www.dagobon.com

Will listening to music make you smarter? Will learning to play a musical instrument make your brain grow larger than normal?

Questions like these ones have been popping up all over the place in the past few years, and not just in scientific journals either.

In recent times the media has been fascinated by the research surrounding brain development and music, eagerly reporting on the latest studies to the delight of the music-loving parents of young children.

But all this information - and some misinformation too - has led to generalized confusion about the role of music and music training in the development of the human brain. The bottom line is this: if you’re confused by all you read about music study and brain development, you’re certainly not alone.

In part, this is due to the manner in which the phrase “the Mozart Effect” has been popularized by the media and bandied about to describe any situation in which music has a positive effect on cognition or behavior.

In fact the Mozart Effect refers specifically to a 1993 research finding by Frances Rauscher, Gordon Shaw and Katherine Ky and published in the prestigious journal Nature. The scientists found that 36 college students who listened to 10 minutes of a Mozart sonata performed higher on a subsequent spatial-temporal task than after they listened to relaxation instructions or silence.

An enchanted media reported this interesting research as “Mozart makes you smarter” - a huge over-simplification of the original results.

As Rauscher explains in a later paper, the Mozart Effect was studied only in adults, lasted only for a few minutes and was found only for spatial temporal reasoning. Nevertheless, the finding has since launched an industry that includes books, CDs and websites claiming that listening to classical music can make children more intelligent.

The scientific controversy - not to mention the popular confusion - surrounding the Mozart Effect, has given rise to a corresponding perplexity for parents. They wonder: “Should my kids even bother with music education?”

In fact the answer to this question is still a resounding yes, since numerous research studies do prove that studying music contributes unequivocally to the positive development of the human brain. Other researchers have since replicated the original 1993 finding that listening to Mozart improves spatial reasoning. And further research by Rauscher and her colleagues in 1994 showed that after eight months of keyboard lessons, preschoolers demonstrated a 46% boost in their spatial reasoning IQ, a skill important for certain types of mathematical reasoning.

In particular, it is early music training that appears to most strengthen the connections between brain neurons and perhaps even leads to the establishment of new pathways. But research shows music training has more than a casual relationship to the long-term development of specific parts of the brain too.

In 1994 Discover magazine published an article which discussed research by Gottfried Schlaug, Herman Steinmetz and their colleagues at the University of Dusseldorf. The group compared magnetic resonance images (MRI) of the brains of 27 classically trained right-handed male piano or string players, with those of 27 right-handed male non-musicians.

Intriguingly, they found that in the musicians’ planum temporale - a brain structure associated with auditory processing - was bigger in the left hemisphere and smaller in the right than in the non-musicians. The musicians also had a thicker nerve-fiber tract between the hemisphere. The differences were especially striking among musicians who began training before the age of seven.

According to Shlaug, music study also promotes growth of the corpus callosum, a sort of bridge between the two hemispheres of the brain. He found that among musicians who started their training before the age of seven, the corpus callosum is 10-15% thicker than in non-musicians.

At the time, Schlaug and other researchers speculated that a larger corpus callosum might improve motor control by speeding up communication between the hemispheres.

Since then, a study by Dartmouth music psychologist Petr Janata published by Science in 2002, has confirmed that music prompts greater connectivity between the brains left and right hemisphere and between the areas responsible for emotion and memory, than does almost any other stimulus.

Janata led a team of scientists who reported some areas of the brain are 5% larger in expert musicians than they are in people with little or no musical training, and that the auditory cortex in professional musicians is 130% denser than in non-musicians. In fact, among musicians who began their musical studies in early childhood, the corpus callosum, a four-inch bundle of nerve fibers connecting the left and right sides of the brain, can be up to 15% larger.

While it is now clear from research studies that brain region connectivity and some types of spatial reasoning functionality is improved by music training, there is growing evidence that detailed and skilled motor movements are also enhanced.

Apparently the corpus callosum in musicians is essential for tasks such as finger coordination. Like a weight-lifter’s biceps, this portion of the brain enlarges to accommodate the increased labour assigned to it.

In a study conducted by Dr. Timo Krings and reported in Neuroscience Letters in 2000, pianists and non-musicians of the same age and sex were required to perform complex sequences of finger movements. The non-musicians were able to make the movements as correctly as the pianists, but less activity was detected in the pianists’ brains. The scientists concluded that compared to non-musicians, the brains of pianists are more efficient at making skilled movements.

The study of music definitely affects the human brain and its development, in a staggering number of ways. But what to make of all the research, especially in terms of deciding the best course of music study or appreciation for yourself or your offspring?

A 2000 article by N M Weinberger in MuSICA Research Notes makes the following excellent point: Although the Mozart Effect may not list up to the unjustified hopes of the public, it has brought widespread interest in music research to the public. And listening to ten minutes of Mozart could get someone interested in listening to more unfamiliar music, opening up new vistas.

Irregardless of the hype surrounding the Mozart Effect, the overall academic evidence for music study as a tool to aid brain development, is compelling.

At the University of California School of Medicine in San Francisco, Dr. Frank Wilson says his research shows instrumental practice enhances coordination, concentration and memory and also brings about the improvement of eyesight and hearing. His studies have shown that involvement in music connects and develops the motor systems of the brain, refining the entire neurological system in ways that cannot be done by any other activity. Dr. Wilson goes so far as to say he believes music instruction is actually ‘necessary’ for the total development of the brain.

So the bottom line is this: Music study and practice probably does aid in the development of the brain in various important ways. And after all, if you enjoy music, there is nothing to lose by trying, and everything to gain!

