Musicians and brain waves

Apparently, musicians who play in unison with others have similar brain activity, according to a new study from researchers of the Max Planck Institute in Germany and the University of Salzburg. The study show that the brain waves of guitarists playing a jazz song together were synchronized.

Eight pairs of guitarists were hooked up to an electroencephalography machine, which measures electrical activity in the brain. The results showed that the more the guitarists played, the more synchronized their brain waves became. Several regions in the brain reflected this synchronicity. The areas where it was the strongest were the frontal and central regions. Other areas affected were the temporal and parietal regions.

BMC Neuroscience, who published this study, suggests that coordinated activities that people do together, like playing music, are preceded and accompanied by brain wave synchronization. The authors say there are many types of activities where two brains coordinate-for example, walking with someone at a set pace, playing sports, dancing or playing music as a group or duet.

To see a video clip of the experiment, visit: www.makingmusicmag.com/vibes/brains.

Interesting study. Wonder the long term implications are of these types of activities? Further thought needed about this as well as research.