The Science Of Music

Paul Simon has contributed to a major scientific advance.  While you let that soak into your brain, take a second to read this article for the full story about a scientific measurement of music and understanding how it causes us to react to subtle changes in the melody or timing.

The results are contributing to a greater understanding of how the brain works and of the importance of music in human development, communication and cognition, and even as a potential therapeutic tool.

Research is showing, for example, that our brains understand music not only as emotional diversion, but also as a form of motion and activity. The same areas of the brain that activate when we swing a golf club or sign our name also engage when we hear expressive moments in music. Brain regions associated with empathy are activated, too, even for listeners who are not musicians.

And what really communicates emotion may not be melody or rhythm, but moments when musicians make subtle changes to the those musical patterns.

When you think about it, Pandora's Music Genome Project has similar principles that lets it predict what songs you may like based on your ranking of certain songs.  I've used the service for years, and they are creepy accurate when it comes to breaking down what you like in music.  It's not only led me to new artists but has helped me explore genres like jazz that can be intimidating to newcomers.


The computer age has let us do some amazing things.  Maybe as a signature of our time we will also contribute a new understanding of music.  It would be awesome to think that we could be on the brink of a discovery that lets us advance music theory to a new level.