Music Promotes Brain Growth

Bobby Lee · Post by **Bobby Lee** » 18 Dec 2002 12:27 pm

http://www.stereophile.com/shownews.cgi?1517

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<img align=right src="http://b0b.com/b0b.gif" width="64" height="64">Bobby Lee - email: quasar@b0b.com - gigs - CDs
Sierra Session 12 (E9), Williams 400X (Emaj9, D6), Sierra Olympic 12 (F Diatonic), Sierra Laptop 8 (D13), Fender Stringmaster (E13, A6), Roland Handsonic

Stephen Gambrell · Post by **Stephen Gambrell** » 18 Dec 2002 1:26 pm

Sorry, I thought it said," Music Promotes Garth Brooks."

[This message was edited by Stephen Gambrell on 18 December 2002 at 01:27 PM.]

Jack Francis · Post by **Jack Francis** » 18 Dec 2002 2:48 pm

b0b
Like I told Shoim, can you imagine how dumb I'd be if I weren't a moosician

Jack

Earnest Bovine · Post by **Earnest Bovine** » 18 Dec 2002 3:08 pm

I don't think the article said "Country Music Promotes Brain Growth".

Peter · Post by **Peter** » 18 Dec 2002 8:17 pm

Janata's study reports that some areas of the brain are 5% larger in expert musicians than they are in people with little or no musical training.

Does this mean your skull will grow through your hair? No wonder the experts are wearing hats!

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Peter den Hartogh-Fender Artist S10-Remington U12-Hilton Volume Pedal-Gibson BR4 lapsteel-Guya "Stringmaster" Copy-MusicMan112RP-Peavy Rage158- - My Animation College in South Africa

R. L. Jones · Post by **R. L. Jones** » 18 Dec 2002 8:23 pm

CLOWNS ;;;;;;

Tom Olson · Post by **Tom Olson** » 20 Dec 2002 9:37 pm

The article also confirms a theory often exressed right here on this forum:

"This could explain why your system sounds different at different times. It's not the gear or the music, it's you."

Buck Reid · Post by **Buck Reid** » 21 Dec 2002 9:17 am

From CNN:
Study: Musicians' brains wired for sound

November 15, 2001 Posted: 10:45 AM EST (1545 GMT)
SAN DIEGO, California (AP) -- The brain waves of professional musicians respond to music in a
way that suggests they have an intuitive sense of the notes that amateurs lack, researchers said
Wednesday.

Neuroscientists, using brain-scanning MRI machines to peer inside the minds of professional
German violinists, found they could hear the music simply by thinking about it, a skill amateurs in
the study were unable to match.

The research offers insight into the inner workings of the brain and shows that musicians' brains are
uniquely wired for sound, researchers said at the annual meeting of the Society for Neuroscience.

Neuroscientists often study how we hear and play music because it is one of the few activities that
use many functions of the brain, including memory, learning, motor control, emotion, hearing and
creativity, said Dr. Robert Zatorre of the Montreal Neurological Institute.

"It offers a window onto the highest levels of human cognition," Zatorre said.

In a study by researchers at the University of Tuebingen, the brains of eight violinists with German
orchestras and eight amateurs were analyzed as they silently tapped out the first 16 bars of
Mozart's violin concerto in G major.

Brain scans showed professionals had significant activity in the part of their brains that controlled
hearing, said Dr. Gabriela Scheler of the University of Tuebingen.

"When the professionals move their fingers, they are also hearing the music in their heads," Scheler
said.

Amateurs, by contrast, showed more activity in the motor cortex, the region that controls finger
movements, suggesting they were more preoccupied with hitting the correct notes, she said.

Scheler, a former violinist with the Nuremberg Philharmonic Orchestra, said the findings suggested
that professionals have "liberated" their minds from worrying about hitting the right notes. As a
result, they are able to listen, judge and control their play, Scheler said.

"Presumably, this enhances the musical performance," she said.

