This article explored the relationships between the learning experiences and musical proficiencies of a formal and an informal popular musician in Malaysia. The presence and impact of formal popular music education within popular music culture is become increasingly harder to ignore, and while this phenomenon had been examined by numerous popular music scholars, there is a lack of attention towards the implications of learning experience on acquired musical proficiencies. In this study, participants took part in semi-structured interviews that enquired about their music learning histories and musical skills tests that examined their sight-reading, play by ear, and improvisation proficiencies. The aim was to compare and ascertain the disparities between both musicians’ learning histories and musical proficiencies, as well as to identify any potential relationships between learning methods and musical proficiencies. The findings showed that the musicians developed contrasting habitual music-making practices, attitudes and dispositions and musical proficiencies. Furthermore, the informal musician outdid the formal musician in almost all aspects examined in the musical skills tests. Implications from this article include the need for providers of formal popular music education to approach the study of popular music on its own terms, and develop methods of structured learning that enhances the development of virtuosity within the culture of popular music.

本文探讨了马来西亚正式和非正式流行音乐家的学习经历和音乐水平之间的关系。正式流行音乐教育在流行音乐文化中的存在和影响变得越来越难以忽视，虽然这一现象已被众多流行音乐学者研究过，但缺乏对学习经验对获得的音乐能力的影响的关注。在这项研究中，参与者参加了半结构化的采访，询问他们的音乐学习历史和音乐技能测试，检查他们的视奏、听歌和即兴演奏能力。目的是比较和确定音乐家的学习历史和音乐水平之间的差异，以及确定学习方法和音乐能力之间的任何潜在关系。研究结果表明，音乐家发展出截然不同的习惯性音乐制作实践、态度和性格以及音乐能力。此外，在音乐技能测试中，非正式音乐家几乎在所有方面都超过了正式音乐家。本文的含义包括正规流行音乐教育的提供者需要根据自己的条件来研究流行音乐，并开发结构化学习方法，以增强流行音乐文化中精湛技艺的发展。态度和性格以及音乐能力。此外，在音乐技能测试中，非正式音乐家几乎在所有方面都超过了正式音乐家。本文的含义包括正规流行音乐教育的提供者需要根据自己的条件来研究流行音乐，并开发结构化学习方法，以增强流行音乐文化中精湛技艺的发展。态度和性格以及音乐能力。此外，在音乐技能测试中，非正式音乐家几乎在所有方面都超过了正式音乐家。本文的含义包括正规流行音乐教育的提供者需要根据自己的条件来研究流行音乐，并开发结构化学习方法，以增强流行音乐文化中精湛技艺的发展。