For the past couple of weeks, we have talked about how music affects the brain. Last week we discussed the Mozart Theory and how studies have shown that listening to Mozart can boost the brain’s spatial reasoning skills. However, The Mozart Theory was based on a study of strictly classical music. There is a multitude of other musical genres out there. What effect do those have on our brains?
From classical music to heavy metal, we’re going to review a wide range of musical tastes and see how they can help us increase productivity, boost mood, and cope with daily struggles. Since there’s a lot of ground to cover, we’re going to split this up into two parts. This week we’re going to talk about classical, pop, and rap music. Let’s begin. Classical Music We talked about how Mozart can improve spatial reasoning skills, but what does Classical Music as a whole do for us? On a biological level, classical music releases dopamine that helps to calm us and bring pleasure. Psychologically, classical music has a calming effect on listeners. One study has shown that stroke patients experienced improved visual attention while listening to classical music, compared to patients who had no music to listen to at all. Practical applications of classical music include stress release, boost productivity, increase focus, and even improve public safety. Studies have shown that the natural calm brought by the sound of classical music has proven to be an effective crime deterrent in high traffic areas such as bustling train stations. Pop Music It’s catchy. It’s fun. Pop music makes us want to dance and sing, which may be a distraction for tasks that require focus like studying, but this musical genre does serve a purpose. With simplistic song structure and predictable beats and hooks, pop music offers an uncomplicated endorphin rush that boosts our mood and energy levels. Best for tasks that require minimal focus such as cleaning or exercising, pop music is an effective tool to keep us happy and motivated. Rap Music Similar to pop in its musical simplicity, rap music is known to not only correlated with advanced vocabulary mastery but has also been shown to increase self-identity and encourage personal perseverance. Despite the genre’s reputation for violence, this style of music has gained worldwide notoriety for its reputation for telling stories about survival, redemption, and personal growth. These stories resonate with its listeners inspiring and encouraging them to push through their trials. So, if you’re feeling a little down or overwhelmed about your life, turn on some rap to help you push through. Next week we’ll be talking about the effects and practical applications of country music, jazz music, and heavy metal. Make sure you join our mailing list and have it delivered straight to your inbox. Never miss a thing and join our mailing list today.
Stay Connected. Follow us on Social Media.
0 Comments
Last week we talked about how music affects the brain. We learned how the human ear processes sound waves and translate the waves into an audible sensation. We also covered a little body chemistry and talked about how dopamine boosts our mood and gives us feelings of happiness and sometimes the “chills.” From biology to the chemistry we discussed the physical and emotional aspects of music on the human brain, but throughout my research one question has repeatedly been asked, does musical genre matter?
Does it matter what kind of music we listen to? What seems to be a simple question may yield some complicated answers. Let’s take a look. The Mozart Theory Have you ever heard of the Mozart Theory? If you haven’t, the Mozart Theory was first introduced in 1993 by a group of scientists at the University of California, Irvine. The scientists conducted the study by asking a group of participants to listen to two piano sonatas by Mozart while another group listened to either silence or relaxation audio. The results of the study showed that those who listened to the sonatas showed an increase in spatial reasoning skills within ten to fifteen minutes of hearing the music. Those who were not exposed to the sonatas did not show a significant increase in brain function. The study also considered the long-term effects of classical music and performed a series of tests gauging the long-term implications of exposure to classical music on a group of toddlers. The children were provided either classical music training on keyboards or computer lessons for six months. The children who received the keyboard lessons earned 30% higher marks on a spatial-temporal reasoning test than the kids who took the computer lessons. Shortly following the release of the study’s results a flood of Baby Mozart CDs hit store shelves, successfully making parents everywhere believe that if they cared about their children, they need to play Mozart nonstop or risk having an academically stunted child. But despite the study’s claims, was it enough to justify the craze? What if it wasn’t Mozart‘s music, but rather the effect of musical exposure that helped the brain improve? What do you think? Check back next week where we’ll talk about different music genres and how they affect how we think and feel. Never miss a thing and join our mailing list today.
Stay Connected. Follow us on Social Media.
