Potential Factors Related to Untrained Singing Talent: A Survey of Singing Pedagogues *Christopher Watts, †Kathryn Barnes-Burroughs, ‡Mary Andrianopoulos, and *Megan Carr Mobile, Alabama and Amherst, Massachusetts Summary: A national survey was conducted to identify factors associated with untrained singing talent based on perceptions obtained from a homogeneous group of professional singing pedagogues. Survey items in- cluded questions related to the perception of singing talent, factors associated with untrained singing talent, and physiological variables that distinguished untrained singing talented individuals from those without obvious singing talent. The survey data suggested that intonation, timbre, and musicality were rated the most important factors associated with the perception of singing talent in an untrained individual. Environmental influences and genetics were rated most important for explaining why one individual would express singing talent and another would not. In addition, the data suggested that abilities related to the control of pitch distinguished untrained talented individuals from those without singing talent more than other physiological variables. Key Words: Untrained singing talent—Singing skill—Intonation—Timbre— Musicality—Dynamic expression—Accurate singing—Perception—Pitch- matching—Pitch discrimination. Accepted for publication October 22, 2002. This project was funded in part by a faculty development grant awarded by the Graduate School at the University of South Alabama. This research was presented at the Voice Foundation’s 31st Annual Symposium: Care of the Professional Voice, on June 7, 2002. From the *Department of Speech Pathology and Audiology- and the †Department of Music, University of South Alabama, Mobile, Alabama, and the ‡Department of Communication Dis- orders, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, Massachusetts. Address correspondence and reprint requests to Christopher R. Watts, Department of Speech Pathology and Audiology, University of South Alabama, Mobile, AL 36688. E-mail: cwatts@usouthal.edu. Journal of Voice, Vol. 17, No. 3, pp. 298–307  2003 The Voice Foundation 0892-1997/2003 $30.00+0 doi:10.1067/S0892-1997(03)00068-7 298 INTRODUCTION On a physiological level, singing involves activa- tion and coordination of respiratory, phonatory, ar- ticulatory, resonatory, and auditory systems. At this level, singing can be thought of as a sensorimotor act requiring a balance of physical skills. 1 Singing can be developed and refined in a performer so that the singing voice is able to project feelings, emotions, moods, and cognitive-linguistic informa- tion. The ability and expertise with which one con- veys these variables through the singing voice involves the artistic level of singing. Before artistry can be cultivated in the singing voice, a foundation for accurate coordination of the physiological mech- anisms that enable the production of a melodious singing voice must be established.