UWEC's Nobuyoshi Yasuda:
Snappy dresser and ... genius?

“Do musicians have better brains?” A blog post on Freakonomics.com quotes a new study and attempts to answer this question in a few short paragraphs.

According to the article, EEG measurements of musicians’ brains have shown them as having “well-coordinated frontal lobes” – the part of our brains used for very high-function activities. Brain activity in musicians shows they exhibit dominant alpha waves, the frequency associated with the brain putting details together to make a whole. The article also claims that higher developed brains “use their brain resources more economically,” meaning “they are alert and ready for action when it is functional to be so, but they are relaxed and adopt a wait-and-see attitude when that is functional.” Sounds like a pretty good package.

Growing up in the Chippewa Valley, I’ve been around musicians since my days in the womb. Really. The only friends I had before elementary school were my dad’s bandmates’ children. And now I work at a bar that books live bands. I’ve met both smart musicians and idiotic musicians, but I will say this: not just anyone can play music.  No matter how many times I watch my dad play the drums, I still cannot comprehend how he moves both of this hands and one of his feet simultaneously to different beats, all the while singing lyrics. An image of people trying to pat their head with one hand and rub their bellies with the other, while reciting the Star Spangled Banner, usually comes to my mind. (I’ll pause as you stop to try this and fail).

 

Scientific calibrations.

I’m not a doctor or a scientist—and this article far from satisfies my curiosity—but I would not doubt that musicians do have highly developed brains. Playing music comes naturally to some people, but to those who have to struggle with reading music or distinguishing pitch or playing an instrument know that it’s no piece of cake.

“Musicians also exhibited higher levels of moral reasoning and had more frequent ‘peak experiences’ – intense moments of happiness and feelings of transcending limitations.”

Now, I don’t know about the whole “moral reasoning” bit—we’ve all seen musicians commit some pretty shady acts. And anyone who’s had the pleasure of working with musicians, you know they may not be the most reliable, time-oriented individuals. I don’t think one’s occupation in life can determine moral aptitude, but it’s an interesting thought. For me, the bottom line: we are all different. Most musicians may have more highly developed brains, but individually they are as diverse as the notes they play.