Music and Language

This review presents a highly selective survey of connections between music and language. I begin by considering some fundamental differences between music and language and some nonspecific similarities that may arise out of more general characteristics of human cognition and communication. I then discuss an important, specific interaction between music and language: the connection between linguistic stress and musical meter. Next, I consider several possible connections that have been widely studied but remain controversial: cross-cultural correlations between linguistic and musical rhythm, effects of musical training on linguistic abilities, and connections in cognitive processing between music and linguistic syntax. Finally, I discuss some parallels regarding the use of repetition in music and language, which until now has been a little-explored topic.

Contributions of common genetic variants to specific languages and to when a language is learned

Research over the past two decades has identified a group of common genetic variants explaining a portion of variance in native language ability. The present study investigates whether the same group of genetic variants are associated with different languages and languages learned at different times in life. We recruited 940 young adults who spoke from childhood Chinese and English as their first (native) (L1) and second (L2) language, respectively, who were learners of a new, third (L3) language. For the variants examined, we found a general decrease of contribution of genes to language functions from native to foreign (L2 and L3) languages, with variance in foreign languages explained largely by non-genetic factors such as musical training and motivation. Furthermore, genetic variants that were found to contribute to traits specific to Chinese and English respectively exerted the strongest effects on L1 and L2. These results seem to speak against the hypothesis of a language- and time-universal genetic core of linguistic functions. Instead, they provide preliminary evidence that genetic contribution to language may depend at least partly on the intricate language-specific features. Future research including a larger sample size, more languages and more genetic variants is required to further explore these hypotheses.

Musical Sophistication and Speech Auditory-Motor Coupling: Easy Tests for Quick Answers

Musical training enhances auditory-motor cortex coupling, which in turn facilitates music and speech perception. How tightly the temporal processing of music and speech are intertwined is a topic of current research. We investigated the relationship between musical sophistication (Goldsmiths Musical Sophistication index, Gold-MSI) and spontaneous speech-to-speech synchronization behavior as an indirect measure of speech auditory-motor cortex coupling strength. In a group of participants (n = 196), we tested whether the outcome of the spontaneous speech-to-speech synchronization test (SSS-test) can be inferred from self-reported musical sophistication. Participants were classified as high (HIGHs) or low (LOWs) synchronizers according to the SSS-test. HIGHs scored higher than LOWs on all Gold-MSI subscales (General Score, Active Engagement, Musical Perception, Musical Training, Singing Skills), but the Emotional Attachment scale. More specifically, compared to a previously reported German-speaking sample, HIGHs overall scored higher and LOWs lower. Compared to an estimated distribution of the English-speaking general population, our sample overall scored lower, with the scores of LOWs significantly differing from the normal distribution, with scores in the ∼30th percentile. While HIGHs more often reported musical training compared to LOWs, the distribution of training instruments did not vary across groups. Importantly, even after the highly correlated subscores of the Gold-MSI were decorrelated, particularly the subscales Musical Perception and Musical Training allowed to infer the speech-to-speech synchronization behavior. The differential effects of musical perception and training were observed, with training predicting audio-motor synchronization in both groups, but perception only in the HIGHs. Our findings suggest that speech auditory-motor cortex coupling strength can be inferred from training and perceptual aspects of musical sophistication, suggesting shared mechanisms involved in speech and music perception.

Facets of interaction between the Ministry of National Education and the Ministry of Culture of France in the musical and educational space

