Sean Carroll's Mindscape: Science, Society, Philosophy, Culture, Arts, and Ideas

104 | David Rosen and Scott Miles on the Neuroscience of Music and Creativity

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Jul 6, 2020

David Rosen and Scott Miles, both neuroscientists and musicians, delve into the fascinating connection between music and creativity. They discuss how brain activity differs between novice and expert musicians during jazz improvisation, emphasizing the 'flow' state that enhances creativity. The duo examines the role of surprise in music enjoyment and how AI can predict listener preferences by analyzing emotional engagement. They also explore cultural diversity in music, tracing its roots and how environmental factors influence musical tastes.

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INSIGHT

Music's Cultural Role

Music serves to bond people together within a shared culture.
This emotional connection is deeply rooted in the brain's limbic system.

INSIGHT

Universal vs. Cultural

Music impacts the brain through universal aspects like rhythm and melody.
Culturally specific elements also play a significant role, shaping individual preferences.

ANECDOTE

Cross-Cultural Music Learning

Scott Miles's initial PhD research explored how adults learn unfamiliar musical systems.
The study aimed to observe brain activity during this process using fMRI.

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Creativity is one of those things that we all admire but struggle to define or make concrete. Music provides a useful laboratory in which to examine what creativity is all about — how do people become creative, what is happening in their brains during the creative process, and what kinds of creativity does the audience actually enjoy? David Rosen and Scott Miles are both neuroscientists and musicians who have been investigating this question from the perspective of both listeners and performers. They have been performing neuroscientific experiments to understand how the brain becomes creative, and founded Secret Chord Laboratories to develop software that will predict what kinds of music people will like.

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David S. Rosen received his Ph.D. in cognitive psychology from Drexel University. He is currently a co-founder and the chief operations officer at Secret Chord Laboratories, a music-tech startup company. His interdisciplinary research program covers an array of topics: creative cognition, peak experiences, the neuroscience of music production and perception, psychedelics and STEAM education. David began playing the piano at the age of 8 and bass at age 15. He is the co-creator and bassist of sci-fi transmedia band, Chronicles of Sound, and instrumental progressive rock band, NAKAMA.

Scott Miles received his Ph.D. in neuroscience from Georgetown University. He is currently the CEO and innovation leader of Secret Chord Laboratories. He has been performing and producing music since the age of 10. In his doctoral work he investigated how music preference is formed in the brain. He secured funding through the National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship to support this work. With David Rosen, Ph.D., he found support for two hypotheses about how the structure of music leads to purchase decisions. Miles then coded an algorithm to generate new music, and in a behavioral experiment, music featuring these properties was indeed preferred. He formed and has overseen the development of Secret Chord laboratories since it was incorporated in June 2018.

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