Accuracy and underlying mechanisms of shifting movements in cellists

Accuracy of shifting movements between two notes was examined in nine cellists (intermediate-professional skill levels). Three pairs of notes separated by different distances were tested under the same movement rate. Finger position on the string was measured by a circuit. Angular velocities of the left upper arm and forearm were measured by two angular velocity sensors; thus elbow angular velocity during shifts was estimated. Results showed that with increased elbow velocity and shifting distance endpoint variability stayed constant. The force of gravity assisted elbow extension during shifts toward higher pitched notes compared to flexion towards lower pitched notes, but faster movement velocity did not result in increased landing variability. Performance for note E on the A string was found to be less variable than other notes, suggesting that physical cue from the cello body geometry was used as a landmark for finger position. Cutaneous feedback from the thumb when hitting the body-neck junction enabled faster elbow extension velocity compared to shifts towards other notes. Cellists who showed higher performance accuracy also showed higher perceptual ability and performance proficiency. These results suggest that long-term over-training of fast and accurate movements enables musicians to maintain accuracy and variability across different movement distances and velocities. Higher perceptual ability and performance proficiency are correlated with increased accuracy but not lower variability, indicating although perceptual ability and performance proficiency are important for pitch accuracy, movement variability is still constrained by the capacity of the motor system, which is highly fine-tuned and different than non-musicians.