MUSICAL ABILITY TALENT VS TRAINING Glenn Wilson PhD King’s College, London Institute of Psychiatry.

MUSICAL ABILITYMUSICAL ABILITYTALENT VS TRAININGTALENT VS TRAINING

Glenn Wilson PhDGlenn Wilson PhD

King’s College, LondonKing’s College, London

Institute of PsychiatryInstitute of Psychiatry

TALENT VS TRAININGTALENT VS TRAINING Unfolding of inborn potential or hard graft? Unfolding of inborn potential or hard graft?

(Mozart cited by each camp). (Mozart cited by each camp). Musical genius runs in families (Bach, Musical genius runs in families (Bach,

Strauss) but this could be down to genes or Strauss) but this could be down to genes or environment.environment.

Often emerges at very early age (but also Often emerges at very early age (but also some impressive late starters – e.g. some impressive late starters – e.g. Gluck,Wagner, Bruckner).Gluck,Wagner, Bruckner).

Family support not essential – Gershwin & Family support not essential – Gershwin & Bernstein grew up in homes without pianos; Bernstein grew up in homes without pianos; Louis Armstrong had no cornet before age 17.Louis Armstrong had no cornet before age 17.

TYPICAL DEVELOPMENT TYPICAL DEVELOPMENT (AGES)(AGES) 0-1 Reacts to sounds0-1 Reacts to sounds

2-3 Reproduces song phrases2-3 Reproduces song phrases 3-4 Conceives general plan of melody3-4 Conceives general plan of melody 4-5 Can tap back simple rhythms4-5 Can tap back simple rhythms 5-6 Understands louder/softer5-6 Understands louder/softer 6-7 Tonal music preferred to atonal6-7 Tonal music preferred to atonal 7-8 Appreciation of 7-8 Appreciation of

consonance/dissonanceconsonance/dissonance 9-10 Harmonic sense established9-10 Harmonic sense established

Source: Shuter-Dyson & Gabriel, Source: Shuter-Dyson & Gabriel, 19811981

MEASURING MUSIC MEASURING MUSIC ABILITYABILITY

Tests like Tests like Seashore Measures of Seashore Measures of Musical Talent (1960)Musical Talent (1960) commercially available - take about 1hr.commercially available - take about 1hr.

Present pairs of tones for comparison Present pairs of tones for comparison on pitch, loudness, timbre, etc; also test on pitch, loudness, timbre, etc; also test rhythm and memory.rhythm and memory.

Reliability acceptable, but only Reliability acceptable, but only moderate validity (e.g. prediction of moderate validity (e.g. prediction of progress in music college).progress in music college).

Not good at assessing creative aspects Not good at assessing creative aspects (e.g. appreciation, composition).(e.g. appreciation, composition).

CORRELATES OF MA CORRELATES OF MA TESTSTESTS

Only slight correlations with general IQ Only slight correlations with general IQ (around .3). Savant phenomenon illustrates (around .3). Savant phenomenon illustrates considerable independence of musical ability.considerable independence of musical ability.

No striking sex or race differences (despite No striking sex or race differences (despite male preponderance among famous composers male preponderance among famous composers and fabled African rhythmic ability).and fabled African rhythmic ability).

Blind people show no consistent superiority Blind people show no consistent superiority (despite famous cases of exceptional talent).(despite famous cases of exceptional talent).

Scores improve with coaching and musical Scores improve with coaching and musical training.training.

TWIN COMPARISONSTWIN COMPARISONS Best way of separating genes from Best way of separating genes from

environment (& family vs non-family environment (& family vs non-family influences).influences).

Show some degree of heritability Show some degree of heritability for music ability(40-70%).for music ability(40-70%).

Training/family environment also Training/family environment also shown to be important (may shown to be important (may override gene effects override gene effects up to up to moderate levels of ability).moderate levels of ability).

Global ability may be more genetic Global ability may be more genetic than Seashore-type aural skills.than Seashore-type aural skills.

INTRINSIC MOTIVATIONINTRINSIC MOTIVATION Top musicians often come from non-Top musicians often come from non-

musical homes.musical homes. Report intense, joyful (“peak”) Report intense, joyful (“peak”)

experiences from earliest listening – experiences from earliest listening – usually not in lessons.usually not in lessons.

Casual and frequent exposure to musical Casual and frequent exposure to musical forms from forms from an early age favours development an early age favours development (emphasis on enjoyment and (emphasis on enjoyment and spontaneity).spontaneity).

