this vocabulary. The result of this work intends to contribute to the construction of a new paradigm for the performance of the instrument, for the academic discussion about it, and, consequently, bring pedagogical implications concerning the academic program for bassists and the teaching methodology for this harmonic content. Regarding the latter, the proposed research design, as well as the harmonic vocabulary, structured as a book, may point to an initial path for further debate. The results achieved so far point positively to the potential of using experimentation for the development of a, here called, Harmonic Approach to the Electric Bass. The experiments already concluded provided a considerable number of chords playable on the instrument, which has been organized as a dictionary, as well as extensive material resulting from articulations (simultaneous execution) between these chords and the different scales proposed in the LCCTO. Also included in this material resulting from the experiments, are the Creative Applications, organized as musical studies, which reflect, through composition, the use of the contents already obtained.
Page range	pp. 47–86
Print length	40 pages
Language	English (Original)

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Contributors

Fausto Lessa F. Pizzol

(author)

Ph.D. candidate in the Doctoral Program in Music at University of Aveiro

https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1648-5279

Fausto Lessa F. Pizzol is a Ph.D. candidate in the Doctoral Program in Music at the University of Aveiro, Portugal. He holds a master's degree in Music Performance from the University of Aveiro, a degree in Music Education from Universidade Federal do Espírito Santo – UFES (Brazil), and a sandwich degree in Jazz Performance from East Carolina University – ECU (USA). He is a former professor at Faculdade de Música do Espírito Santo – FAMES (Brazil). His current research, in the field of artistic research, investigates the potentialities of the harmonic use of the electric bass through the development of a proposal for its performance and musical creation. His interests include Artistic Research, Music Performance, and Music Education.

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Organologically classified as a melodic instrument, the electric bass has tonal and ergonomic characteristics that enhance its use beyond this designation. In this perspective, an increasing number of bassists seek to use the electric bass as a harmonic instrument. However, the lack of research on this approach hinders its development beyond individual initiatives. Based on an alternative tonal concept to consolidated practice, called LCCTO (Russell, 2001) and guided by a research design structured according to the concept of Affordances (Gibson, 1979) and the Perceptual Learning theory (Gibson & Pick, 2000), this artistic research adopts experimentation as a learning method for performing vertical harmonies on the electric bass. The development of this path involves, (i) the construction of a harmonic vocabulary for the instrument and (ii) the creation of musical works from this vocabulary. The result of this work intends to contribute to the construction of a new paradigm for the performance of the instrument, for the academic discussion about it, and, consequently, bring pedagogical implications concerning the academic program for bassists and the teaching methodology for this harmonic content. Regarding the latter, the proposed research design, as well as the harmonic vocabulary, structured as a book, may point to an initial path for further debate.
The results achieved so far point positively to the potential of using experimentation for the development of a, here called, Harmonic Approach to the Electric Bass. The experiments already concluded provided a considerable number of chords playable on the instrument, which has been organized as a dictionary, as well as extensive material resulting from articulations (simultaneous execution) between these chords and the different scales proposed in the LCCTO. Also included in this material resulting from the experiments, are the Creative Applications, organized as musical studies, which reflect, through composition, the use of the contents already obtained.