I am starting a project concerning learning musical sequences, and I would like to classify correctly this procedimental learning between implicit or explicit. I wonder if several learning parameters (as correct pitch repetition) might be considered as explicit, and others (such as rhythm) might be implicit. All opinions are welcomed.
It might be considered an implicit learning task if participants were listening to the sequence without any knowledge that they would be asked to reproduce it. However, as soon as they consciously attempt to reproduce the sequence it becomes an explicit learning task for both pitch and rhythm.
Hearing is a passive action regardless of intention, therefore it is an implicit learning. We can try to hear but until a sound is presented, we cannot intentionally learn it. Eve then, we must still wait to hear a sound before implying our intentions. This still leaves the element of surprise. I could play the same song with a different note placed at a certain second, and this would create a different learning experience. It only becmes explicit if the listener knows every note of the tune before it is played. We inherently learn melodies. It would take much implicit learning to learn music explicitly.
Considering that hearing => implicit and listening => explicit, if someone learns a melody unaware of it (hearing) that might be considered implicit learning. However, if this one intentionally pay attention (listen) to a melody and learn it, then this may be considered as explicit learning.
It would only be implicit if there was some unintentional learning going on. One example would be if the sequence that they reproduced had some underlying fingering pattern that they were not aware of. Testing the implicit learning would be seeing if they were more accurate on sequences that included this pattern than not. But the task of production is intentional and thus explicit.
If I understand what you have planned the initial hearing is passive listening, e.g. not listening with instrument at hand, I think the learning process must be assumed to be implicit. That said, it's possible some listeners may be capable of silently rehearsing as they listen, making the process explicit. Thus it will depend on how you frame the trial and instruct participants. Good luck!
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