A Musical Life-Story of an Imprecise Singer: Belonging, Motivation, and Musical Meaning

This narrative study traces the musical life of “Frederick,” an imprecise singer, to illuminate how skill, belief, and social context jointly shape music participation choices across the lifespan. Drawing primarily on semi-structured interviews, this musical life-story follows Frederick from childhood to late adulthood, examining how and why he made choices about participating in music. Findings show that participation endured in low-risk, purpose-rich settings where singing functioned as shared practice. This study draws focus to that many singers labeled “out of tune” are better understood as imprecise—musically engaged yet variably accurate—and that early self-concept messages can steer long-term choices in music. Implications translate into concrete applications for music teachers such as protecting student dignity when giving feedback, communicating that accuracy is a learned skill, using “thick” textures to reduce vulnerability, countering gendered messages about music participation, and programming purposeful performances that anchor music in meaning.