Hacked Instruments Are Helping Scientists Understand Music

  We've known that to create even simple music, it takes a massive amount of brain power. The combination of abstract thought and physical coordination is something quite impressive. These scientists sat down to think outside of the box to figure out a way to measure this complex brain activity. Building the instruments was one of the hardest parts! No conductive metal can go through an MRI machine, so things like the strings of a cello needed to be made out of cow-gut strings! When these musicians sat down and played their futuristic instruments while having their brain functions measured, the brain scan lit up like a christmas tree. They were able to pinpoint which part of the brain was being activated, and to what degree it was being used. The practical applications for their findings range. It has been known for a long time that music and learning to play music can help a great deal with various therapies including rehabilitative therapy after a stroke. Using music to re-teach abstract concepts of space has proven to be very successful in regaining control of motion after suffering a stroke. These scientists also want to learn what makes some musicians great, and how their brain activity differs from the average musician. I wonder if there is a part of the brain that lights up when you practice more than anyone else!!? We visited @musicandthemind, where music meets science. Have a listen. http://t.co/KncpNoUSTh pic.twitter.com/HdWVVibsnw — Toronto Symphony (@TorontoSymphony) July 4, 2015 Piano How it works The keyboard is a shortened 11-key version with optical sensors underneath that connect to a shielded processor. What it does Allows researchers to compare brain activation in pianists as they listen to music and then try to play what they heard. Trumpet How it works Forget brass; this one is plastic, paired with a right-hand glove studded with optical sensors. What it does Tracks players’ movements and brain activity so researchers can correlate finger positioning and lip pursing with neural activity. Harmonica How it works Plastic replaces the metal body; the plates and reeds are nonferrous aluminum. What it does Reveals the various shapes assumed by harmonica instructor David Barrett’s tongue while he plays hard-to-execute “bent” notes. Cello How it works A plastic fingerboard is strung with cow-gut strings. The bridge has optical sensors; the wooden bow has pressure sensors. What it does Helps cellist and neuroscientist Melanie Segado study how musicians use aural feedback to correct intonation. Watch the video below to learn more. Via wired.com What a Neuroscientist Said About Eminems Brain According to psychologist Scott Barry Kaufman, the brains of creative geniuses and people with schizophrenia are similar in surprising ways. They both have an extremely active precuneus, or area that facilitates daydreaming and free association. The only difference is that unlike people with schizophrenia (and Stan), creative geniuses can distinguish between fantasy and reality. Via nymag.com How playing an instrument benefits your brain The connections between brain research and music have been ongoing for the [...]

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