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Learning to Listen: Neurological Evidence

Neurological evidence indicates we not only learn to listen, but actually tune our inner ear response based on neural feedback from the brain. We literally are able to actively tune our own hearing.  

When we listen for a flute for example, this is more than a conscious decision to focus on the flute. This creates neural impulses that actively tune ear cells to better hear the flute.  

This whole video is fascinating, but I want to get you hooked right away so check this out:  
https://youtu.be/SuSGN8yVrcU?t=1340

“Selectively changing what we’re listening to in response to the content. Literally reaching out to listen for things.”


Here’s another good one. Everyone can hear subtle details about five times as good as predicted by modeling. Some of us however can hear 50 times as good. The difference? Years spent learning to listen closely! https://youtu.be/SuSGN8yVrcU?t=1956

Learning to play music really does help improve your listening.  

This video is chock full of neurphysiological evidence that by studying, learning and practice you can develop the listening skills to hear things you literally could not hear before. Our hearing evolved millennia before we invented music. We are only just now beginning to scratch at the potential evolution has bestowed on us.


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Showing 1 response by tomcy6

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tomcy6
2,543 posts
 
I used to listen to a radio program by Karl Haas called Adventures in Good Music. Each program had a classical music theme that explored many different aspects of classical music. The show was very entertaining and educational. Adventures in Good Music is no longer with us and Karl probably isn’t either.

Bill McGlaughlin has picked up the baton and hosts a program on public radio called Exploring Music. I’m sure you can find it on your internet radio app and it would probably be a painless way to improve your listening skills and your appreciation of classical music and music in general. I haven’t listened to Exploring Music but my guess is that it would be worth a try.
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