Andrea's Music Studio

17/10/2025

In general, most birds hear in the same range as humans. However, there are some interesting differences. For one thing, humans hear "relative pitch" which means if we hear a song we can still recognize that song if we hear it in another octave. Birds hear "absolute pitch" which means they won't recognize their own species' song if it is in a different octave. Another difference is that humans hear sounds in bytes that are 1/20th of a second long. Birds hear sounds in bytes as short as 1/200th of a second! So that means that where we might just hear one note being sung, a bird might hear up to TEN separate notes. To hear how many notes are actually crammed into a short birdsong when it is slowed down, play the audio in this link: https://www.audubon.org/news/listen-every-pitch-change-pacific-wren-call
Photo of Pacific Wren by Gregg Thompson

20/09/2025

So beautiful

16/09/2025

A University of Washington study in PNAS shows that 9-month-old infants exposed to structured music sessions developed stronger neural responses in auditory and prefrontal regions. Using magnetoencephalography, researchers found music improved pattern recognition and predictive coding, skills vital for language and cognitive growth. Early rhythmic experiences may accelerate learning by tuning the brain to detect order in sound.

08/09/2025

Of course!!

Two new studies suggest that playing a musical instrument—even if you start in old age—could help protect your brain from the effects of aging and stave off cognitive decline.

In the first study, researchers compared older adults who had played music for decades with those who hadn’t. Brain scans showed that the musicians processed speech in noisy environments almost as efficiently as young adults, thanks to stronger neural connections. Non-musicians, by contrast, showed more signs of aging and had to work harder to complete the same task.

But the more exciting finding? A second study found that even seniors who only recently picked up an instrument—and stuck with it for four years—had healthier brains than those who stopped. Their memory was sharper, and crucial brain structures like the putamen hadn’t shrunk as expected with age.

These results point to the power of cognitive reserve—the brain’s ability to compensate for aging or damage. And music may be a particularly effective way to build it.

So whether you’re strumming a guitar, playing piano, or learning the violin for the first time—your brain might just thank you.

🎵 It’s never too late to tune your brain.

📄 RESEARCH PAPERS

📌 Xueyan Wang et al, "Never too late to start musical instrument training: Effects on working memory and subcortical preservation in healthy older adults across 4 years." Imaging Neuroscience (2025)

📌 Lei Zhang et al, "Long-term musical training can protect against age-related upregulation of neural activity in speech-in-noise perception", PLOS Biology (2025)

30/08/2025

Wow sounds awesome

28/08/2025

Yessss!

🎶 Your Brain Literally Resonates With Music

Why does music feel so powerful? A new theory suggests it’s not just something we hear—our brains and bodies actually resonate with it.

According to the Neural Resonance Theory (NRT), the natural oscillations of our brain synchronize with musical structures like rhythm and pitch. When you tap your foot to a beat, your neurons are firing in time with the rhythm. When you enjoy a melody, parts of your brainstem and auditory nerve vibrate in sync with the pitch. This resonance may explain why music feels universally pleasurable, from infants bouncing to a beat to trained musicians performing complex symphonies.

On a neurological level, slower oscillations in the cortex align with rhythm, while higher frequencies—from tens to thousands of Hertz—sync with pitch. Together, these interactions create harmony between the body’s biology and the sound we hear. Even “groove”—that irresistible urge to move when a beat feels just right—can be explained by nonlinear resonance, where the brain fills in missing pulses. Too much irregularity feels chaotic, too little feels flat, but music in the sweet spot makes us want to dance.

Importantly, NRT suggests that cultural experience shapes how our brains tune into more complex rhythms and meters, while simple pulses are universal.

Beyond explaining why music brings joy, researchers believe this theory has wide implications for therapy, education, and brain health—from aiding recovery in neurological disorders to deepening our understanding of human connection.

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📄 RESEARCH PAPER

📌 Harding, E.E., Kim, J.C., Demos, A.P. et al. Musical neurodynamics. Nat. Rev. Neurosci. 26, 293–307 (2025).

29/07/2025

The wonderful Eric speaks!

25/07/2025

Woohooo