New Scientist - Special Report THE MUSIC ENIGMA

Posted by: naim_nymph on 27 February 2008

The weekly publication issue number 2644 (23rd February 2008) 'New Scientist' magazine has a special report entitled: The Music Enigma Where does it come from, and why do we love it so much?

This amazing 12 page report examines research on the human obsession of music.
The involvement and psychology of animals using and hearing music.
Is human musicality innate or learned?
Cultural differences in the rudiments of music.
How the human brain responds to music, and why some humans just don't understand it.
It gets technical in places but is very interesting!

Snippets from 'It's an illusion':
There's something liberating about knowing that our appreciation of music is a mixture of both nature and nuture. It means that over time we can come to enjoy sounds that we initially found offensive. It also explains the long list of musicians who were once considered avant garde but are now seen as mainstream.....

Brain scans show that the feeling of euphoria you get when listening to music is accompanied by activity in the same parts of the brain that respond to the rewards of food, sex and psychoactive drugs.....

A snipet from 'Top Five musical illusions':
In lady madonna, the Beatles sing into their cupped hands during an instrumental break and we could swear that there are saxophones playing. This perception is based on the unusual timbre they achieve, coupled with our expectation that saxophones should be playing in a song of this genre. (This is not to be confused with the actual saxophone solo that occurs in the song.)
I'm not sure if that's really such an illusion with a naim audio system ; )

Available in all good newsagents, price £2.95

kind regards ~
nymph

Posted on: 27 February 2008 by Steeve

quote:
Originally posted by naim_nymph:
It means that over time we can come to enjoy sounds that we initially found offensive. It also explains the long list of musicians who were once considered avant garde but are now seen as mainstream.....

Haven't read the article, but thought this was an interesting point and very true. Have always found it slightly amusing how some music that one year used to be played only by John Peel and considered "avant-garde" or whathaveyou, would eventually make it to daytime Radio 1 and then often a few years later regular slots on Radio 2! Clearly, the music hadn't changed just people's perception of it.

Steeve

Posted on: 27 February 2008 by Chillkram

quote:
Originally posted by naim_nymph:

Brain scans show that the feeling of euphoria you get when listening to music is accompanied by activity in the same parts of the brain that respond to the rewards of food, sex and psychoactive drugs.....

Er, no mention of a cup of tea then?

Posted on: 27 February 2008 by TomK

quote:
A snipet from 'Top Five musical illusions':
In lady madonna, the Beatles sing into their cupped hands during an instrumental break and we could swear that there are saxophones playing. This perception is based on the unusual timbre they achieve, coupled with our expectation that saxophones should be playing in a song of this genre. (This is not to be confused with the actual saxophone solo that occurs in the song.)
I'm not sure if that's really such an illusion with a naim audio system ; )

You said it. How anybody could think there were saxes playing is beyond me.

Interesting stuff though.

Posted on: 27 February 2008 by naim_nymph

quote:
Originally posted by Chillkram:
Er, no mention of a cup of tea then?

Okay, i've put the kettle on! Do you take sugar? : )

(I suppose it's food reward)

Posted on: 28 February 2008 by Ian G.

Jusy finished reading the Music articles in this week's issue. Packed with interesting info and worth a read for anyone who spends time listening to music.

Worth the cover price for those articles alone.

A subscription to NS is a very worthwhile investment (IMHO) if one is interested in science stuff on any level.

Posted on: 28 February 2008 by Gianluigi Mazzorana

quote:
Originally posted by naim_nymph:
and why some humans just don't understand it.

Interesting.
I knew there' must have been some kind of reason.

Posted on: 28 February 2008 by Whizzkid

Its all about the ENDORPHINS Maaaaaaaaannn.

Cue Cheech & Chong

Dean...

Posted on: 28 February 2008 by Gianluigi Mazzorana

Even glands are not the same!

Posted on: 29 February 2008 by naim_nymph

quote:
Originally posted by Ian G.:
Jusy finished reading the Music articles in this week's issue. Packed with interesting info and worth a read for anyone who spends time listening to music.

Worth the cover price for those articles alone.

A subscription to NS is a very worthwhile investment (IMHO) if one is interested in science stuff on any level.

Heck, it's worth the cover price just the article on pages 6 and 7.
Music in the key of 'G' anyone? : D

nymph

phew!... it's hot in here isn't it? : )

Posted on: 29 February 2008 by Ian G.

quote:
Originally posted by naim_nymph:

Heck, it's worth the cover price just the article on pages 6 and 7.
Music in the key of 'G' anyone? : D

and the good folks will have to stump up £2.95 to see what you're on about !

Ian