This is your brain on CHINA: a brainmusic video

A visualization of a person's brain in the rest state, imaged with fMRI at Beijing Normal University. The data were processed as in other brainmusic videos, like "The Meditating Brain." But instead of linking tones to each brain region, I've layered clips recorded in China over the last year. Each brain region is now linked to a sound file, and the loop is louder or softer depending on the intensity of activity in the region. Of course no brain region "sounds" like these samples, but the activity in each region is complex and unique -- metaphorically, the diverse sounds capture that idea. Also, living in China is quite a lot like this! You can hear a pípá (lute) recorded in Tianjin, cymbals in a parade (also Tianjin), fireworks in Nanchang, an airport announcement in Zhangjiajie, a welcome to the bullet train from Tianjin to Beijing, street hawking in Beijing, children laughing in Tianjin, a cricket next to a tiny waterfall in Jiangxi, and more.
NOTE: Since this video was first posted, the brainmusic project has attracted the interest of the independent documentary film maker Elisa da Prato. To check the status of the feature-length film (and to support the project), see http://musicofthehemispheres.com/
The "mind as music" hypothesis finds empirical support in this open source paper:
http://www.frontiersin.org/theoretical_and_philosophical_psychology/10.3389/f...

Category:

Education

Tags:

• China
• music
• brain
• fMRI
• brainmusic
• mind
• consciousness
• neuroscience
• sonification
• visualization
• data
• experimental music
• found sound
• Beijing
• Tianjin
• Zhangjiajie
• Nanchang
• Jinagxi
• field recording
• cognitive