Learn about an Australian study on twins to investigate if the singing ability is inherited or environmentally determined

LIZ BANKS-ANDERSON: The Veronicas and the Bee Gees all benefited from the vocal prowess of twins. So is singing ability genetic or environmentally determined? A world-first study launched at the University of Melbourne in May will investigate if singing ability is inherited. Researchers at the University, the Melbourne Conservatorium of Music, and the Australian Twin Registry will study twins to measure to what extent it is nature or nurture that most influences whether we can sing a pitch-perfect tune. Lead researcher Associate Professor Sarah Wilson said she's very excited to be doing this study,

SARAH WILSON: There's no study looking at whether or not singing ability is inherited, so this is a world first led by the University of Melbourne. Basically, what we want to know is what is it about the environment that might make us better able to sing and to what extent might that be determined by our genes. And by understanding the contribution of those two factors, we're going to be better able to design singing training programs and education programs more generally for teaching music and singing.

BANKS-ANDERSON: Identical twins Yasmin and Yolanda use their voice as a way of distinguishing themselves from their identical appearance.

YASMIN AND YOLANDA ABSOLOM: [SINGING] Country road, take me home to the where I belong--

BANKS-ANDERSON: The twins say they each have different vocal strengths, and Yolanda says she has the stronger vocal ability.

YOLANDA ABSOLOM: I think my voice is a little bit stronger, but it's a good thing because we can learn off each other.

BANKS-ANDERSON: Singing has broad social benefits including social bonding and helping to define our social identity.

WILSON: We know that if we increase the level of music involvement in young children and then as they go through school and then in later life, that this is good for our mental health and well-being. It's also good for our physical health. So singing has broad benefits for us as humans. It's also really good for our social bonding and our social identity. Music often defines us in terms of the culture or the generation that we grew up in.

BANKS-ANDERSON: Matthew and Daniel Thompson think singing ability is a combination of both nature and nurture.

DANIEL THOMSON: Maybe it starts out as being genetic ability, but then how much it's nurtured is what kind of brings it out, I suppose.

MATTHEW THOMSON: Yeah, I definitely think nurture plays a big part about this, as long as there's some innate musical ability to begin with. It always helps. For sure.

BANKS-ANDERSON: As for whether Professor Wilson believes singing ability is genetic or environmental--

WILSON: We figure there's something to that, but I guess the proof will be in the pudding.

YASMIN AND YOLANDA ABSOLOM: [SINGING] Take me home, country roads.