Duane Shinn is the author of over 500 music books and products such as DVD’s, CD’s, musical games for kids, chord charts, musical software, and piano lesson instructional courses for adults. He holds an advanced degree from Southern Oregon University and was the founder of Piano University in Southern Oregon. He can be reached at http://www.pianolessonsbyvideo.com. He is the author of the popular free 101-week e-mail newsletter titled “Amazing Secrets Of Piano Chords & Sizzling Chord Progressions” with over 55,000 current subscribers. Those interested may obtain a free subscription by going to http://www.playpiano.com/

Share This

These days it isn’t very difficult to find a karaoke bar. They’ve definitely grown in popularity in the past few years. Karaoke Music is a great way to have some fun!

Karaoke is a form of a Japanese word and means “empty orchestra,” which is rather appropriate don’t you think? Karaoke has been around for more than 20 years now. It all started back in 1984 in Japan and it spread like wildfire around the globe.

Karaoke works by taking the music of a singer and the stripping out the vocals leaving just the music. Then the lyrics are displayed on a screen and a person sings the words using a microphone.

Karaoke has become popular in bars, restaurants, and in the home. It’s a great source of entertainment for anyone who loves music and likes to sing.

In the early days karaoke music was delivered by cassette but the times they are a changing and technology now means new means of delivery which include VCD’s, CD’s, DVD’s and KTV boxes. It’s never been easier to set up your own personal karaoke station to entertain your friends.

It’s popularity continues to grow in North America and you know that we aren’t about to settle for anything other than the best so stereo equipment combined with lighting effects and a real fun atmosphere became the norm in bars and restaurants that offered karaoke events.

And the music choices are endless. Hip hop, dance, rock and roll, pop, jazz, soul, and even hymns are all available. So no matter what type of music you love here’s your chance to give it a try.

If you’ve never been to a karaoke party you don’t know what your missing. Fun with a capital F! Some people are naturals, they grab the mike and the songs just naturally role out. Others have great voices and no practice, others think they can sing but ah hum. And then there are the timid who wouldn’t perform to save their soul. A couple of drinks and suddenly they are boldly singing where no man has gone before. It’s great!

Karaoke is catching on from the very young to the very old. And for the shy and timid who want to be a star behind closed doors, well it’s never been easier. There are also those who want to improve their singing skills. Young kids love to sing their hearts out. Friends love to get together and have some fun.

You need to choose the right karaoke machines to fit your needs and your budget. There are many websites that provide equipment from the very simplest to the most expensive.

A basic karaoke machine has audio input and output. Higher end machines have electronic pitch control to help the singer and music match keys. You can also purchase software that will transform your computer into a karaoke box.

There are also many sights that offer karaoke music to download complete with lyrics. Some of these sites have some great forums too so be sure to check it out!

The next time someone asks you if you want to give karaoke music a try don’t run away. Don’t worry about being the laughing stock of the evening. Remember everyone’s the same - no pros here. What a great way to relax after a busy day at work. And heck who knows you might be the next Elvis or Dolly Parton.

Nan worked in a karaoke bar for 9 years before starting his own audio electronics store. His store specializes in karaoke machines and accessories and a much larger variety of items than almost all large department stores. At http://www.karaokeadvisor.com , he shares his experience with you by listing out the top karaoke essentials with buying advice on various products.

Share This

Ethan Miller, of Comets on Fire fame, plays it straight here and the results are amazing! Whereas the Comets are prone to pushing sound past most people’s endurance, Howlin’ Rain mines a mid-late 60’s song vein and comes up with gold.

Some records have a personality. It’s a combination of tone, melody, lyrics, and even artwork. They all come together and generate this "third mind" persona, and it’s that, as much as the hit or two, that keeps people coming back for more. SunnO)))’s "Black One" is a strangled, leather-clad, alien demon riding a charred pirate ship to hell. King Crimson’s "Discipline" is the funky quantum mechanic, quarking in and out of our dimension while painting African masks. Howlin’ Rain’s self-titled release has the personality of a bandana-wearing, frisbee-catching dog running full bore through the ocean’s surge. It has an upbeat, good-times charm that takes hold from the first note and never lets up.

Howlin’ Rain is somewhat of a supergroup. As mentioned before, Ethan Miller is the lead singer and plays guitar in the maximalist, freak-power noise-merchants, "Comets on Fire." There is also John Malony, who plays drums in the ultra-wierd, yet wonderful, "Sunburned Hand of the Man." The sound they create together bears little resemblance to either of their other groups. I would make a comparison to "Surrealistic Pillow" era Jefferson Airplane. Further touchstones would include Moby Grape and perhaps The Small Faces.

This album has such a wonderful tone and listenability that it seems to go by all too fast. In these days of mega-studios with digital this and that, Howlin’ Rain seems to have been magically transported to a late 60’s/early 70’s recording session and soaked up all the tone. A warm organic texture cradles the listener’s ear and lends a soulful pumping quality to the songs. The use of punchy horns on, "Roll on the Rusted Day" continues this soul-drenched, Mussel Shoals" atmosphere. The vocals are super throughout and sweet harmonies appear on most songs.

Howlin’ Rain’s debut is a winner. The songs are delightfully familiar with just enough of a sharp edge to keep us on our toes. I can imagine this blasting out of a car stereo at some clandestine rural keg party. Rack up another one for the freaky people!

Blog San Diego is an online resource for live music reviews, cd reviews, music news & features.

Share This