Category: Music

Beauty is processed in part of the reward circuit of the brain, a new study finds.

Although mathematics might not seem a source of beauty comparable to the wonders of nature, elegant formulas can be very beautiful to mathematicians.

A new study by neuroscientists at University College London, showed mathematicians a series of equations they had previously rated on a beauty scale (Zeki et al., 2014).

The study’s lead author, Semir Zeki explained:

“The beauty of a formula may result from simplicity, symmetry, elegance or the expression of an immutable truth. For Plato, the abstract quality of mathematics expressed the ultimate pinnacle of beauty.”

Here is an equation consistently rated as beautiful, which is called ‘Euler’s identity’:

What they found from the fMRI scans was that when mathematicians looked at the beautiful equations, the same part of the brain was activated as when people are looking at beautiful art or listening to beautiful music.

The brain area–in the medial orbitofrontal cortex–is at the front of the brain and is part of the pleasure and reward circuit.

A previous study has shown that this area of the brain is more highly activated when people listen to beautiful music or look at beautiful art (Ishizu & Zeki, 2011).

In contrast, when they look at ugly pictures, their brain activity shows no particular pattern.

Now this study shows the same is true for mathematics, which is generally much more abstract then music or painting.

Neuroaesthetics

This supports the idea in the emerging field of ‘neuroaesthetics’ that the experience of beauty is processed in one particular part of the brain, whether it is perceived through the eyes, ears or in more abstract ways: through the intellect.

Not only that, but the more beautiful the formula, the stronger the activation in the medial orbitofrontal cortex, suggesting that beauty can be quantified.

Zeki added:

“We have found that, as with the experience of visual or musical beauty, the activity in the brain is strongly related to how intense people declare their experience of beauty to be–even in this example where the source of beauty is extremely abstract.”

Image credit: Scott Beale

At some point during the evening, in bars across the land, two things happens: the lights go down and the music goes up.

Lowering the lights signals the real beginning of night-time fun: with dimmed lights and alcohol beginning to work its magic the business of loosening up after the day’s exertions can truly begin.

Continue reading “Why Loud Music in Bars Increases Alcohol Consumption”

What strategies do you use to make yourself feel better, increase your energy levels and reduce your tension? That’s the question Robert Thayer and colleagues at California State University were motivated by in looking for the strategies people use and find effective (Thayer, Newman & McClain, 1994). There’s no revelations in the results but the fact that the same three main strategies were useful in changing mood and reducing tension and raising energy speaks volumes:

Continue reading “How to Improve Mood, Raise Energy and Reduce Tension”

Seeing a band live is a much more engaging experience than listening to a recording at home. But it’s not just the atmosphere of a live event, it’s also the singer’s facial expressions and gestures which enhances our emotional experience.

It’s a rare singer whose face remains impassive as they sing. Think of jazz greats like Ella Fitzgerald, blues artists like B. B. King or pop acts like Michael Jackson. As they sing, their faces are conveying the emotion in the music, sometimes it seems, even struggling with the emotions. Part of the beauty of a live performance is seeing singers’ faces as they interact with both the music, the other musicians and the audience. Their facial expressions often seem part of the music itself.

Continue reading “Music + Body Language = More Excitement”

Back in March I asked for your help with some research on music and personality I was carrying out with my colleagues. Although it was restricted to people living in the UK, there was a healthy response to the online questionnaire. Joy of joys, there were also some interesting results, so I thought I would update you with how it turned out.

Continue reading “Older and Musically Wiser?”

Good music has direct access to the emotions. As such it’s a fantastic tool for tweaking our moods. Saarikallio and Erkkila (2007) investigated the ways people use music to control and improve their mood by interviewing eight adolescents from Finland. The participants may be a small, very specific group, but they actually present a really useful list:

Continue reading “Seven Ways Music Influences Mood”

As the oboe’s ‘tuning A’ fades, the lights go down, a hush spreads across the audience, the conductor raises his baton, bringing it down with a flourish. So the orchestra starts, you settle back in your seat to listen, letting your mind drift away with the music.

Casting your eye across the faces of the musicians you begin to wonder if this is just another performance for them, just one more run-through of a well-rehearsed piece. Or is tonight special? Are they ready to invest the performance with something new, something magical that will send shivers down your spine?

Continue reading “Discover the Perfect Musical Performance”

Last night at the Barbican I was privileged to hear the world premiere of a new piece by Jonathan Dove called Hojoki. The work is based on an autobiographical story by Kamo no Chomei, a Buddhist monk who lived in the 13th century. Written in 1212, Hojoki tells of his move from Kyoto to escape the constant threat of natural and man-made disasters in the city. In this composition, the story was narrated by a countertenor soloist with the orchestra providing dramatic colour. For me it was extremely moving and the rest of audience seemed to think so as well. But, why does music have the power to access deeper parts of ourselves, to strike at the heart of what it means to be human?

Continue reading “Powerful Music”