A pair of Johns Hopkins and government scientists have discovered that when jazz musicians improvise, their brains turn off areas linked to self-censoring and inhibition, and turn on those that let self-expression flow.

The joint research, using functional magnetic resonance imaging, or fMRI, and musician volunteers from the Johns Hopkins University’s Peabody Institute, sheds light on the creative improvisation that artists and non-artists use in everyday life, the investigators say.

It appears, they conclude, that jazz musicians create their unique improvised riffs by turning off inhibition and turning up creativity.

The scientists from the University’s School of Medicine and the National Institute on Deafness and Other Communications Disorders describe their curiosity about the possible neurological underpinnings of the almost trance-like state jazz artists enter during spontaneous improvisation.

“When jazz musicians improvise, they often play with eyes closed in a distinctive, personal style that transcends traditional rules of melody and rhythm,” says Charles J. Limb, M.D., assistant professor in the Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery at the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine and a trained jazz saxophonist himself. “It’s a remarkable frame of mind,” he adds, “during which, all of a sudden, the musician is generating music that has never been heard, thought, practiced or played before. What comes out is completely spontaneous.”

More on this over here.

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brittanybf says:

that's cool, never thought of what is going on mentally when someone is improvising music, and really getting into it.

Posted 4 months ago | Delete

Every few weeks I like to go check out the most popular music videos at youtube. It's pretty simple, just go here.

At the moment, here they are: Britney Spears - Piece Of Me (Love that monotone singing with digitial pitch correction...will it be long before there is a "Sound-like-Britney" plug-in for ProTools? Easy on the eyes though.)

Chris Brown - With You (Super simple production really lets his voice steal the show)

Tay Zonday - Cherry Chocolate Rain (Web just killed your TV. With a squirrel.)

Snoop Dogg - Sensual Seduction ("Ain't no use to rush da bus 'cause I wouldn't want to have her to rush!" ... yes, words of wisdom from our oldschool freaky dogg.)

50 Cent - Still Will ("chill" or "kill"? Whatever happened to Give Peace A Chance? I think 50 Cent should cover that.)

Cascada - Last Christmas (pointless remake of forgettable seasonal Wham! tune, again with the gratuitous digital pitch correction.)

I was going to throw up my hands and stop there, but read on!

Led Zeppelin - Stairway (Zeppelin live from Dec. 10, 2007 in London. Plant's voice is shot. Still, wish I could have been there. Hey, maybe he should use digital pitch correction!)

Brandon Walker - Chinese Food On Christmas (Kinda funny. I liked it better when Adam Sandler did it.)

Led Zeppelin - Kashmir (OK, this one I like. A lot. Show closer from the December 10 reunion. Jason Bonham on drums. Just think, as each member gets old and leaves us, can we expect them to be replaced by their progeny like some royal lineage? A rock-n-roll monarchy? A Zeppelin dynasty that lasts for generations and generations?)

And tenth, but certainly not last, Daft Punk - Harder Better Faster Stronger (Ha! Lyric fembots!)

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brittanybf says:

you really got me laughing about the possibility of a 'rock n roll monarchy'. that was a good one!

Posted 6 months ago | Delete