Searching for the "Human Connection"--Physics and Music.

EikeJMaas

Hello everyone! I'm currently a senior in high school (going off to study architecture at either Rensselaer Polytech Ins., Marywood U, or Philadelphia U) and am doing an independent research project on the topic of relating acoustic physics and music; this relationship occurs somewhere within the mind and that is why I am posting in this area of the forum.

It would be very greatly appreciated if anyone that has the time could read my research blog and comment on any of my observations. http://eikemaas.blogspot.com

Here is a sort of loose thesis statement/ project goal that I have drafted:

This is my attempt at merging the opposing viewpoints of music and physics into a unified understanding of how humans comprehend and appreciate sound. Our current way of making and composing mere sound into a coherent piece of music has not developed arbitrarily over the past millenia... it has been shaped by cultural developments, neurological/psychological factors, and of course the actual physical nature of sound. There is some sort of mental connection which we establish which allows us to convert a series of alternating pressures into qualities, dissonances, and emotions. My goal is to define this connection.

Also, as a postscript, I have read Dr. Levitin's book This is Your Brain on Music. Just saying so preemptively as I'm sure someone may think of suggesting it to me.

Thank you all, see you around!

MarNie

@ Eike
It might be a bit late,
but I recently read an article on this topic
http://relentlessenergy.com/musicalbrain
it might be a bit general for you, but perhaps the professor who wrote this has some more on this topic.

somasimple

Three examples found on Pubmed. (music brain)
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20219991
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20176953
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20168001