A Comparison of Modes of Communication between members of a String Quartet and a Jazz Sextet

This study revealed the modes of communication employed between the members of a professional string quartet during rehearsal and performance. Six modes of communication were revealed, verbal and non-verbal: instruction/co-operation/collaboration. Results of this research process enabled the comparison of modes of communication employed by the string quartet and those of a student jazz sextet revealed in a previous study (Seddon, 2005). Although at times the content of the communication in both groups differed, modes of communication remained the same. Differences in content were related to the presence of a pre-composed score and conventions of the musical genre. Results also indicated that when playing from a pre-composed score the string quartet were able to become ‘empathetically attuned’ and produce ‘spontaneous musical variations’ during performance. The authors propose that these spontaneous musical variations are examples of ‘Empathetic Creativity’ (Seddon, 2005). Participants confirmed researcher interpretations of the six modes of communication, sympathetic and empathic attunement and empathetic creativity during Member Checks (Lincoln and Guba, 1985; Brown and Gilligan, 1992; Punch, 1998; Seddon 2005). The notion of a ‘novel musical performance’ is also discussed.