Notes on the Brain

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"Music," wrote William Congreve (1670-1729) in Act I, Scene 1, of The Mourning Bride, "has charms to soothe a savage breast." And to stimulate the brain, as we have since learned. Now, with MRIs and PET scans, we are able to understand more about that phenomenon, including how differently the brain reacts to playing an instrument than to just listening to music being played by someone else. Note to self: Get back on the piano (video): http://ed.ted.com/lessons/how-playing-an-instrument-benefits-your-brain-anita-collins