While listening to music, neuroscientist Daniel Levitin, asks the questions “where do goose bumps come from?” and “what’s going on in my brain that allows the goosebumps to happen?” Levitin leads a group of researchers as they investigate music’s fundamental physical structure; its biological, emotional and psychological impact; its brain altering and healing powers and its role in human evolution. The Music Instinct: Science and Song, a fascinating two-hour documentary on the science of music, premieres Wednesday, June 24, 2009 at 9 p.m. (ET) on PBS (check local listings).

The Music Instinct: Science and Song is a production of THIRTEEN in association with WNET.ORG – one of America’s most prolific and respected public media providers.

Researchers and scientists from a variety of fields are using groundbreaking techniques that reveal startling new connections between music and the human mind, the body and the universe. Together with an array of musicians from rock and rap to jazz and classical, they are putting music under the microscope.

“The brain is teaching us about music and music is teaching us about the brain,” says Levitin.” Music allows us to understand better how the brain organizes information in the world. There are a lot of different factors that go into our emotional appreciation of music [like] the memories we have of a particular song that we heard at a particular time in our lives.”

Internationally renowned performers Bobby McFerrin and cellist Yo-Yo Ma describe the way musical intervals are used or combined to create melody and harmony. McFerrin, together with the “World Singers,” sing a cappella to demonstrate that basic elements of music; pitch, tempo, rhythm and melody create specific reactions in our brains. Yo-Yo Ma plays two notes and then five more notes and then plays different combinations that demonstrate the way musical intervals are combined to create a melody or harmony.

Percussionist Evelyn Glennie encounters music in a unique way, as fundamentally a “physical phenomenon.” Profoundly deaf, Glennie “hears” music not through her ears, but by feeling vibrations through the floor and in her body: low frequencies through her legs and feet; high sounds in particular spots on her face, neck and chest.

Rock stars Jarvis Cocker and Richard Hawley were asked to participate in a new experiment to reveal the difference in the brain when two people perform music together – as opposed to solo. Neuroscientists wonder how two brains interact since music is fundamentally a social activity. Cocker was asked to enter a fMRI machine, while Hawley played his guitar in the room. When the Scan was analyzed it showed a measurable difference in brain activity when Cocker sang alone compared to when he sang with Hawley playing guitar. During the duet, Cocker’s brain was more active in areas for phrasing and coordinating music as well as cognitive and emotional interaction.

Research also shows that music has enormous potential to help explore the complexities of human brain function. For example, there’s a strong connection between the auditory and motor regions of the brain, and music seems to engage the motor system in a way that other modalities do not. People with motor disorders like Parkinson’s disease have improved their ability to walk while listening to a rhythm track, and stroke patients who have trouble with speech show signs of improvement when they receive music therapy. And there’s new evidence that music can actually change the physical structure of the brain – a fact that has critical implications for both education and medicine. One thing is clear, proven and agreed upon; music has a profound capacity to influence and alter the human experience.

http://www.pbs.org/wnet/musicinstinct/

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The show airs on Wednesday (6/24) at 9pm on KCET in L.A.


tA

Tribal Disorder

http://www.soundclick.com...dID=182431
[Edited 6/24/09 6:50am]

Nice clip on the documentary.






tA

Tribal Disorder

http://www.soundclick.com...dID=182431

Interesting, thanks, Neal.

Nice! Thanks, will definitely check it out!

Music is always in my head and I mean ALWAYS!!! for some reason it seems like it lives there. I can see where they are coming from with it. People look at me strange when I tell them I have full albums playing in my head and i can hear them as clear as if my turntable was right in front of me.

As a musician as well I can hear music and play and compose in my head. Music is a science and also a very strange thing to some people who are like me. I always thought I was strange but that's ok.

IAintTheOne said:

It's a good kind of strange though, isn't it? Just last night while I was editing a video project with no music at all, just a voice over track, I had two songs stuck in my head that I know I have not physically heard in years but I could hear them as clear as if I'd just listened to them.

Timmy84 said:

You're most welcome.

Some years ago, I read...



...The Psychology of Music by Diana Deutsch


My initial thought was why weren't there more serious studies of this nature.
Come to find out that Ms Deutsch was helping to lay the foundation to introduce this as a legitimate academic field of study.
http://www.psych.mcgill.c...utsch.html

I've always felt, from my own very early age "goose bump" experiences, that Music had some kind of magical power.
It's great to know, much like magic, that there are definite scientific/technical explanations and possibly medical benefits underneath it all.

One musician i'm aware of, Stanley Jordan, has become deeply involved in Music Therapy.
http://www.stanleyjordan....obser.html

Lemme quit now because I know this is of very little interest to most, but I find it fascinating.
And for others that also believe that Music can represent more than just simple entertainment, hopefully this documentary should be very enlightening.


