Articles tagged with Music
Researchers developed an AI-based music creation support system called Amuse, which converts user inputs into harmonic structures to support composition. The system has high potential as a creative companion for musicians and is centered on the creator's initiative.
Researchers developed MuSICCA, a music therapy tool that uses musical stimulation to assess levels of consciousness in children with brain injuries. The study found high agreement among participants that the tool is suitable for use with children, providing guidance for caregivers and supporting clinical teams.
A team of researchers has found that sound waves can create standing waves in semi-open spaces, potentially enabling resonance in shapes with open sides. This discovery challenges the long-held assumption that resonance requires closed sides.
A Northwestern University study found virtual group singing can be an effective tool for promoting well-being and social connection during isolation. Participants reported high satisfaction with the sing-alongs, which helped evoke emotional resonance and promote intellectual engagement.
A study by Drexel University found that opening for Taylor Swift can lead to sustained audience growth for emerging artists, with genre alignment playing a key role. The research analyzed the streaming metrics and ticket sales of 57 artists who served as openers for top-grossing tours in 2022 and 2023.
A new study found that listening to favorite music activates the brain's opioid receptors, explaining why it evokes strong feelings of pleasure. The release of opioids is also linked to individual differences in music enjoyment and may help develop new music-based interventions for pain management and mental health disorders.
A new study found that a hybrid music therapy intervention improved mental health in patients with heart failure and COPD. The pilot study also identified solutions to improve future research, including strategies for post-discharge engagement.
A study found that background music can have a negative impact on employees if it doesn't fit their needs for volume, speed, complexity, and emotional intensity. This can lead to feelings of fatigue, decreased productivity, and engagement in behaviors that harm the organization.
A new study from USC Dornsife's Brain and Creativity Institute found that nostalgic music engages the brain's default mode network linked to memory and self-reflection, as well as its reward circuitry. This discovery could support emotional well-being and cognitive function in individuals with memory impairments.
Small regional live music venue operators are experiencing stress and burnout due to challenges with audience access and fairly paying performing artists. The study highlights the impact of rising public liability costs, rent, and energy prices on venues' bottom line. Solutions include localised approaches, music feedback forums, and d...
The article explores how gentrification, economic processes, and urban capitalism lead to the decline of vibrant nightlife in cities like Helsinki. Researchers argue that DIY electronic music events and alternative practices can offer a solution to preserve nightlife.
A recent study in Frontiers in Public Health documents the prevalence of suicide among musicians, highlighting occupational mortality data from England and US epidemiological data. The research emphasizes the need for evidence-based interventions addressing systemic stressors in music careers.
A new Cochrane review has found evidence that music-based therapy may benefit people living with dementia, particularly by improving symptoms of depression. The review suggests that music therapy probably improves depressive symptoms and may improve overall behavioural problems by the end of treatment.
A report by University of Cambridge experts highlights the risks of unregulated AI use on UK's thriving creative sector. The researchers argue that forcing creatives to 'opt out' of AI training could compromise their livelihoods, particularly those just starting out.
A study published in PLOS found that music designed to support work flow boosts cognitive processing speed and improves mood. The research used a lab test to examine the effects of this type of music on cognitive performance.
Researchers explored how 6–7-year-old children use singing to navigate their daily lives, create personal spaces of trust and freedom, and exercise their political voice. The study suggests an ecological approach to understanding children's singing experiences in culturally diverse environments.
Researchers from the University of Surrey have demonstrated that adults can acquire absolute pitch through targeted training. In an eight-week online program, participants made significant progress in identifying musical pitches with high accuracy. The study's findings provide new insights into musical cognition and learning.
People with musical anhedonia still derive pleasure from groovy tunes, and the urge to move appears to drive their experience of pleasure. Research found no differences in either pleasure or urge to move in anhedonics compared to controls, suggesting that the urge to move may itself generate pleasure.
Researchers found that playing classical music can smooth variations in fetal heart rates, indicating potential benefits for fetal development. The study used mathematical analysis tools to identify patterns in heart rate variability and found that exposure to music resulted in more stable and predictable patterns.
The Red Dress Collection Concert marked the start of American Heart Month with a powerful celebration in New York City. The event, hosted by Sharon Stone, featured musical performances by Sara Bareilles and Suki Waterhouse and showcased red ensembles created by fashion's brightest talents.
