The Grand Wazoo
10-01-2011, 08:03
I've just heard an article on Radio 4's Today programme about this & I thought some folks might find it interesting.
I'll be having a go at it later!
From: https://www.bbc.co.uk/labuk/articles/musicality/
BBC - Lab UK - About the 'How musical are you?' test
This groundbreaking study aims to reveal the musical abilities of the nation and help redefine what it means to be musical. The research team from Goldsmiths, University of London explains.
By answering some simple questions about your relationship with music, and taking some fun musical tests, you’ll be helping us build up a picture of Britain’s musicality, in all its many and varied forms.
I can’t be musical - I don’t play a musical instrument!
Most people think that musicality is about being able to play a musical instrument, but this is just one aspect of being musical.
The ability we have to make sense of music is present from early life in almost everyone and is gained simply by being exposed to music in our environment. There are also individual differences in both biology and experience that may shape the musical brain in various ways.
Some people are avid music listeners, and the process of immersing themselves in music may make them especially sensitive to certain aspects of music. People who have never set foot inside a music lesson might, nevertheless, have a good musical ‘ear’ or be musically creative without ever realising it!
Why do scientists need to know about this?
Understanding the musical brain is one of the major scientific challenges of the 21st century. Scientists may already know more than ever before about how music can shape the brain, but there is still much to discover.
A lot of what we know about music comes from comparisons of musicians and non-musicians. It has become increasingly clear that a more sophisticated view of musicality - one which takes into account musical listening and engagement - will yield even greater insights.
For example, a recent study showed that differences in verbal memory (memory of words and language) between musicians and non-musicians were more readily explained once musical listening and engagement were examined.
By taking into account the many and varied aspects of musicality, we can vastly increase our potential to learn about the musical brain.
How does the test work? What will I learn?
The test asks a number of questions, including how engaged you are with music, if you consider it an important part of your identity and whether you rely on it to change your moods and emotions.
It also includes some musical tests, so you can see how good you are at grouping together different musical styles, memorising tunes and recognising the beat in a piece of music.
Don’t worry, even those with no musical training can take these tests and do well.
At the end of ‘How musical are you?’ you will receive an individual musical profile, with scores on five different dimensions of musicality, plus your scores for the musical tests.
By relating your survey responses to your performance on the musical tests, we’ll find out which aspects of musicality are affected by musical engagement and which require formal musical training.
So tune in and try your hand – you might find you’re more musical than you think!
The ‘How musical are you?’ test was designed by Dr Daniel Müllensiefen, Dr Bruno Gingras, and Dr Lauren Stewart from the Music, Mind and Brain Research Group, Goldsmiths, University of London.
To do the test take a look at the Radio 3 web pages 'How Musical Are You?' (https://www.bbc.co.uk/labuk/experiments/musicality/)
.
I'll be having a go at it later!
From: https://www.bbc.co.uk/labuk/articles/musicality/
BBC - Lab UK - About the 'How musical are you?' test
This groundbreaking study aims to reveal the musical abilities of the nation and help redefine what it means to be musical. The research team from Goldsmiths, University of London explains.
By answering some simple questions about your relationship with music, and taking some fun musical tests, you’ll be helping us build up a picture of Britain’s musicality, in all its many and varied forms.
I can’t be musical - I don’t play a musical instrument!
Most people think that musicality is about being able to play a musical instrument, but this is just one aspect of being musical.
The ability we have to make sense of music is present from early life in almost everyone and is gained simply by being exposed to music in our environment. There are also individual differences in both biology and experience that may shape the musical brain in various ways.
Some people are avid music listeners, and the process of immersing themselves in music may make them especially sensitive to certain aspects of music. People who have never set foot inside a music lesson might, nevertheless, have a good musical ‘ear’ or be musically creative without ever realising it!
Why do scientists need to know about this?
Understanding the musical brain is one of the major scientific challenges of the 21st century. Scientists may already know more than ever before about how music can shape the brain, but there is still much to discover.
A lot of what we know about music comes from comparisons of musicians and non-musicians. It has become increasingly clear that a more sophisticated view of musicality - one which takes into account musical listening and engagement - will yield even greater insights.
For example, a recent study showed that differences in verbal memory (memory of words and language) between musicians and non-musicians were more readily explained once musical listening and engagement were examined.
By taking into account the many and varied aspects of musicality, we can vastly increase our potential to learn about the musical brain.
How does the test work? What will I learn?
The test asks a number of questions, including how engaged you are with music, if you consider it an important part of your identity and whether you rely on it to change your moods and emotions.
It also includes some musical tests, so you can see how good you are at grouping together different musical styles, memorising tunes and recognising the beat in a piece of music.
Don’t worry, even those with no musical training can take these tests and do well.
At the end of ‘How musical are you?’ you will receive an individual musical profile, with scores on five different dimensions of musicality, plus your scores for the musical tests.
By relating your survey responses to your performance on the musical tests, we’ll find out which aspects of musicality are affected by musical engagement and which require formal musical training.
So tune in and try your hand – you might find you’re more musical than you think!
The ‘How musical are you?’ test was designed by Dr Daniel Müllensiefen, Dr Bruno Gingras, and Dr Lauren Stewart from the Music, Mind and Brain Research Group, Goldsmiths, University of London.
To do the test take a look at the Radio 3 web pages 'How Musical Are You?' (https://www.bbc.co.uk/labuk/experiments/musicality/)
.