Articles tagged with Musical Instruments
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A study found that children who received music tuition showed superior cognitive performance in reading skills compared to non-musically trained peers. The research suggests that music education can enhance school performance in language and literacy.
Lee Feinberg, Optical Telescope Element Manager for the James Webb Space Telescope, has been elected as a fellow of SPIE for his significant contributions to large space optics and optical technology. He will receive his award at the SPIE Optics and Photonics meeting in San Diego this August.
A new multimedia system, i-Maestro 3D Augmented Mirror (AMIR), uses motion capture to record a musician's posture and movement while playing. The system provides real-time analysis and feedback to improve technique, helping musicians and teachers alike.
A Texas A&M University professor has confirmed his long-held theory that chemicals used on Stradivarius and Guarneri violins contribute to their distinctive sound. The study found the presence of borax, fluorides, chromium, and iron salts in the wood, suggesting a deliberate chemical treatment by violin makers.
A Harvard-based study found that children who studied a musical instrument for at least three years outperformed those with no instrumental training on tests of verbal ability, visual pattern completion, auditory discrimination, and finger dexterity. The longer the child practiced, the better they scored in these areas.
Research at Vanderbilt University found that musicians exhibit greater divergent thinking and bilateral brain activity compared to non-musicians. Musicians' enhanced creativity was linked to their ability to integrate competing information from both hemispheres, facilitating innovative solutions.
A Université de Montréal study found that controlling parents foster an obsessive passion for hobbies in children, whereas supportive parents promote a harmonious relationship. The research, which analyzed 588 musicians and athletes, suggests that excessive parental involvement can hinder a child's autonomy and enjoyment of their favor...
A University of Sussex-led study found that the brain responds more strongly to piano sonatas played by musicians than by computers. The researchers discovered that the brain's electric activity increases when the music is performed with emotional expression, indicating a deeper understanding of musical meaning.
Researchers from Leiden University Medical Center used CT scans to compare wood densities of classical and modern violins. The results suggest that the homogeneity in wood density may explain the superior sound production of Cremonese violins.
Researchers at the University of Rochester have digitally reproduced music in a file nearly 1,000 times smaller than a regular MP3 file. They created a virtual clarinet player and recorded a 20-second clarinet solo encoded in less than a single kilobyte.
Musical acousticians analyze Ray Charles' classic hits to identify precise timing and rhythm, shedding light on the physics of swing music. The research reveals the importance of micro-timing pulses and meter in creating the distinctive sound of swing.
A severe storm in the Gulf of Alaska generated an ocean swell that broke apart a giant iceberg floating near the coast of Antarctica, more than 8,300 miles away. The research team discovered that the iceberg had moved due to sea swell, and their findings raise the possibility that global warming could affect far-flung parts of the globe.
A study found that exposure to similar logos reduces brand-exclusive recall by one-third, on average. Consumers' relative knowledge of the two product categories also impacts retrieval.
Scientists identified single neurons in the brain's pitch center that recognize a middle-C as a middle-C even when played by two different instruments. This discovery solves an age-old mystery of auditory research and highlights the importance of pitch perception to humans, facilitating melodic patterns and emotional content of speech.
The Expression Synthesis Project (ESP) interface, devised by Elaine Chew, allows users to control musical performance using familiar driving metaphors. By analyzing the structure of a piece of music, ESP creates a virtual 'road' that guides the user's decisions.
Researchers at the University of New South Wales have mathematically quantified the emotional impact of music, finding that arousal is associated with loudness and tempo. The study used a two-dimensional emotional space to analyze subjects' responses to four classical musical compositions.
The American Academy of Neurology honors Leon Fleisher's remarkable recovery from dystonia, allowing him to resume playing piano with both hands. Fleisher's advocacy and selflessness on behalf of dystonia research and education are also recognized.
A study by the American Academy of Neurology found that botulinum toxin injections significantly improved musicians' playing ability and performance, with 69% reporting a positive response. The treatment was particularly effective for highly accomplished performing artists, who often face devastating career-ending symptoms.
Musicians may experience skin problems due to prolonged contact with instruments, particularly those using rosin, nickel, or other materials. Changing instrument components or adjusting playing positions can help alleviate these conditions.
Research suggests that climate conditions during the Little Ice Age (1645-1715) and Maunder Minimum enabled the production of high-quality instruments. The unique tree-ring patterns from this period resulted in denser, slower-growing wood suitable for soundboards.
A team of Tufts researchers analyzed 10 trumpets, including five cryogenically treated ones, and found no improvement in sound quality. The study suggests that differences from player to player and instrument overshadow any changes caused by freezing the trumpet.
Researchers found that young children growing up in musical households exhibit an enhanced brain response to music, similar to those two years older. One year of formal music training has no effect on this response.
Researchers found that silent piano practice altered brain activity patterns after just 20 minutes, with enhanced changes after five weeks of training. The study suggests a 'map' is formed between auditory pitch targets and motor skills, similar to Broca's area involved in speech processing.
Researchers have filled in gaps in the 250 surviving troubadour melodies with various interpretations. Professor John Haines says different influences, such as Arabic-style melodies and waltz-like rhythms, have shaped these songs over time.
Researchers found that children as young as 5 have stereotypical preferences for musical instruments, with boys mostly picking masculine instruments. Girls are more flexible in their choices and can adopt more masculine attributes as they get older. The study suggests that these stereotypes can be modified through intervention, but the...
Scientists have successfully synchronized two independent femtosecond lasers to generate a single pulse of light exhibiting properties of both lasers. This breakthrough enables the creation of new shapes of light pulses that could not be achieved individually.
Nagyvary's work has concentrated on a chemical approach to the unique Stradivarius sound, focusing on wood quality, filler, and varnish. He believes chemicals are the prominent reason why a Stradivarius has such a distinct sound, with spectroscopic tests confirming his results.
The continuum fingerboard is a MIDI controller that allows continuous control over each note played, without discrete pitches. It resembles a piano keyboard but has a flat playing surface with soft fabric covering the mechanics, requiring musicians to learn new techniques.
Penn State graduate student Ray Wakeland will demonstrate the fire organ, a heat-driven instrument producing musical sounds, and the daxophone, a unique sound-producing instrument. He will also showcase the Long String Instrument, a large bronze harp-type string instrument that produces ethereal music.
The Peabody Conservatory's 'Virtual Orchestra,' developed by Forrest Tobey, will perform an original composition and arrangements by Charles Byungkyu Kim during the 24-hour Times Square 2000 celebration. The performance will feature a blend of old and new sounds, including electronic timbres and instruments produced live in Times Square.
Dr. Joseph Nagyvary discovers that 17th and 18th century Italian violin makers used brine-soaked wood, resulting in vibrant tonal quality. His chemically treated violins are praised by international concert violinists.