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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Opus 3 depth of image LP

@tomic601, I took a look at this recording, and it’s right in line with the theme of this thread. Great suggestion. Ordered one.

Reminds me of some incredible binaural recordings I’ve heard. Here’s a list of a few.

@bluorion
David Byrne from Talking Heads wrote a similar article for Smithsonian Magazine back in 2012.

I am finishing Byrne’s book, “How Music Works”, from which the Smithsonian article is excerpted. Interesting read.

The Bryne book is excellent, especially the real world examples of who makes what$ where….
Nice link on David Byrne. Makes me wonder if our use of gear to listen to music is a kind of spandrel of it's own: an unintended outcome of our thirst for listening that's now an expensive and consuming hobby.

All the best,
Nonoise
MC,

Jennifer Warnes 'Famous Blue Raincoat" and "The Well" both sounds lucious and liquid on my rig. Know this cuzz I have both serial numbered box sets.

Maybe your system???