 The Clarinet BBoard
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Author: William Hughes
Date: 2001-11-16 16:06
Did anyone see this? Is it training or genetics (or both)?
Musicians' Brains Wired Differently
By SETH HETTENA, Associated Press Writer
[the rest cut outby the Webmaster]
Bill, do you have a link? The story was copyrighted - a few lines quoted would be fine and well within the realm of fair use, but the entire article can't be posted (and yes, newspapers <b>do</b> employ copyright police).
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Author: Julia
Date: 2001-11-16 16:30
I think its probably training. On a side note--for those who have perfect pitch, the actual construction of the brain is different. I don't remember exactly what it was, but I believe it was on NPR about a month, maybe 2 months ago.
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Author: Jason M
Date: 2001-11-16 16:36
This is interesting, as one of our friends on this forum did not seem to believe it possible that I was able to work out the notes of major and minor keys in my head whilst playing live, nevermind hearing the music in my head. It is interesting though as I am able to hear the music before/while I arrange or play it (I am sure I am not alone with this technique?), this does not mean however I can play it accurately straight off, those who can, quite likely have quite an advanced technical skill, ah well, practice, practice...
Anyway... that is the end of my part rant, part observation
Ta ra
J
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Author: Ken Shaw
Date: 2001-11-16 17:00
William -
It may be the other way around -- the playing creates the wiring. I've read studies showing that playing an instrument causes the brain areas involved to grow physically as well as make denser connections. Any learning experience causes the sections of the brain involved with memory to make new connections, and exactly the same thing happens when new muscle skills are learned, as they certainly are when you master the complex process of playing clarinet.
Best regards.
Ken Shaw
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Author: Brenda Siewert
Date: 2001-11-16 17:03
I've also heard that reading music and playing a musical instrument helped to develop the same part of the brain developed through practicing algebra. Since I'm a total wash out in algebra, I found this encouraging.
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Author: Peter
Date: 2001-11-16 21:00
I don't know if it's algebra, specifically, but the connection (in scientific studies) between math and music is an old one.
If I remember correctly, most people who have excellent mathematical skills have an easier time learning music and often become relatively gifted musicians and most gifted musicians are also excellent mathematicians (or can be.)
If it means anything, my last two sons are the most musically gifted in my family and also the most mathematically adept of the bunch. I'm o.k. in music and awful in math (I had to sweat blood all over my Hewlett Packard scientific calculator to get my two engineering degrees.)
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Author: Emms
Date: 2001-11-16 21:14
Different sides of the brain are used for scales and performing music. The side of the brain used for scales is also responsible for mathematical ability, and the other side of the brain, used for musical performance is associated with other artistic pursuits.
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Author: Wes
Date: 2001-11-17 07:36
Perfect pitch--that's when you hit the wastebasket with a bad reed.
I believe that not only the brain changes with musical practice but parts of the body change that are used in such practice such as the lips, throat, etc. A good example was Louis Armstrong's lip distortion. Some expert wind players have said that it takes at least ten years to learn to play with the needed blowing mechanism.
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Author: Roger -- the other one
Date: 2001-11-18 02:07
I will throw this in for what it is worth---
I use hearing aids in both ears and the hearing Tech. tells me the brain takes up to two weeks to learn a new setting after an adjustment is done.
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Author: Emms
Date: 2001-11-18 10:30
i'll throw in another one. When we practise, what we learn goes into our short term memory. this doesn't pass into the cerebellum, where our long term memory 'lives' until we're sleeping.
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Author: Hiroshi
Date: 2001-11-19 01:46
It is known now that in brain developing period up to 3-5 yr old basic things are imprinted such as perfect pitch. Of course during this period parents should make a good music environment. If they let their children hear nasty kind of rock music, it is very much detrimental to their later life. Education very much matters.
For example, Viena boy choir. In Japan, teachers very wrongly teach boys and girls to sing in tune to piano. This is the main cause of the difference from Vieno boy quire, who sing not in tune to equal temper but to just temper as almost good singers do. Wrong education jeopadizes everything and teachers do not know they are wrong.
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Author: William Hughes
Date: 2001-11-19 02:00
Good discussion. I'll vote for a "Bell curve". There are a few who are born with a gift of "hearing the music." Jason M. may be one such, being able to work out major and minor keys in his head. Some are born totally amusical. No amount of instruction or practice would develop any sense of song for them. Most of us are in the great middle. As Hiroshi says, our early childhood experiences, among other things, will determine to what extent we develop musically.
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Author: Ginny
Date: 2001-11-19 15:38
First, the study referenced above was quite small (16 people in total) and doing stats on a sample of this size is iffy. There are statistical methods for the analysis of very small samples, but without seeing was was used I would maintain some skepticism on the results. It could be they got 8 pros and amatuers who happened to have differences.
I will admit it seems plausable, though.
The following study is listed at EurekaAlert! at http://www.eurekalert.org
and can be found by doing a search on 'musician' It was released in April 2001.
Again, a somewhat small study, (30 people in total, so much better) but much more likely to be statiscally believable.
It shows physical differences in the brains of those who got early training. Nature, nuture...don't leave home without them.
"Musical training during childhood may influence regional
brain growth"
"PHILADELPHIA, PA – Research has revealed significant differences in the gray matter
distribution between professional musicians trained at an early age and non-musicians,...
The musicians in the study had more relative gray matter volume in left and right primary sensorimotor regions, the left more than the right intraparietal sulcus region, the left basal ganglia region and the left posterior perisylvian region, with pronounced differences
also seen in the cerebellum bilaterally. "
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Author: Hiroshi
Date: 2001-11-20 05:18
Langueage affects sound percetption, which affects music perception, which affects music performance. This is a theory recently developed by a Japanese clarinetist Mr.Denda.
There are differences between Japanese and English(or other western languages).
Japanese English
Many vowels Many consonants
Average spoken frequency
1500Hz 3000Hz
Our brain compares heard sound with our memorized sound in our brains. Japanese people generally have no comparison for English lanugages because of above differences. He thought, if forcefully geting rid of this comparison, people can hear actual sounds. He invented a system to let a person hear random frequencies from both ears. This system, now sold as a trade mark of 'Magic Listening' , improves language hearing, music hearing, hard listening defects, and music therapy.
Therefore a theory back to the top.
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Author: Bob
Date: 2001-11-24 15:59
Hiroshi, I enjoy your comments immensely, even when you have your tongue in your cheek.
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