Musical intervals and relative pitch: Frequency resolution, not interval resolution, is special

Abstract Pitch intervals are central to most musical systems, which utilize pitch at the expense of other acoustic dimensions. It seemed plausible that pitch might uniquely permit precise perception of the interval separating two sounds, as this could help explain its importance in music. To explore this notion, a simple discrimination task was used to … Read more

Magnetic Brain Pulser – AKA Headphones

“Did you know that most audio headphones are a simple combination of tiny coils of wire and magnets? These coils can pulse at 100 milligauss (at full volume); every single time a tone or vocal is heard!. This means that you are actually pulsing your brain with electromagnetic fields every time you put one of … Read more

The Alchemy of Rainbow Heart Music : How Paranormal Sonofusion Subverts the Matrix Conspiracy

Abstract In no way do I claim credit for this book, nor am I claiming any money for writing it. I amexplicitly challenging the reader to take a wild ride. Admittedly I throw in a bit of non sequiturs as if I’m playing free jazz: The logical connection is there but on a slightly different … Read more

Music and the Mind

In this edition of “Grey Matters,” Aniruddh Patel, of the Neurosciences Institute, discusses what music can teach us about the brain, and what brain science, in turn, can reveal about music. Series: “Grey Matters” [4/2006] [Science] [Show ID: 11189] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZgKFeuzGEns     Aniruddh D. Patel is a prominent figure in the field of cognitive neuroscience, … Read more

Practical Apps for Learning to Play and Make Beautiful Music

by Stephanie Haywood Making music has various health benefits, from reducing stress and depression to improving memory and reading skills. If you are thinking of picking up a musical instrument, you are taking a smart step towards improved wellbeing. If you have kids who want to play an instrument, they can also benefit; studies have … Read more

Functional anatomy of musical processing in listeners with absolute pitch and relative pitch

The functional anatomy of musical processing in listeners with absolute pitch (AP) and relative pitch (RP) has been a topic of interest in neuroscience research. Absolute pitch refers to the ability to identify or produce musical pitches without the need for a reference tone, while relative pitch refers to the ability to perceive and understand … Read more

Musicians have enhanced subcortical auditory and audiovisual processing of speech and music

Indeed, research has shown that musicians often exhibit enhanced subcortical auditory and audiovisual processing compared to non-musicians, particularly when it comes to speech and music stimuli. The subcortical auditory system includes structures such as the brainstem and thalamus, which are involved in the early processing of auditory information before it reaches higher cortical regions. Several … Read more

Musical Training and Late-Life Cognition

“Musical Training and Late-Life Cognition” refers to a growing body of research exploring the potential cognitive benefits of musical training in older adults. This line of inquiry investigates whether engaging in musical activities earlier in life may have a positive impact on cognitive function and brain health as individuals age. Several studies have suggested that … Read more

Pitch Memory in Nonmusicians and Musicians: Revealing Functional Differences Using Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation

The study you’re referring to, titled “Pitch Memory in Nonmusicians and Musicians: Revealing Functional Differences Using Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation,” investigates the neural mechanisms underlying pitch memory in musicians and nonmusicians using transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS). Transcranial direct current stimulation is a non-invasive brain stimulation technique that involves applying a low electrical current to … Read more

Bodily maps of emotions

“Bodily maps of emotions” refers to a concept proposed by a team of scientists led by neuroscientist Dr. Lauri Nummenmaa and psychologist Dr. Riitta Hari. Their research, published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS) in 2013, sought to investigate how emotions are experienced and represented in the human body. The researchers … Read more

The Brain, a Secret History, Mind Control

http://vimeo.com/18608588 “The Brain, a Secret History” is a book written by British journalist and author Ian Sample. The book explores the history of neuroscience, psychology, and the study of the human brain, focusing on key discoveries, breakthroughs, and controversies throughout history. While “The Brain, a Secret History” covers a wide range of topics related to … Read more

Music and the Brain: Jessica Grahn

Jessica Grahn, Cognitive Neuroscientist, talks about the power of the human mind and how it can be transformed through music. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fDfVsFxJXms     Jessica Grahn, Ph.D., is a cognitive neuroscientist with a special focus on music and the brain. Her research explores how music affects cognitive processes and neural activity, shedding light on why music … Read more

Dr. Jessica Grahn talks about music and the brain

Dr. Jessica Grahn talks to Jay Ingram about music and the brain https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q5hvuDxcegE   Dr. Jessica Grahn is a cognitive neuroscientist whose research focuses on the cognitive and neural mechanisms underlying music perception, cognition, and movement. She is particularly interested in how the brain processes rhythm and timing, and how music can be used to … Read more

