World Science Festival 2009: Notes & Neurons, Part 4 of 10

"Notes & Neurons: In Search of the Common Chorus"

Is our response to music hard-wired or culturally determined? Is the reaction to rhythm and melody universal or influenced by environment? Join host John Schaefer, scientist Daniel Levitin and musical artist Bobby McFerrin for live performances and cross cultural demonstrations to illustrate musics note-worthy interaction with the brain and our emotions.

This segment features an impressive display of improvisational harmony from Bobby McFerrin.

This event took place on June 12, 2009 in the Gerald Lynch Theater at the City University of New York. This is the fourth of ten segments.

Please visit us at worldsciencefestival.com!

Category:

Science & Technology

Tags:

• world science festival
• bobby mcferrin
• john schaefer
• jamshed barucha
• daniel levitin
• lawrence parsons

[franciscomoitinho]

@feipang In german notation, an H is a B. And B is a B flat

[feipang]

H? lol...

[Hamerax]

Yeah I think this whole setup is strange; three neuroscientists and one artist. Not very surprising they can't communicate. There should've been, like, one neuroscientist, one musician, and perhaps a musicologist, a philosopher, an anthropologist... some people to bridge the gap.

[jenci108]

That amazing, special thing is consciousness, intelligence who can recognise music in its pure state. If the consciousness clear, pure, innocent then the whole Universe is a song... Life is a long Song - Jethro Tull :-)

[Jogi129]

This one is a kind of comedy. Guys who don't understand at all what Bobby's talking about and think that they would have recognize how life works. A brain thinking about itself cannot lead to something we call truth of the whole life. Bobby has more wisdom than every of those jerks sitting there.

[jbarbeau92]

I can't believe these guys can't understand Bobby's question. How a certain musical performance could have such a huge impact on a person, especially a musician. I would expect a neuroscientist studying music to have had a similar experience. I thought everyone did, with at least one show.

[AhmadAboulFarag]

Theeee most boring talk ever, I think bobby wanted to save that doc from collapsing from stage fright, by asking any question...

He was nervous,sweating, dry mouth, moving body part for no reason....

[trytomatis]

everyone listens to music in a different way because everyone of us needs or focusses on different frequencies- there are days where you need more rhythm or low frequencies in order to activate your body, in other moments maybe you need classical music with high frequencies in order to activate your thinking, your alertness, your creativity-

[godfork]

DOPAMINA FOLKS!

[ibrake4sasquatch]

No moris ... they didn't get his question. They also didn't seem to understand what he was saying about the Miles Davis concert.

[Denitrifikat]

@franciscomoitinho In Sweden we have a diplomatic "solution" (as always). The official practice is that H is a B and a Bb is a B flat, which, of course, is so confusing that everyone is saying differently.

[nyebu]

@franciscomoitinho not just in Germany, but also in Hungary, too.