The problem of research. The relevance of the research is due to the urgent need to find new approaches to the musical development of students in general education, which makes it significant to refer to the experience of France in connection with the existence in the country of an original model of musical education with an established system of multifaceted partnerships controlled by the bodies of the Ministry of National Education and the Ministry of Culture of France. The purpose of the article: scientific and practical justification of the need to develop a Russian strategy of musical development based on the interaction of educational and cultural organizations. Materials and methods. As a methodological basis, a system-structural approach was used, which made it possible to conceptualize the data obtained as a result of the analysis of sources, as well as in the process of personal communication with French colleagues. The results of the study. The mechanism of the studied interaction in various forms of educational, extracurricular and out-of-school musical activities is based on a clearly structured scheme of cooperation between schools and partner structures in the field of culture and art at the state (conceptual), academic (coordination) and local (performing) levels. The impetus for the construction of this system of partnerships was the recognition by the pedagogical community and the authorities of France of the priority of musical education as a powerful stimulant for the development of personal, intellectual and creative abilities of students necessary for successful implementation in any field of activity. Discussion and conclusion. The initial impulse to the emergence of the concept of attracting artistic and cultural structures in the musical and educational field was the introduction in the early 80s of the twentieth century of the original system of professional and amateur musical training of students in the framework of general education in college and lyceum. In the future, the experience of partnership interaction in the field under study gradually spread not only to academic, but also to extracurricular and out-of-school activities. As an important "breakthrough" of the French musical and educational project, a significant contribution to the educational activities of musical and cultural centers of global importance should be recognized. The far-sighted policy of the French authorities aimed at substantial support of artistic, especially musical culture as the basis for the development of the whole society can serve as a strategic guideline for the modernization of the music education system in Russia in terms of developing management schemes and educational technologies based on the interaction of educational institutions with cultural and art institutions.

Effect of Musical Training on Temporal Resolution and Temporal Fine Structure Processing

Background and Aim: Many aspects and features of auditory system can be improved by musical training. This study aimed to investigate the effects of a stringed musical instrument playing course on temporal resolution and temporal fine structure (TFS) processing. Methods: This analytical cross-sectional study was conducted on 44 normal-hearing adults aged 20–40 years divided to two groups. The first group included 22 stringed musical instruments players (13 males) with at least three years of experience, and the second group were 22 non- players (13 males). The random gap detection test (RGDT) was used to measure temporal resolution aspect of hearing. For TFS processing, latest version of temporal fine structure-adaptive frequency (TFS-AF) test was used. Results: The TFS-AF results showed no statistically significant difference between groups in different interaural phase differences (IPDs). The RGDT results showed significant differences between groups at 500, 1000 and 2000 Hz, but not at 4000 Hz. Spearman correlation test results showed no statistically significant correlation between the results of TFS-AF and RGDT. Conclusion: Musical training has no effect on TFS processing but considerably enhances gap detection ability. Their underlying mechanisms for TFS processing and gap detection are different.

Assessment of Distortion Product Otoacoustic Emissions Input-Output Function in Individuals with and without Musical Abilities

Background and Aim: Musical training has shown to bring about superior performance in several auditory and non-auditory tasks compared to those without musical exposure. Distortion product otoacoustic emissions (DPOAE) input-output function can be an indicator of the non-linear functioning of the cochlea. The objective of this study was to evaluate and compare the differences in the slope of DPOAE input-output function in individuals with and without musical abilities. Methods: Twenty normal-hearing individuals were considered in the age range of 18–25 years. They were divided based on the scores obtained on the questionnaire of musical abilities, as individuals with and without musical abilities. DPOAE input-output function was done for each of the two groups. The slope of the DPOAE input-output function was compared at different frequencies between the groups. Results: The results of the Mann Whitney test revealed that the slope was significantly steeper at 2000, 3000, 4000 and 6000 Hz in individuals with musical abilities. There was no significant difference in slope at 1000 and 1500 Hz. Conclusion: The increased steepness of the slope indicates a relatively better functioning of the cochlea in individuals with musical abilities. The enhanced perception of music may induce changes in the cochlea resulting in a better appreciation of music.