Anyone who has felt music knows how much impact music can have on a person’s mood. Music can lift us and make us happy, or it can remind us of the hurt and pain we’ve experienced. But what is the science behind it? What about music makes us react so strongly? Let’s discuss this.
The Basics – How Do We Hear? Sound waves reach our ears and funnels into the eardrum via the ear canal. Once the waves hit the eardrum, the drum vibrates traveling down a network of tiny bones. The final bone, the stapes, connects to the cochlea, a fluid-filled space lined with 10 to 15,000 thousand hair cells called cilia. As the vibrations from the eardrum pass through the bones and enter the cochlea, the fluid causes the cilia to sway and release chemical neurotransmitters activating the auditory nerve. Remember those neurotransmitters, we’ll get back to that in a moment. Once the nerve is activated, small electrical currents are sent to the auditory cortex found in the temporal lobe of the brain. And that, my dear listeners, is how we can hear. Our Good Friend Dopamine So back to those neurotransmitters I mentioned earlier. The chemical neurotransmitter released by the cilia is known as dopamine. Does that sound familiar? Better known as the “feel-good hormone,” dopamine is responsible for all those good feels we get when we experience something pleasurable. That feeling you get when you fall in love or when you eat something truly delicious? Yep, that’s dopamine in action. A study performed by McGill University in Montreal showed that dopamine levels increased by 9% when volunteers listened to music they enjoyed. Interestingly enough, during the same study, researchers found that the level of dopamine varied depending on how much the listener enjoyed the music. Listeners who enjoyed the music and reported feeling a “chill,” otherwise known as musical frisson, exhibited higher levels of dopamine than with music they didn’t enjoy, or experience the “chills” with. Does music give you the chills? Hard as it may be to believe, some people never feel that “chill” when they listen to music. Amusia is a disorder, often referred to as “tone-deaf” in which an individual is unable to observe any differences between pitch and tone. It is estimated that about 1 in 20 people are affected by this disorder and may be present from birth or the result of an injury. Join me next week as I keep the conversation rolling. Does genre matter? Never miss a thing and join our mailing list today.
Stay Connected. Follow us on Social Media.Our very own Stanford Lee has done something awesome! The Stanford Lee Show is now available on YouTube offering a variety of talk and musical performances by Stanford Lee himself and musical guests. The web series launched on YouTube and we couldn’t be any more excited to see what he does next. First released on Halloween day, the Stanford Lee Show came out with a special Halloween treat. Starting the show was Mark Simon of Kategory X, clad in a brown trench coat and donning a dark brown top hat complete with a snake skin band and rattlesnake head ornament in the front. Accompanied by Stanford Lee on guitar, the two performed Stanford’s “Zombies of the Road” setting the mood for the show’s Halloween special. Following Simon’s live performance, the two sat down to discuss philosophy and the source of their inspiration for their musical projects. Being longtime friends, the pair had a lot to talk about, including their work together as artists and their impact on their own personal stylings. They even revealed the source of Simon’s curious snake skin hat, in case you were wondering where such an oddity was produced. The show’s second installment, “War and Art School” was released a week later providing viewers with an inside look into Stanford’s mind. Discussing everything from, well war to art school, Stanford reminisced about his life being part of a large family with a strong military history and how it impacted him as an artist. The next episode is expected to release next week and new episodes are slotted to release weekly. Ashcraft Studios is grateful for the hard work of Tesselation Media Productions for their production of the series and looks forward to the many projects we have lined up with them. Be sure to subscribe to our weekly newsletter so you can stay on top of all our upcoming projects. Never miss a thing and join our mailing list today.
Stay Connected. Follow us on Social Media.
Who doesn’t love a good spooky story? With Halloween activities kicking off, let's take a moment and have some fun. So, since we are a Marietta based studio we are going to take a virtual haunted tour and talk about Marietta’s spookiest places.
Hemingway’s
Once Marietta’s oldest bars, the building was once the home of the city morgue. Patrons and staff members alike have reported a faint scent of formaldehyde while some have claimed to feel an eerie presence and even a few voices coming from the darkness. The bar and grill did close recently, however the public will still be able to visit as Red Hare Brewing Company recently announced that it will be taking over the now vacant building.
