MUSIC AT WORK

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume 80, 6 April 1945, Page 3

MUSIC AT WORK

FACTORY EXPERIMENTS WORTHWHILE INNOVATION New Zealand factory girls engaged on repetition jobs undoubtedly like music while they work, and their most popular tunes are the hits of the day, as sung by Bing Crosby, Vera Lynn, and Kate Smith, states “The Herald.” These conclusions have been reached by the industrial psychology division of the Department of Scientific and Industrial Research after experiments conducted in a small New Zealand munitions factory to discover, among other things, the effect of music on production. The experiment took place over a period of seven months. Production figures were collected every half-hour for approximately three months without music and for about four months with music. A gramophone was used and played mid-morning, mid-after-noon and mid-evening, the most boring parts of the day, the machine playing two and a-half hours during the day and three and three-quarter hours when overtime was being worked. INCREASED PRODUCTION Output during the months in which music was used was definitely greater. During the first two. months of the music period the rate of work was nearly 10 per cent, greater, and this was further increased when improved seating was introduced. The division states that it is extremely difficult to eliminate other factors likely to cause changes in output, but the work was of a highly standardised nature, and no other factors could yet be discovered that would account for the increased production. The experiment was conducted in an engineering firm, where it would be difficult to find more noise, but with suitably.-placed amplifiers the reproduction of the music was most satisfactory. As well as ascertaining the effect of music on production, the division tried to discover the girls’ attitude to the music, and its popularity was almost universal. Typical comments continually expressed were: “The day goes much quicker,” “It makes work seem far less boring,” “It gives you something to think about,” “I look forward to the music.” TASTES IN MUSIC No difficulty was found in ascertaining the girls’ preference to the type of music, for they were vociferous in their demands and quick to announce approval or disapproval. At first no vocal music was included, but it was soon found that the girls’ desire for its inclusion was so strong that it would have been unreasonable to exclude vocal items. A questionnaire circulated among the girls placed the following types of music in order of preference:—Popular tunes, the hits of the day, as sung by Bing Crosby, Vera Lynn, Kate Smith, etc.; light music of the dinner music variety, waltzes, musical comedy; dance music; jazz recordings, which, although not individually popular hits, are played continually; foxtrots, tangoes, rumbas; light classical, Schubert songs, popular classics; swing music, sophisticated swing of the Duke Ellington or Arti Shaw type; classical music. Different groups of girls tended to like different music. For instance young girls usually wanted popular tunes, and older women generally preferred light music. About the only type which appeared to have universal appeal was Strauss waltzes. AMPLIFICATION SYSTEM Observations also were made on how the music came oyer in a factory. It was found that extremes of pitch and tempo were to be avoided, but Hawaiian music and English dance orchestras sounded well. Organ music, vocal “gems,” American dance bands and brass bands lost most of their effect in a noisy workroom. Experience showed that expert installation of the amplification system was essential if good results were to be obtained. Unfortunately, the existing radio programmes were inadequate to fulfil the demand, and the initial expense of installing a gramophone with amplifiers and a record library was considerable. In spite of all this, however, the division still believes that “music while you work” is worthwhile, the girls like it, and it is in the employer’s interest to give it to them.