Music lessons may not help children do better in academic subjects after all, study suggests
“Our study shows that the common idea that ‘music makes children smarter’ is incorrect,” says Giovanni Sala, the lead author of the meta-analysis.
music
Musicians and audiences ‘sync’ their brain activity during performances, study finds
The synchronization — or “inter-brain coherence” — is even stronger when the listener enjoys the music, the study found.
‘Music’s going to help get us through it’: Teachers take online music lessons to their at-home students
“Music is critical at all points in time, but now it’s even more,” said Paul Babcock, president and CEO of MacPhail Center for Music in Minneapolis.
Popular songs have gotten sadder over 50-year period
The effect can be seen even with single words, researchers found. The use of the word “love” in the top 100 songs, for example, has dropped in half since 1965.
A high-tempo playlist can make workouts easier and more effective, study suggests
“Music may be considered an important tool to stimulate people engaging in low-intensity physical exercise,” the researchers concluded.
‘Everybody’s happy here, and it’s great to play for happy people’: Taking in the live music scene at the Minnesota State Fair
“This is a chance to see some amazing music in a really fun setting,” says Nate Dungan, the Fair’s live music booker.
Music is an effective alternative to sedatives for reducing anxiety before surgery, study finds
“Music lights up the emotional area of the brain, the reward system and the pleasure pathways,” said Dr. Veena Graff, the study’s lead author.
Music participation in high school linked to higher scores on English, math and science exams
The effect was observed among all types of high school music students, although it was stronger among those who played an instrument than among those who sang.
Listening to background music may hinder rather than enhance creativity, study suggests
Not only did the researchers discover that music fails to inspire more imaginative thinking, they found that it has the opposite effect — it “consistently disrupts creative performance in insight problems.”
VocalEssence on tour in Mexico; Peter Lorre series at the Trylon
ALSO: Books & Bars: Frank Herbert’s “Dune” at the Amsterdam; “The Wizard of Oz Movie Sing-Along” at Lake Harriet Bandshell; and more.
MinnPost Picks: on climate change, North Dakota, and ‘This Little Light of Mine’ as a resistance song
Our weekly roundup of great stories from around the web, as recommended by MinnPost staff and contributing journalists.
Did Beethoven have an irregular heartbeat? Medical historians look to his music for diagnostic clues
As far back as 1980, Dr. Samuel Vaisrub, a physician and JAMA editor, suggested that Beethoven’s arrhythmia can be detected in his compositions.
Singing in groups helps some people recover from depression, British study finds
The benefits appear to result not just from the making of music, but also from the socializing that occurs when people get together regularly to sing.
Music’s meaning crosses cultural boundaries, study finds
The study’s participants were particularly good at identifying dance songs and lullabies. They were a bit less adept at recognizing love songs and healing songs.
The brains of jazz and classical musicians work differently, research suggests
The neural differences may explain why jazz and classically trained musicians tend to excel in their own style of music, and why it’s rare to find someone who has mastered both, researchers say.
Listening to happy music may boost creativity, say researchers
Interestingly, the study also found that music — of any kind — has no effect on people’s ability to perform problem-solving cognitive tasks.
Chimps’ indifference to Beethoven and Bieber underscores the ‘humanness’ of music
Playing music — whether Beethoven or Bieber — to chimpanzees has no effect on the animals’ behavior or wellbeing, according to a new study.
Musical training may boost reaction times, study suggests
Musicians react faster to sensory stimuli — specifically, sound and touch — than nonmusicians, a recent study of university students found.
Why some songs become ‘earworms’ and get stuck in our heads
“Our findings show that you can to some extent predict which songs are going to get stuck in people’s heads based on the song’s melodic content,” said Kelly Jakubowski, the study’s lead author.
Deadly ‘bagpipe lung’ case brings new attention to old disease
If you’re a musician who plays a wind instrument, such as a saxophone, a trombone or the bagpipes — be sure to clean your instrument regularly and thoroughly.
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