Mind Hacks pointed me to an interesting study by science journal PLoS One on the cognitive neuroscience of Jazz.
The scientists found that a region of the brain known as the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex, a broad portion of the front of the brain that extends to the sides, showed a slowdown in activity during improvisation. This area has been linked to planned actions and self-censoring, such as carefully deciding what words you might say at a job interview. Shutting down this area could lead to lowered inhibitions, Limb suggests.
The researchers also saw increased activity in the medial prefrontal cortex, which sits in the center of the brain’s frontal lobe. This area has been linked with self-expression and activities that convey individuality, such as telling a story about yourself.
It might seem hyperbole to claim, as many Wagnerites do, that The Ring Cycle is “The Greatest Work of Art Ever.” But the grandeur and power of this monumental work have permeated our culture from Star Wars to Bugs Bunny to J.R.R. Tolkien.
What is music? How does it work? Why does it move us? Why are some people better at it than others? In this hour, we examine the line between language and music, how the brain processes sound, and we meet a composer who uses computers to capture the musical DNA of dead composers in order to create new work. We also re-imagine the disastrous 1913 debut of Stravinsky’s Rite of Spring…through the lens of modern neurology.
Songs can have an effect like no other art form. Great lyricists put in the heart and soul, and master interpreters add the flesh and blood, forging the combination of words and music that makes up the magic of songcraft.
Legend has it that Constanza Mozart, in an attempt to rouse her husband from bed during the late morning hours, would sit at the piano and play a C major scale. She’d get all the way up to the B natural. And stop.
Wolfgang couldn’t stand it. His ear was begging for some kind of fulfillment, so he’d leap out of bed, rush to the piano and bang out the final note, much to his relief.
MindHacks pointed me to the just launched Musicophilia, the site and book by Oliver Sacks, a neurologist who has become quite popular publishing books about his patients and who also contributes to the advancement of music as a powerful tool for healing and awakening.
The site has some great video on the power of rhythm, music therapy and Parkinsons’, amusia, and more. There’s also a mind-blowing excerpt on NPR.
I’ll be seeing him on speak on the fifth of November. If you have any questions you would like me to ask, please let me know.
First the Dilbert creator loses his voice due to a rare condition known as spasmodic dysphonia. Now he reveals in an amazingly affecting personal blog post how he learned to speak again. In Bodyhack.
Meditation is often credited with helping people feel more focused and energetic, but are the benefits measurable? When researchers tested the alertness of volunteers, they found that the practice proved more effective than naps, exercise or caffeine.
I'm a professional blogging musician, songwriter, recording artist, music educator, and lifehacker. Tips, news and thoughts on the world of songwriting, ear training and music theory.
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Here’s some recent podcasts from around the web that I’ve been inspired by musically.
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