In a second experiment, the violinists were asked to imagine playing the concerto without moving
their fingers. Brain scans showed again that the professionals were hearing the music in their heads.

Zatorre, who has studied the brain's response to music for two decades, said it was the first time
anyone had studied music and its relationship to motor control and imagery.

Gene Jones · Post by **Gene Jones** » 21 Dec 2002 10:11 am

If music promote brain growth...what does it profit me? www.genejones.com

Greg Simmons · Post by **Greg Simmons** » 21 Dec 2002 10:49 am

Yes, the studies are in:

the latest Computerized Axial Tomography (CAT) Scans indicating:

1) Your Brain

2)Your Brain on Steel Guitar

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Greg Simmons
Custodian of the Official Sho~Bud Pedal Steel Guitar Website

[This message was edited by Greg Simmons on 21 December 2002 at 10:50 AM.]

Steve Feldman · Post by **Steve Feldman** » 21 Dec 2002 12:00 pm

<BLOCKQUOTE>quote:<HR>Neuroscientists, using brain-scanning MRI machines to peer inside the minds of professional
German violinists, found they could hear the music simply by thinking about it, a skill amateurs in
the study were unable to match.<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>
OK, I can go along with that, but the question is: 'Is this a learned or an inate skill'? That is, can you get it if you ain't got it? My opinion: yup....

Buck Reid · Post by **Buck Reid** » 23 Dec 2002 8:40 pm

As the study indicates,music is one of the few activities that uses multiple areas of the brain. So,does it promote brain growth? Yes of course! Steve's question about "can you get it if you ain't got it" is an interesting one. I say you can learn the mechanics of music and theory but to feel and play what's in your head is a gift!

Dave Robbins · Post by **Dave Robbins** » 24 Dec 2002 12:08 pm

Buck,
"dead on" brother! There are many "mechanics", but few "artist!"

By the way...while playing somewhere one night, a person came in and prodeeded to tell me how good my tone was out in the room and how well I played, etc,... blah, blah, blah (no doubt he must have been drunk because I was having a particularily bad night!). Man, that must have been "music" to my ears because after that my brain apparently started swelling and I had difficulty keeping my hat on! LOL!

jes' kiddin'!

Dave

Rick Collins · Post by **Rick Collins** » 25 Dec 2002 9:33 am

Albert Einstein played violin.

One day I'm going to try to compose a steel guitar instrumental which I will entitle E=mc2.

Rick

Gary Lee Gimble · Post by **Gary Lee Gimble** » 25 Dec 2002 11:23 am

I wonder if a high fiber diet will inhibit brain growth for those who are gifted or even slightly graced with that sense of rhythm.
Gary Leeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee

Al Marcus · Post by **Al Marcus** » 4 Jan 2003 7:26 pm

Buck-I believe that is true to some extant. Musicians have to use more parts of their brain when playing.

As to to other, I think lots of ear training can be acquired, and some just have a natural born ability....al

Perry Hansen · Post by **Perry Hansen** » 4 Jan 2003 7:48 pm

Used to be I couln't even spell moosikan, now I are one.

Buck Reid · Post by **Buck Reid** » 5 Jan 2003 6:19 pm

Al,i think we're saying basically the same thing. Yes,you can aquire knowledge and ear training but delivering what's going on in your head is another thing! I stand by my statement.

Uwe Haegg · Post by **Uwe Haegg** » 7 Jan 2003 1:09 am

The brain grows...
Oh, so that`s what happened to the little green men in "Mars Attacks" when they were
exposed to some old time country music....

Craig Stock · Post by **Craig Stock** » 7 Jan 2003 11:36 am

Hey Rick,
Maybe you should call it:

E9=MC2

or E9=MCII

David Doggett · Post by **David Doggett** » 7 Jan 2003 12:14 pm

If parts of your brain get bigger from playing music, but your skull stays the same size, does that mean other parts get smaller?

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