French adaptation of a film music stimulus set: Normative emotional ratings of valence and arousal prompted by music excerpts

The aim of this study was to obtain French affective norms for the film music stimulus set (FMSS). This data set consists of a relatively homogeneous series of musical stimuli made up of film music excerpts, known to trigger strong emotion. The 97 musical excerpts were judged by 194 native French participants using a simplified normative procedure in order to assess valence and arousal judgments. This normalization will (1) provide researchers with standardized rated affective music to be used with a French population, (2) enable the investigation of individual listeners’ differing emotional judgments, and (3) explore how cultural differences affect the ratings of musical stimuli. Our results, in line with those obtained in Finland and Spain, demonstrated the FMSS to be robust and interculturally valid within Western Europe. Age, sex, education, and musical training were not found to have any effects on emotional judgments. In conclusion, this study provides the scientific community with a standardized-stimulus set of musical excerpts whose emotional valence and arousal have been validated by a sampling of the French population.

Vinay Mishra and the Artistry of the Harmonium

Vinay Mishra is an accomplished Indian solo and accompanying harmonium player born and brought up in Benaras and currently residing in Delhi serving as a faculty member of the Department of Music, Faculty of Music and Fine Arts, University of Delhi. The rigorous training of both vocal and instrumental music under veteran Hindustani Music virtuosos, the academic and scholarly scope built up till the degree of PhD in Music, the realizations, and understandings on music must have conspicuously made an impact of his practice and artistry as a harmonium player. Harmonium was originated in the west and adopted by Indian musicians in the colonial era which was brought up to the present day through many artistic, cultural and political controversies, and obstacles. This work focuses on discovering the insights of the harmonium art of Vinay Mishra. Hence, his academic background, musical training, musical career, his playing style as a soloist, general techniques and techniques of accompaniment, sense of machinery, perspectives on raga Taal, and thoroughly the tuning methods were studied in-depth through personal conversations and literature resources where it was observed that modern Hindustani harmonium artists favor a typical natural tuning method over the 12 equal temperaments of the common keyboard instruments. According to him, the stable sound of the harmonium was the reason to be vocal music- friendly in classical and light vocal music accompaniment which was only interrupted by the equal temperament earlier and was later overcome by the artists and harmonium makers. The idea was also raised that apart from gaining the basic command of an instrument, a Hindustani instrumentalist may learn and practice all other aspects of Hindustani music from the teachers of other forms too. Vinay Mishra’s thoughts of machinery, musical forms, compositions, applying Hindustani vocal, and plucking string instrumental ornamentations on the Harmonium were also reviewed.

Rhythmic tapping difficulties in adults who stutter: a deficit in Central Clock and/or Motor Implementation?

The study aims to better understand the origin of increased tapping variability and inaccuracy in people who stutter during paced and un-paced tapping. The overall question is to what extent these timing difficulties are related to a central clock deficit, a deficit in motor execution, or both.Finger tapping behavior of 16 adults who stutter (PWS) with different levels of musical training was compared with performance of 16 matching controls (PNS) in three finger tapping synchronization tasks ― a simple 1:1 isochronous pattern, a complex non-isochronous pattern, and a 4 tap:1 beat isochronous pattern ―, a continuation task (without external stimulation), and a reaction task involving aperiodic and unpredictable patterns. The results show that PWS exhibited larger negative asynchrony (expressed as phase angles), and increased synchronization variability (expressed as phase locking values) in paced tapping tasks, and that these differences from the PNS group were modulated by rhythmic complexity and musical training. The tapping asynchrony with a simple isochronous pattern correlated significantly with the average inter-tap duration, and with tap reaction times during the reaction task. The synchronization variability with a simple isochronous pattern correlated significantly with both the central clock and motor implementation variances as extracted during un-paced tapping, according to the Wing and Kristofferson’s model of timing.The results support the idea that increased tapping variability of PWS is associated with both a central clock and a motor execution deficit. The greater Negative Mean Asynchrony of PWS does not appear to be attributable to a deficit in time estimation but rather to a motor deficit. Several models and theories related to deficits in sensorimotor integration were considered to explain the interactions with beat strength, pattern complexity, and musical training.