The Statue of Mary Meinert
Marking a grave at St. James Episcopal Cemetery, the Statue of Mary Meinert features the likeness of Mary Meinert and her beloved infant twins. Legend says that the mother lost her life and her two infant children in a tragic house fire sometime in the 1800s. Locals believe that the grieving mother still mourns for her children as the statue is said to weep. Others say that if you circle the statue 13 times at night and ask “Oh Mary, Oh Mary, what happened to your babies?” the statue will begin to cry. While this may sound like a fun Halloween activity, doing so is strongly discouraged as trespassing is an arrestable offense.
Kennesaw House
Currently the Marietta Museum of History, Kennesaw House is believed to be the home of over 700 ghosts! Once a hospital during the Civil War, the property has seen its share of death and tragedy. The building was later turned into a hotel following the civil war. The most famed account of paranormal activity came from a guest who claimed to have entered the third floor only to see a full vision of the hospital including a doctor tending to a wounded patient. He enquired about the scene, but when hotel officials investigated all they found was an empty hallway.
Marietta/Cobb Museum of Art
Formerly a post office built in 1908, The Marietta/Cobb Museum of Art is the home of one playful and mischievous spirit named Katherine. Katherine is believed to be the ghost of the post master’s mistress. Exposed, she was shot by the post master’s wife in the building and remains there to this day. Guests and staff at the museum report falling books and voices are the spirit’s handy work and she is known for making her presence known from time to time.
Root House Museum
The former home of the town’s first druggist and merchant, William Root, the Root House Museum is believed to be haunted by the merchant’s wife. Guests have reported seeing the woman’s shadowy figure in the bedroom windows. Staff members also claim that the rope bed in the main bedroom of the house appears to have been slept in overnight.
Never miss a thing and join our mailing list today.
Stay Connected. Follow us on Social Media.
The funny thing about inspiration is that it can strike anywhere and at any time. It can be found in the most amazing situations or as subtle as a mundane object. The key to understanding inspiration is knowing how to capture it and use it to fuel your creative projects.
It’s true that you can’t force inspiration. That kind of thing comes whether you’re asking for it or not. But you can try to coax it out. The first step to finding inspiration is learning what drives you. What gets you going? What makes you excited and ready to tackle your next project? Consider your favorite artists. Maybe there is a certain place where new ideas seem to magically come to mind, or maybe a conversation with a certain person gives you the energy to explore new ideas and concepts. Inspiration is out there; you just have to know how to tap into the source. Here are a few ideas on how you can find the inspiration for your next big idea.
Whatever you do to find inspiration in your life, its important to make sure you capture it for future reference. Record or write everything you find and don’t forget to review every once in a while, for a fresh perspective. How will you find your inspiration today? Never miss a thing and join our mailing list today.
Stay Connected. Follow us on Social Media.
As October moves forward spook enthusiasts everywhere are getting their yearly fix on all things scary. This week let’s talk about Halloween movies and their theme songs. The following is a list of five movies with a theme song that screams Halloween. What other movie theme songs can you think of that make you think of Halloween?
Psycho
Nothing says creepy like a full-grown man peeping on an unsuspecting woman then killing her dressed as his mother. Psycho, the 1960 psychological horror was released with mixed reviews but is often considered to be Alfred Hitchcock's best film. The movie’s score was composed by Bernard Herrmann who reluctantly accepted the gig at a reduced fee. Due to budgetary restraints, Herrmann opted to write for a string orchestra giving the score an eery and suspenseful feel throughout the movie.
The Shining
Directed by Stanley Kubrick, The Shining released in 1980 with mixed reviews. The psychological horror was initially reviewed by Janet Maslin of the New York Times stating that “the supernatural story knows frustratingly little rhyme or reason” Other reviews noted the film’s slow pacing and difficulty connecting with the story’s characters. Yet despite the complaints, Kubrick’s The Shining still grossed over $620,000 over the four-day release weekend placing it in the third highest-grossing opening weekend film behind Star Wars and The Rose. The movie’s main title theme was composed by Wendy Carlos and Rachel Elkind. During the scoring of the film, Carlos complained about the amount of work that never made it to the film. Having experienced something similar during her work on Kubrick’s Clockwork Orange, Carlos became frustrated and vowed to never work with the director again.
