Creative visual thinking reflected in graphic notations of compositions: Sound-focus and structure-focus types

The purpose of the study was to identify types of visual thinking from the use of graphic notations in compositions, and their relationship to creativity. Four sets of data were collected from Australian and Korean subjects (N = 69), comprising 42 Australian (22 seventh-grade, 20 university freshman music education) and 27 Korean students (18 seventh-grade, 9 ninth-grade). They were asked to compose music using graphic notations in groups of about 10 students. A set of graphic patterns developed by Walker (e.g. 1978, 1987) was used as examples of graphic symbols that students could use, but they were also encouraged to invent their own symbols. The students were given a maximum of 30 minutes, and used instruments of their choice, including voice. The compositions were videotape-recorded, and their graphic notations were analyzed into types of thinking used in organizing sound. Results showed that creativity scores were significantly related to notations which were focused on structure more than on sonic elements. Female subjects showed significant correlations between creativity scores and both sound-type and structural type notations. Effects of age and choice of sound source were also apparent.