Thinking About Music
Science Shows How Piano Players' Brains Are Actually Different From Everybody Elses'
Dowell Idol · ·
Borrowed from an article by Jordan Taylor Sloan
“Piano is the ultimate instrument in terms of skill and demand: Two hands have to play together simultaneously while navigating 88 keys. They can play up to 10 notes at a time. To manage all those options, pianists have to develop a totally unique brain capacity — one that has been revealed by science.
Because both hands are required to be equally active for pianists' to master their instrument, they have to overcome something innate to almost every person: right or left-handedness.
In most people, the depth of the brain's central sulcus is either deeper on the right or on the left side, which then determines which hand is dominant. But when scientists scanned the brains of pianists, they found something different: Pianists had a demonstrably more symmetrical central sulcus than everyone else — though they were born right or left-handed, their brains barely registered it. Because the pianists still had a dominant hand, researchers speculated that their equal depth was not natural, but resulted because pianists are able to strengthen their weaker side to more closely match their dominant side.
So pianists’ brains are different. They are masters of creative, purposeful, and efficient communication because of the very instrument that they play. They are the naturally efficient multi-taskers of the musical world.”
On another note ;) "Did you know that Johan Sebastian Bach lost his little daughter and then three sons and then his wife." Then he remarried and then he and his second wife, Anna-Magdalena, lost four more daughters and three sons. Eleven beloved children...
Many researchers have wondered: how Bach managed to handle these losses. How did he not stop breathing, how did his heart not stop? And most importantly, how could he continue to write music? Kantati, cello suites, messes, concerts... It is the most beautiful music the world has heard. Do you know how he did it? At the end of the game, he always wrote "Soli Deo Gloria" (Glory to God alone) and at the beginning "Lord help". Therefore, you can pray during Bach's music because the music itself is prayer. Bach's music is a conversation between man and God.”
Tips for Learning an Instrument
Choose an instrument you like. I chose the clarinet because, back in the day, I liked hearing Benny Goodman play. When the band director asked me what instrument I wanted to learn to play, I told him, “The black one.” Little did I know it was one of the hardest wind instruments to learn with all its alternate fingerings. But I eventually, and that’s the operative word, eventually learned.
Get an instructor who knows how to play that instrument. One who will teach you proper technique and theory. You need to understand not only how the instrument functions, but why, and how it relates to the overall sound you are trying to create.
Find a place away from other people. It happens so often when siblings, spouses, family members, the neighbors, hear comments such as; “Sounds like an elephant!” “What’s that terrible sound coming from your room?” You know the drill. So to avoid the embarrassment and the put-downs, find somewhere where you can make all the noise and mistakes you want without the vitriol.
Determine to put in the time and energy to get good at it. Practice doesn’t make perfect, it makes it permanent. Propper practice makes perfect.
Don’t be afraid to play in front of people. Don’t hide your light under a bushel basket, the Bible says.
Join a band…not a rock group, a school band, or an orchestra. There are many musical outlets for a gifted musician.
Sad! How could one man lose that many kids? Wow.