Dowd questions the validity of a 1993 UC Irvine research project completed by psychologist Gordon Shaw that gave rise to the belief that listening to Mozart improves IQ. An enterprising musician jumped on the idea and trademarked the term Mozart Effect in 1996.

The data was never reproduced, and troubling information began to come out of the original study. A subsequent German study found that music training did contribute to higher scores, concluding that it was the actual act of playing music that stimulated the brain, rather than passively listening to it. Not only that, positive effects were positive only because the participant was predisposed to enjoy that genre of music.

This is a cracking good read, illustrating how a flawed study can generate a copyrighted product, a popular myth fueled by the media, and a blind belief that is next to impossible to eradicate from the collective consciousness.

I prefer to listen to Mozart well away from men in white coats.

Post from: The Good Musician

It’s happened too often that I had a brilliant tune while sitting in the bus, just to end up at home at my instrument, having forgotten how it went.

You may argue that if it didn’t stick, it wasn’t that brilliant, but the point is that even Mozart was known to have had a quill and some paper around him at all times.

Similarly, you should consider a capturing device for your musical inspirations. I personally use Moleskines for note-taking and as an agenda, but they have a product just right for musicians, the Music Moleskine.

I love them for their beautiful looks, the rubber band, and the silky pages make a grand setting fit for the wonderful music you’re about to create.

Of course, it only makes sense if you can read music. Otherwise, you could try an audio device like a dictaphone to record your tunes by humming them. The downside of this is it’s a bit awkward to do in public.

How do you write down your songs? Full score notation, chord names or tabs? Or do you have your own system?

Post from: The Good Musician