OT: Why musicians make such appealing partners

[animal]

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/ ... tions.html

Ever wondered why musicians attract such ardent fan bases?
It turns out they make ideal partners because they are finely tuned to pick up on emotional cues in conversation, scientists say.

A research team from Northwestern University found biological evidence that musical training enhances an individual’s ability to recognize and respond to emotion in sound.
'Quickly and accurately identifying emotion in sound is a skill that translates across all arenas, whether in the predator-infested jungle or in the classroom, boardroom or bedroom,' said lead author Dana Strait.


The researchers measured brainstem processing of pitch, timing and timbre in musicians and non-musicians who listened to a fragment of a baby's cry.

Sensitivity to the sound, and in particular to the more complicated part of the sound that contributes most to its emotional content, was measured through scalp electrodes.
The musicians’ brainstems locked onto the complex part of the sound known to carry more emotional elements but de-emphasized the simpler (less emotion conveying) part of the sound. This was not the case in non-musicians.
The study, published in the European Journal of Neuroscience, also found that those who had more years of musical experience and began their music studies were better able to process the emotion.
The authors of the study, funded by the National Science Foundation, also noted that the acoustic elements that musicians process more efficiently are the very same ones that children with language disorders, such as dyslexia and autism, have problems encoding.

'It would not be a leap to suggest that children with language processing disorders may benefit from musical experience,' co-author neuroscientist Nina Kraus said.

[smudge]

And there was me thinking it was all down to noise, sweat and pheromones....

I'm not sure the opening gambit relates to the research findings (given that a large fanbase is not going to experience the benefits of an individual's ability to process verbal emotional over/undertones.)

[policerule]

[quote="smudge"]And there was me thinking it was all down to noise, sweat and pheromones....
[/quote]


I'm not convinced that isn't the case. Sweat is a powerful thing.

Very interesting findings there Animal

[plutonic]

WOW! Thank you.

[empty]

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAH

[TOWOS]

All I have to say, coming from 3 generations of pro musicians: BS!!!!!

[Mrs. Gradenko]

I always figured it's because a guy looks so hot playing a guitar... they do. For this article to be right, they would have to talk to all their fans. Not going to happen.

[TOWOS]

As a crazy wisdom famous woman once said.

"Rock is either wanting to f**k who is onstage or wanting to BE who is onstage".

This goes for rock and roll, but there are many other means of musical expression and styles. Even if Mozart was no different from your prototypical rock star, in essence.

In any case, musicians are not ideal partners (or parents) because their true love, the passion that consumes them is their art. They can certainly be decent, even good family people and excellent providers, but very often- forget it.

[smudge]

Hmm. I understand your thesis towos, but I think the same applies to any individual who finds a mission in life. It doesn't have to be in an area that is traditionally considered creative.

A propo of the quote - doesn't everyone end up feeling a bit of both? Or am I in some odd sub-category - onanists by musical proxy, perhaps? Eek.

[TOWOS]

[quote="smudge"]Hmm. I understand your thesis towos, but I think the same applies to any individual who finds a mission in life. It doesn't have to be in an area that is traditionally considered creative.


Hmm...it comes from what I observed in my Dad, in my parents' marriage, in my brother's marriage, and in all the "musician friends" (OMG, I'm quoting ~~~~~~!!) that I used to have.



A propo of the quote - doesn't everyone end up feeling a bit of both? Or am I in some odd sub-category - onanists by musical proxy, perhaps? Eek.[/quote]

I often felt that the desire of Being the Person was stronger than the other, and much, much more difficult to fulfil.
Any groupie *maybe it was a freudian quote btw* can obtain the "first goal", with patience and persistence.
Being inspired by someone's talent and getting good at it...another story entirely.

[Mrs. Gradenko]

[quote="TOWOS"]As a crazy wisdom famous woman once said.

"Rock is either wanting to f**k who is onstage or wanting to BE who is onstage".[/quote]
OMG, great quote, and so true! Who is this crazy woman?

[TOWOS]

Don't want to be pelted because I'm a fan (and it's really not easy!).

Use your imagination: Who could it be?

[Mrs. Gradenko]

[quote="TOWOS"]Don't want to be pelted because I'm a fan (and it's really not easy!).

Use your imagination: Who could it be? [/quote]
Humm now we're doing a guessing game.

-Pat Benatar
-Stevie Nicks
-Grace Slick
-Kim Gordon
-Alanis Morissette

Humm someone we would mock you for.... Madona, Annie Lennox?

[DirtyMartini]

[quote="smudge"]I'm not sure the opening gambit relates to the research findings (given that a large fanbase is not going to experience the benefits of an individual's ability to process verbal emotional over/undertones.)[/quote]

Not to mention that individual's inability to process verbal emotional cues of people he can't/has never heard in order to respond to said verbal cues . . . Oy.

Though I originally read the title as "Why musicians make such appalling partners," which seems about as likely a claim considering.

[dontboxmein]

Cool thing to know...thanks for sharing.