Abstract—Expert sight readers rely on their ability to recognize patterns in scores, their inner hearing and prediction skills in order to perform complex sight reading exercises. They also have the ability to observe deviations from expected patterns in musical scores. This increases the “Eye-hand span” (reading ahead of the point of playing) in order to process the elements in the score. The study aims to investigate the gaze patterns of expert and non-expert sight readers focusing on key and time signatures. 20 musicians were tasked with playing 12 sight reading examples composed for one hand and five examples composed for two hands to be performed on a piano keyboard. These examples were composed in different keys and time signatures and included accidentals and changes of time signature to test this theory. Results showed that the experts fixate more and for longer on key and time signatures as well as deviations in examples for two hands than the non-expert group. The inverse was true for the examples for one hand, where expert sight readers showed fewer and shorter fixations on key and time signatures as well as deviations. This seems to suggest that experts focus more on the key and time signatures as well as deviations in complex scores to facilitate sight reading. The examples written for one appeared to be too easy for the expert sight readers, compromising gaze patterns. Keywords—Cognition, eye tracking, musical notation, sight reading. I. INTRODUCTION YE tracking technology has provided researchers with specific tools to empirically study the process of reading (language and music) over the last decade. Music sight reading can be broadly defined as reading a musical score, conceptualizing it and performing at the same time [1]. The music being read is therefore realized in real time. This adds a temporal component to the reading aspect, not often found when studying reading language text. In short, once a performer starts playing, the temporal element of music prevents him or her from stopping as this would disturb the natural flow of the music. The information found in musical scores presents the reader with both a pitch and duration element in each symbol [7]. Both of these features of notation have to be processed in order to perform a note correctly. Another complexity in sight reading is the presence of a motoric component [3]. This component occurs because the visual cues need to be translated into physical movements to be performed on any J.F. Viljoen is with Rhodes University, Makhanda, Eastern Cape, South Africa (phone: 082 560 6024; e-mail: jfviljoen88@gmail.com). Prof. Catherine Foxcroft is with Rhodes University, Makhanda, Eastern Cape, South Africa (phone 079 310 2683; e-mail: c.foxcroft@ru.ac.za). given instrument. Initial studies theorize that music sight reading is a “genuine species of music perception” [9]. Early studies done by [4], focused on the perceptual span (the region of visual stimulus that can be seen during a single fixation) [7]. These early studies helped classify eye movements into fixations and saccades. Fixations are defined as short static gaze points (where the brain gathers information) while saccades are rapid movements between these static points (where the brain processes information) [7]. According to [10], three main skills are needed in order to gain expertise in sight reading; pattern recognition, prediction skills and inner hearing. Research focusing on eye movements during sight reading has found that expertise seems to reduce the number of fixation durations and increase fixation frequency [6]. Huovinen et al. [5] further claim that expertise could determine how far the eyes are ahead of the performance at any given moment. This phenomenon has come to be known as the “Eye-hand span”. Expert sight readers appear to possess the ability to group or chunk details in a musical score into recognizable groups or patterns [1]. This seems to be as a result of extensive and structured knowledge of the element being read. These patterns appear to be organized in a hierarchical order [2]. Expertise in sight reading can therefore be defined as skilled pattern recognition [11]. Expert sight readers also possess the ability to spot errors in a musical score [1], [11]. These errors or deviations from expected musical patterns increase the “Eye-Hand Span” of expert sight readers [5]. Previous research explores sight reading focused on general differences in reading strategies of expert and non-expert readers. Most of these studies investigate the “Eye-Hand Span”, but do not include specific elements of the score and how these are processed. In her review of sight reading studies, Puurtinen [7] suggests that future research should explore these specific elements of musical notation when performed in real time. Aims This study aims to investigate the cognitive underpinnings of key and time signatures in the reading of musical notation. While much of the research utilizing eye tracking focuses purely on the “Eye-hand span”, this study aims to study the gaze patterns centered on key and time signatures. Accidentals and changes of time signatures were added to the musical examples in order to study the fixation duration and J. F. Viljoen, Catherine Foxcroft Gaze Patterns of Skilled and Unskilled Sight Readers Focusing on the Cognitive Processes Involved in Reading Key and Time Signatures E World Academy of Science, Engineering and Technology International Journal of Humanities and Social Sciences Vol:14, No:9, 2020 764 International Scholarly and Scientific Research & Innovation 14(9) 2020 ISNI:0000000091950263 Open Science Index, Humanities and Social Sciences Vol:14, No:9, 2020 publications.waset.org/10011429/pdf