Mozart Effect for Newborn

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S2xrl3dFft8 The “Mozart Effect” is a term popularized by a study published in 1993 by researchers Frances Rauscher, Gordon Shaw, and Katherine Ky in the journal Nature. The study suggested that listening to Mozart’s music could temporarily improve spatial reasoning skills in college students. However, the findings were limited to a specific task and did … Read more

Musical rhythm spectra from Bach to Joplin obey a 1/f power law

Much of our enjoyment of music comes from its balance of predictability and surprise. Musical pitch fluctuations follow a 1/f power law that precisely achieves this balance. Musical rhythms, especially those of Western classical music, are considered highly regular and predictable, and this predictability has been hypothesized to underlie rhythm’s contribution to our enjoyment of … Read more

Listening to tailor-made notched music reduces tinnitus loudness and tinnitus-related auditory cortex activity

Abstract   Maladaptive auditory cortex reorganization may contribute to the generation and maintenance of tinnitus. Because cortical organization can be modified by behavioral training, we attempted to reduce tinnitus loudness by exposing chronic tinnitus patients to self-chosen, enjoyable music, which was modified (“notched”) to contain no energy in the frequency range surrounding the individual tinnitus … Read more

“Music will get worse” – mind control thru music scale

Abstract “Pornography, violence and obscenity on TV and in movies will be deliberately increased. People will be desensitized to violence and porn and made to feel life is short, precarious and brutish. Music will be used for indoctrination and ‘will get worse.’”   Content listen from 7:00 in paraphrased — Emperor would not check writings … Read more

How the human ear works — the science of hearing for musicians

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LrM3K8QCJcE     Understanding how the human ear works is essential for musicians, as it enables them to appreciate and manipulate sound effectively. Here’s an overview of the science of hearing relevant to musicians: 1. **Outer Ear**: Sound waves are collected by the outer ear, which consists of the pinna (visible part of the ear) … Read more

Language universals at birth

The evolution of human languages is driven both by primitive biases present in the human sensorimotor systems and by cultural transmission among speakers. However, whether the design of the language faculty is further shaped by linguistic biological biases remains controversial. To address this question, we used near-infrared spectroscopy to examine whether the brain activity of … Read more

Vibration as Control Mechanism

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R0hRcDsQf3s     Remote Neural Monitoring (RNM) is a controversial concept that refers to the purported ability to remotely monitor and manipulate the neural activity of individuals using advanced technology, typically without their consent or awareness. Proponents of RNM often claim that it involves the use of sophisticated surveillance techniques, such as satellite-based systems or … Read more

From perception to pleasure: Music and its neural substrates

Abstract   Music has existed in human societies since prehistory, perhaps because it allows expression and regulation of emotion and evokes pleasure. In this review, we present findings from cognitive neuroscience that bear on the question of how we get from perception of sound patterns to pleasurable responses. First, we identify some of the auditory … Read more

Melodic sound enhances visual awareness of congruent musical notes, but only if you can read music

Predictive influences of auditory information on resolution of visual competition were investigated using music, whose visual symbolic notation is familiar only to those with musical training. Results from two experiments using different experimental paradigms revealed that melodic congruence between what is seen and what is heard impacts perceptual dynamics during binocular rivalry. This bisensory interaction … Read more

Bionic Arm Taps New Part of Brain for Smooth Moves

Mind-controlled prosthetic limbs have been a reality for a few years, but researchers have not found ways to give the people who use them the same, smooth motor control that people have over their natural limbs. Now, a team of researchers says the members have solved part of the problem of smooth motor control by … Read more

Psychophysiological reactions to music in male coronary patients and healthy controls

Abstract   “The study supports the following conclusions: (1) music-listening produces significant decreases in the blood pressure (both systolic and diastolic) and heart rate of coronary patients but has no significant effect in healthy controls; (2) music-listening reduces stress, anxiety, and depression, enhances life satisfaction, optimism and hope, and makes life more meaningful in both … Read more

Listening to Religious Music and Mental Health in Later Life

Abstract   “Findings suggest that the frequency of listening to religious music is associated with a decrease in death anxiety and increases in life satisfaction, self-esteem, and a sense of control… In addition, the frequency of listening to gospel music (a specific type of religious music) is associated with a decrease in death anxiety and … Read more