The Joint Active Music Sessions (JAMS) platform allows musicians to connect and practice with others in real-time, using avatars that capture the nuances of live performance. This innovative platform aims to bridge the gap between physical and virtual music-making.
A new study reveals music therapy can deliver an immediate reduction in agitation and anxiety, as well as improvements in attention, engagement, and mood. Music helps individuals feel safer and more orientated, lowering levels of distress and improving wellbeing.
Researchers are studying individuals with a silent mind, known as anauralia, to understand its effects on attention and creativity. The University of Auckland is hosting a global conference to share insights from scientists, philosophers, musicians, and writers.
A new study challenges music critics' perception of the 'sophomore slump', a phenomenon where a band's second album is panned. Critics are found to be exceptionally harsh on second albums, while fans show no evidence of this bias.
A new study found that local and non-Anglo artist representation in Australian charts has declined since the rise of digital streaming. Indigenous music from Australia and New Zealand saw a significant decline in singles chart share, from 16.6% to 2.5%, while albums chart share also decreased.
Outi Niemensivu's research highlights the significant societal role of arts universities in fostering social well-being and diversity through higher music education. However, her study suggests that traditional music education needs a fresh perspective to support social sustainability.
Researcher Ashley Snow found that pipe organs create an auto-tune effect through sympathetic resonance, enhancing the overall musical sound of ensembles. The study used a sine-sweep test to measure response with microphones inside and around the organ pipes during performances and services.
The University of the Arts Helsinki study finds that integrating interculturalism into music education cultivates empathetic and globally-minded artists. Students benefit from engaging in intercultural dialogue, collaboration, and community-based projects, fostering a new generation of global citizens.
Singer Amy Grant's personal testimonial highlights the urgent need for support to save women's lives by funding research into better diagnosing, treating, and preventing cardiovascular disease. The American Heart Association aims to address awareness gaps and bridge clinical care gaps in women's heart health.
Researchers analyzed over 450 jazz improvisations and 99 classical compositions to quantify musical pitch sequence similarity. They found high predictability until a time limit, after which sequences become unpredictable and variable.
A new study reveals that Britain's earliest brass bands were founded by military musicians in the 1810s, contradicting the long-held assumption that they emerged with industrial communities. The research, published in The Historical Journal, shows that regimental bands first experimented with all-brass formats after the Napoleonic Wars.
Research suggests that listening to music after surgery can significantly reduce pain levels, anxiety, and heart rate, with patients experiencing a lower need for opioid medication. Music's calming effect may also contribute to faster recovery by easing the transition from waking up after surgery.
Researchers at Georgia Tech have discovered that music can influence our emotions and reshape old memories, potentially aiding in the treatment of mental health disorders. By listening to film soundtracks, participants were able to incorporate new emotions into their memories, which lasted even after the music was removed.
A scoping review from the University of Gothenburg found that music-based movement therapy, known as the Ronnie Gardiner Method, can improve rehabilitation outcomes in individuals with brain disorders. The method has been shown to be challenging, motivating, and enjoyable for participants, leading to improved recovery and quality of life.
A study published in Cell Reports found that Western classical music elicits positive effects on the brain by synchronizing neural oscillations between the auditory cortex and rewards circuit. Patients with treatment-resistant depression who received high music appreciation showed better antidepressant effects, while those with low mus...
A study published in Current Biology found that bouncing is the primary movement facilitating synchronization in dance, occurring independently of music and partner movements. Researchers identified two modes of synchrony: music-driven and partner-driven, with bouncing acting as a supramodal rhythm regulator.
A new Drexel University study reveals that dance and movement therapy (DMT) can foster empathy, positive peer relationships, and cultural self-efficacy among middle school students. The program, developed by Nalini Prakash, aimed to address ethnic bullying and promote cross-cultural connections.
Researchers found that older concertgoers can recognize musical themes and patterns just like their younger counterparts. The study's results suggest that age may not be a significant factor in musical memory, contrary to previous assumptions.
Since 1950, melody complexity in popular songs has decreased, with the average number of notes played per second increasing. The study identified two significant decreases in melodic complexity in 1975 and 2000, which may be attributed to the rise of genres like new wave and hip-hop.
A study by Waseda University researcher Ryota Nomura found that synchronized heart rates among concertgoers are linked to reliable physiological reactions rather than emotional response. This discovery could lead to better theater experiences and improved performances.
