Tone freaks vindicated by neuroscience

[PupatingOmnivore]

at least, that seems to be the implication of this very interesting article on how the brain responds to music:

http://www.collisiondetection.net/mt...oscienc_1.html

The subtlest reason that pop music is so flavorful to our brains is that it relies so strongly on timbre. Timbre is a peculiar blend of tones in any sound; it is why a tuba sounds so different from a flute even when they are playing the same melody in the same key. Popular performers or groups, Dr. Levitin argued, are pleasing not because of any particular virtuosity, but because they create an overall timbre that remains consistent from song to song. That quality explains why, for example, I could identify even a single note of Elton John's "Benny and the Jets."

"Nobody else's piano sounds quite like that," he said, referring to Mr. John. "Pop musicians compose with timbre. Pitch and harmony are becoming less important."

Dr. Levitin dragged me over to a lab computer to show me what he was talking about. "Listen to this," he said, and played an MP3. It was pretty awful: a poorly recorded, nasal-sounding British band performing, for some reason, a Spanish-themed ballad.

Dr. Levitin grinned. "That," he said, "is the original demo tape of the Beatles. It was rejected by every record company. And you can see why. To you and me it sounds terrible. But George Martin heard this and thought, 'Oh yeah, I can imagine a multibillion-dollar industry built on this.'

"Now that's musical genius."

[dagosto]

The human brain is an amazing thing. But I believe that this article is explaining more of a general phenomena of the brain, memorization through repetition. Pop music is just the journalistic hook.

I think the fact that most people can remember the key and melody of a song they've heard hundreds of times is no more remarkable than memorization of mathematical formulae for example.

I am glad that they touch on the fact that a lot of scientist do what many musicians who enter the popular era do. They do studies that will creat buzz and they can become the rock stars of their field.

I liked the article. Thanks

[PupatingOmnivore]

Originally Posted by dagosto

I think the fact that most people can remember the key and melody of a song they've heard hundreds of times is no more remarkable than memorization of mathematical formulae for example.

I don't know about you, but I've never had a mathematical formula stuck in my head.

[dagosto]

Originally Posted by PupatingOmnivore

I don't know about you, but I've never had a mathematical formula stuck in my head.

I've had the quadratic formula stuck in my head since 8th grade. That one's a catchy som'bitch.

[Professor Riffs]

Same with the Pythagorean theorem for me. Just rolls off the ol' tongue.

[PupatingOmnivore]

This sort of thing could help with the memorization:

http://video.google.com/videoplay?do...38422483406719