Rosemary’s Baby
Impending motherhood typically conjures ideas of rosy cheeks and sweet lullabies, but not for this 1968 psychological horror. Rosemary’s Baby directed by Roman Polanski is a mix of paranoia, women’s rights, religion, and the literal spawn of satan. The opening lullaby in the film sets an uneasy tone with a sweet feminine voice against a chilling melody. The lullaby titled “Sleep Safe and Warm was sung by Mia Farrow herself and composed by Krzysztof Komeda.
The Omen
As we learned from Rosemary’s Baby, children can be terrifying. The 1976 Richard Donner film The Omen is no exception. The supernatural horror detailing the birth and rise of the antichrist is spooky enough to question any child with a mysterious look in their eyes. The main theme song “Ave Satani” is powerful and chilling featuring full orchestral accompaniment against a foreboding choir. The composer Jerry Goldsmith struggled with the score until inspiration hit, resulting in “I hear voices.” Although the statement was said to his wife about hearing the choir in his head, the quote seems to share the same supernatural and disturbing feel as the movie itself.
Never miss a thing and join our mailing list today.
Stay Connected. Follow us on Social Media.
There are a variety of tools inside the music studio designed to give us improved performance and recording for our musical projects. This week we’ll be looking at the center of the studio unit, the Digital Audio Workstation, or DAW for short. Read on to learn more about the DAW, what it is, how it is used, and what we use in our very own studio.
What is a DAW The Digital Audio Workstation is the central hub of the recording studio. It’s what allows music engineers to record, edit, and mix multiple tracks. While many consider a DAW to be a software program, some would say that it is a complete station from a computer, to a midi controller, to audio interference. Whatever side of the what makes a DAW debate you land on, the one thing that stays the same is that it is the heart of the music production operation. What Can You Do with a DAW? You can pretty much use a DAW for anything in the recording studio. The list of projects is long ranging from albums, to sound effects, voice acting, podcasts, mixes and remixes, masters, sound effects, scores, and radio shows. If there is audio involved, a DAW is your friend. Perhaps one of the most common uses of the DAW would be for the recording and arrangement of music. But what if your song needs an instrument that you don’t have or aren’t able to play? The DAW can help. With a variety of instrumental options available in the marketplace, artists no longer need to invest thousands into hiring a full orchestra or acquiring and storing a large catalog of instruments. Many programs today offer a full inventory of sampled sounds to use for your ever projects’ needs. DAW also opens the possibility of song making to those without any prior music experience. Because of the equipment’s capabilities individuals are now able to piece together various samples to create a piece of their own. And for those who consider themselves to be vocally challenged, there is always autotune for a quick confidence boost. Ashcraft Studios’ Setup Here at Ashcraft Studios, we take pride in the equipment we source. Currently, we house Slate Raven MTi2 Touchscreen Mixing Boards with UA Apollo 8p Hardware, 2 UAD 2 Satellite Accelerators, Audience ASP 800, and UA 4-710 D, 20+ Simultaneous Tracks, and Logic ProX Software. You can see a full list of our studio equipmenthere. Visit us online at www.ashcraftstudios.net today and see how we can help you craft your next audio project today. Never miss a thing and join our mailing list today.
Stay Connected. Follow us on Social Media.
Its that time of year when all things ooky and spooky come out to play. Let’s forget about pumpkins spice for the moment and let’s talk Halloween Music. Drop these Spooktacular tracks in your Halloween party playlist and you’ll be sure to have a killer time.
Time Warp – Rocky Horror Picture Show
What’s more Halloween than grown adults dressed in drag singing about interdimensional dancing? The cult classic Rocky Horror Picture Show released in 1975 and was “ignored by pretty much everyone” according to Roger Ebert of the Chicago Sun-Times. Fast forward to 1979 and the film was shown every Friday and Saturday night at midnight in over 230 theaters across America.