A study from Aarhus University and the University of Oxford reveals that listening to music sets off a complex chain reaction in the brain, involving areas for sound, emotions, and memory. This understanding could lead to new interventions for improving cognitive function in individuals with neurological conditions.
Researchers at the Complexity Science Hub analyzed friendships and listening habits to find social networks are a crucial predictor of song popularity. The study showed that individuals with strong influence and large friend circles accelerate a song's popularity, making social connections a key factor in music trends.
The ArsADAPT project integrated music education with ecological themes, promoting a new approach to sustainability in higher music education. Researchers found that embracing aesthetic disruption and avoiding instrumentalization of music led to active engagement in socio-ecological issues among teachers.
Researchers found that the auditory system uses simple acoustic parameters to distinguish music from speech, with slower rates and more regular amplitude modulation sounding more like music. This understanding can potentially benefit people with aphasia and inform the design of rehabilitation programs using music therapy.
Researchers at the University of Helsinki found that singing repairs the structural language network of the brain after a cerebrovascular accident. Singing also improved tract connectivity and increased grey matter volume in language regions, leading to improved speech production in patients with aphasia.
Seventy-five researchers from 46 countries recorded traditional music and speech to analyze pitch, timbre, and rhythm. The study found songs and instrumental melodies are slower, higher, and more stable than speech, suggesting synchronization and social bonding facilitate musical performance.
Researchers found that electric guitar pickups generate an electric current through vibration of a magnetized string, affected by coil winding and variables like wire thickness and magnet type. This understanding enables guitarists to make informed pickup selections and adjustments.
Researchers found that flutists must compose unique songs to win love and respect among the tribe. The tradition's revival has led to a new generation of players, including the sons of leaders who helped maintain the tradition.
Men with prostate cancer who listened to mindfulness audio recordings during radiation therapy experienced significant reductions in fatigue, sleep problems, anxiety, and depressive symptoms. The study found that the mindfulness intervention was more effective than listening to relaxing music during treatment.
Research highlights the significant impact of radio on Finland's famous composer Jean Sibelius, transforming him into a celebrated national hero and international media figure. The study shows how coordinated joint concerts and radio broadcasts helped increase Sibelius' global reach.
A new study found that fluctuations in music chord predictions evoke specific bodily sensations, particularly in the heart and abdomen. Researchers also discovered a link between these sensations and feelings of pleasure, which could have applications for using music to improve well-being.
A recent study analyzing English-language songs from 1980-2020 found that lyrics have become simpler and more repetitive over time. The use of emotionally positive and negative words increased in certain genres, while anger-related words became more common across all styles.
A new study has identified the likely origin of tone deafness in the brain, finding that strokes causing amusia affect the right hemisphere and a specific region called the superior temporal gyrus. This discovery highlights the differences between processing music and language in the brain, with implications for diagnosis and treatment.
Researchers analyzed Beethoven's DNA to investigate his genetic musical predisposition, finding an unremarkable polygenic score compared to population samples. The study suggests that while DNA contributes to musical skills, environment plays a key role in musical ability and engagement.
A recent article recommends measuring meaningful outcomes such as pain interference, self-efficacy, and physical functioning to improve the evidence-base for music therapy within sickle cell disease populations. Music therapists can play an important role in chronic pain management by addressing stress, depressed mood, and loneliness.
Researchers developed a model predicting aesthetic chills with 73.5% accuracy, using data from 2,937 people and emotional stimuli clips. Factors such as personality traits, demographics, and contextual conditions were found to correlate with high probabilities of experiencing chills.
A global study finds that people from different cultures favor simple integer ratios in music rhythms, but with varying degrees of bias. The research team gathered data from 39 groups across 15 countries and found a degree of universality in music perception and cognition.
Researchers at University of California - San Francisco have developed a precise map of what is happening in the brain’s auditory cortex when someone hears a melody. The study found that some aspects of music are entwined with how we understand speech, while other important aspects stand alone. The brain uses two sets of neurons to ass...
A new poll of people aged 50 to 80 found that nearly all older adults say music helps relieve stress and improve their mental health. The study also revealed that music plays a significant role in social connections and brain health, with 98% of respondents benefiting from engaging with music.
A new study reveals that music activates the autonomic nervous system, causing shivers down the spine, regardless of culture. The research found that emotional music triggers specific bodily sensations across Western and Asian listeners, suggesting a universal response to music-induced emotions.