Thanks for giving me an excuse to blather on about this for a moment.



tA

Tribal Disorder

http://www.soundclick.com...dID=182431

theAudience said:

Which explains why what's happening in today's music bothers me so! I've always known that music touches us deep within and affects us. If good music is going in, then good results will come forth. What we have today is utter crap going in and utter crap coming forth. It's quite disturbing to my spirit.

I've been experiencing anxiety attacks while driving. Which frightens me because I've been driving since I was 13. I've only gotten one ticket for a moving violation and the two accidents that I've had were the result of other people hitting me.

My doctors have me documenting everything that I am doing when these attacks occur and the common denominator to me has been what I'm listening to. When I'm listening to good music...Miles, Prince, Stevie, Marvin, Bootsy, James, Incognito...etc., on CD of course, I can drive just fine! When I'm listening to the radio, I have a brain fart and I simply can't drive!

My son was visiting during the Memorial Day weekend and I was taking him to the airport and he wanted to hear the local hiphop radio station. I obliged because he's my baby, always will be but I was doing 70 on I94 and suddenly I had a brain fart and couldn't do it. I just could not drive! I pulled over to the shoulder and made him take over. My daughter was in the backseat, so she drove me back home.

I am going to record tonight's show and show it to my doctors, so that I can prove to them that what I've been saying is true...there is nothing wrong with me, it's what I've been listening to!

Thanks again, tA! You're ALWAYS alright with me!

Some insight into the profoundly deaf musician Evelyn Glennie.




...News segment




...***How to listen to music with your whole body.


***If YouTube starts actin' the fool, you can see this seminar here: http://blog.ted.com/2007/...lennie.php
I would strongly recommend that those seriously interested in this thread's subject matter check it out.


tA

Tribal Disorder

http://www.soundclick.com...dID=182431

HatrinaHaterwitz said:

That's deep.

Might I suggest keeping a copy of Kind of Blue in the car.

When i've been stressed in my vehicle, this particular track has worked wonders for me in the past...



...Blue in Green


To better days...


tA

Tribal Disorder

http://www.soundclick.com...dID=182431

theAudience said:

I'm going to do that! Thanks for the suggestion!

tA, that was truly fascinating! I really enjoyed watching it. I loved the segments on babies in the womb. The Cameroon people listening to music from the West and the parrot that could boogie. I didn't see it all because my city's fireworks display was tonight and I had to go outside with my guests but I did have it on record and I will watch it in it's entirety and let you know my thoughts on the rest of it as soon as I do.

If I haven't told you lately...YOU...my friend do indeed ROCK!!!

I watched this and was completely blown away by it.

...

Beautiful subject and documentary!!!!









...

This looks incredible Neal ~ thank you. I tend to divide my life into thirds ~ the first filled with music through 1972, then a period. the Black Hole, which lasted 25 years and music was void from my life, now the last third, beginning August 8, 1996, where it is ever present. There are always songs playing in my head ~ even when parents at work are screaming about their kids or when I'm making meals for my mom or gardening, swimming, (at the moment Sade's King of Sorrow). I would say music is often my best friend. Do you think this would be available for purchase? I saw a documentary about Evelyn Glennie during her work with Bjork and was completely blown away and in awe of her abilities.

- Hmm, I'm very interested in this documentary; thank you

I'm happy for everyone that enjoyed the documentary.
Most of this I knew was happening so it served as a confirmation.

Maybe the highlight for me was the brief reference to Evelyn Glennie and her remarkable abilities given her circumstances.


And a thanks to cubic61052 for reminding me that this was airing.


tA

Tribal Disorder

http://www.soundclick.com...dID=182431

...Stanley Jordan on the Healing Power of Music



tA

Tribal Disorder

http://www.soundclick.com...dID=182431

HatrinaHaterwitz said:

He does indeed! Some of the most incredible music and related information in my life has come via tA.
I have the same anxiety when driving I94 ~ I now take Gratiot and one of the mile roads everywhere ~ even the airport ~ and I have found the same ~ certain music gets me through and helps me "breathe" so I can get through the really bad parts. Miles, Bjork's Vespertine, Dead Can Dance. I've always blamed it on so many jankity cars, the bad highways and the rude and aggressive way people drive there but I know there is a deeper reason. I couldn't watch the documentary but am going to seek it out to purchase. It looks fascinating.

Deeply emotional songs give me the goosebumps so I always thought it was sort of like tears or some other, uh, bodily expression.

and I agree Finess, you're strange






just kiddin' brah I know exactly what you're talking about

MoonSongs said:

Since you apparently KNOW...the Detroit Streets...like I do! I have to say that watching this Documentary...WILL change your life!!!

I took included...and with ALL the drama of this past weekend included...I was able to roll down...the Southfield Freeway...doing 90...several times!!! Without one fret of anxiety!

Tis is a great topic and thread TY

I was watching the Detroit Fireworks and was not able to catch it all. Will it show again ?

Mach said:

Thanks.

I'm guessing that it would.
My suggestion would be to check you local PBS station's website.


tA

Tribal Disorder

http://www.soundclick.com...dID=182431

theAudience said:

Thanx

Will do