Pet Semetary – The Ramones
Originally a horror novel written by Stephen King in 1983, Pet Sematary was adapted to film and released in 1989 and a remake in 2019. The movie’s theme song was recorded by The Ramones and was also featured on their album, Brain Drain.
A Nightmare on my Street – DJ Jazzy Jeff & the Fresh Prince
A Nightmare on My Street was released in 1988 as part of the album He’s the DJ, I’m the Rapper. Despite the song’s obvious reference to the Halloween movie favorite A Nightmare on Elm Street, the movie’s producers chose not to include the single in the movie’s soundtrack. As a result, the copyright holders of the A Nightmare on Elm Street Franchise, New Line Cinema, sued DJ Jazzy Jeff & The Fresh Prince for copyright infringement. The case was settled out of court, however the label to destroy the song’s music video, but not before a version could be saved online.
Thriller – Michael Jackson
Thriller came out in 1984 by pop icon Michael Jackson. The release received positive reviews and peaked at number four on the Billboard Hot 100. The music video’s theatrical elements lead it to be the first music video inducted into the National Film Registry.
Red Right Hand – Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds
Based on John Milton’s Paradise Lost, “Red Right Hand” is a reference to the vengeful hand of God. The song was released in 1994 by Australian rock band Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds. It was featured as the theme song for the British crime series Peaky Blinders, and was covered by artist such as Artic Monkeys, Iggy Pop, and Snoop Dogg. Never miss a thing and join our mailing list today.
Stay Connected. Follow us on Social Media.
Today on Ashcraft’s Inside the Music Studio let’s talk microphones. A must have for any studio setup; microphones are the lifeline between the audio source and the recording. Without a microphone no sound could be recorded and saved. But what is a microphone exactly? How do they work, and what kinds are there? Let’s find out.
Microphones
According to Oxford Languages, a microphone is “an instrument for converting sound waves into electrical energy variations which may then be amplified, transmitted, or recorded.” In short, it’s a tool that takes in audio and can either record or alter the sounds. Microphones work by converting energy from sound waves into electrical energy. While different microphones do this differently, the common factor between all microphones is the diaphragm. Soundwaves enter the microphone where they vibrate within the diaphragm resulting in an electrical current or audio signal.
Microphones have become an integral part of our lives, being present in everything ranging from telephones, to baby monitors. With the first microphone being invented in 1876 by Alexander Graham Bell, microphones have come a long way. While Bell’s first microphone was not considered to be practical, regular use of the microphone became popular with Thomas Alva Edison’s invention of a carbon microphone in 1886. E.C. Wente of Bell Laboratories later developed the first condenser microphone in 1916 which were used for radio broadcasting and sound motion pictures. Types of Microphones
Dynamic Microphones
Affordable and versatile, dynamic mics are a go to for any microphone set up. Also known as moving coil microphones, dynamic mics are similar to that of a loudspeaker, but in reverse. Sound waves enter the microphone through a diaphragm which then passes through a coil. The soundwaves travel back and forth along the coil and through the magnet creating an electrical current otherwise known as the audio signal.
Condenser Microphones
Condenser microphones use a capacitator to store electrostatic energy and convert it into electrical energy. Because of this electrical component a power source such as a battery or an external source is required for the microphone to function properly. As a result the audio signal is stronger than that of a dynamic microphone. While the stronger audio signal makes this microphone a better choice for capturing more subtle sounds, it is not a great choice for high volume work because their sensitivity will make the microphone more prone to distortion.
Ribbon Microphones
Technically a form of dynamic microphone, the ribbon microphone is best known for its vintage tone. Like other dynamic microphones, ribbon mics use a diaphragm, coil, and magnet to convert sound energy into an audio signal. The difference, however, relies in the use of a small strip of metal, often aluminum, as both diaphragm and transducer. This strip offers greater sensitivity to sound as you would expect from a condenser, but with an entirely different character.
Never miss a thing and join our mailing list today.
Stay Connected. Follow us on Social Media. |