Pushy parents who force kids into Pushy parents who force kids into competitive situations may interfere with competitive situations may interfere with playful exploration – absence of threat, playful exploration – absence of threat, bribes and browbeating needed.bribes and browbeating needed.

Formal training may be Formal training may be counterproductive if overly rigid and counterproductive if overly rigid and inhibits creativity (e.g. Chopin’s thumb inhibits creativity (e.g. Chopin’s thumb on black notes).on black notes).

EFFECTIVE PRACTICEEFFECTIVE PRACTICE Professional musicians practice long Professional musicians practice long

hours (or did as children) but those hours (or did as children) but those most talented may get away with less.most talented may get away with less.

Sheer Sheer amountamount of practice less important of practice less important than than qualityquality. Best when motivated by . Best when motivated by keenness (not whip-cracking) and keenness (not whip-cracking) and directed toward specific goals.directed toward specific goals.

Need to self-monitor performance to Need to self-monitor performance to diagnose weaknesses and thus focus diagnose weaknesses and thus focus future practice.future practice.

Consistency of timetable, with emphasis Consistency of timetable, with emphasis on mornings & early afternoons best. on mornings & early afternoons best. Important not to miss rest/sleep.Important not to miss rest/sleep.

MONITORING PRACTICE (from Williamon & Valentine, 2000)

ROLE OF TEACHERSROLE OF TEACHERS Specialist teaching does enhance knowledge of Specialist teaching does enhance knowledge of

formal aspects of music.formal aspects of music. Ages 5-9 critical (earliest time at which verbal Ages 5-9 critical (earliest time at which verbal

instruction possible).instruction possible). Formal training promotes competence but Formal training promotes competence but

creative genius may follow separate path (may creative genius may follow separate path (may even benefit from absence of rules).even benefit from absence of rules).

Difficult to separate maturation & experience Difficult to separate maturation & experience from contribution of teacher (esp. in singing).from contribution of teacher (esp. in singing).

Cause & effect problem – talented people find Cause & effect problem – talented people find way to reputable teachers, further enhancing way to reputable teachers, further enhancing their reputation.their reputation.

ABSOLUTE PITCHABSOLUTE PITCH Rare and mysterious ability – more common in Rare and mysterious ability – more common in

great musicians but not universal (a mixed great musicians but not universal (a mixed blessing).blessing).

Most striking forms appear early in childhood Most striking forms appear early in childhood but can be acquired to a degree.but can be acquired to a degree.

More common in those who started music More common in those who started music training early (<age 4).training early (<age 4).

Sometimes associated with colour-tone Sometimes associated with colour-tone synaesthesia; sometimes just tonal memory.synaesthesia; sometimes just tonal memory.

No evidence that particular keys are suited to No evidence that particular keys are suited to particular emotions (other than major vs minor).particular emotions (other than major vs minor).

MUSIC AND THE BRAINMUSIC AND THE BRAIN Music perception, composition & performance Music perception, composition & performance

depend on pattern processing – hence mainly depend on pattern processing – hence mainly right hemisphere (damage to left hemisphere may right hemisphere (damage to left hemisphere may leave melody and harmony largely unimpaired).leave melody and harmony largely unimpaired).

Lateralization more clear in musically untrained Lateralization more clear in musically untrained people – training adds analytic, linguistic (left people – training adds analytic, linguistic (left hemisphere) processes, so that whole brain is hemisphere) processes, so that whole brain is involved.involved.

Highly developed musical skills are matched by Highly developed musical skills are matched by anatomical changes (e.g. violinists have more anatomical changes (e.g. violinists have more cortex devoted to left-hand finger co-ordination). cortex devoted to left-hand finger co-ordination). Neural plasticity greatest <age 10.Neural plasticity greatest <age 10.

MUSICAL/UNMUSICAL PERFORMANCEMUSICAL/UNMUSICAL PERFORMANCE Musical Instrument Digital Interface Musical Instrument Digital Interface (MIDI) (MIDI)

permits digital coding of performances for permits digital coding of performances for analysis.analysis.

Musical (as against mechanical) Musical (as against mechanical) performance adds performance adds expression expression – emphasis on – emphasis on notes & phrases that build tension and notes & phrases that build tension and anticipation.anticipation.

Involves signals that composer & performer Involves signals that composer & performer know that a note is “wrong” (e.g. a know that a note is “wrong” (e.g. a dissonant chord is pointed up, built or dissonant chord is pointed up, built or repeated before resolution; unexpected repeated before resolution; unexpected sequences are underscored)sequences are underscored)..

Musical expression seldom formally taught – Musical expression seldom formally taught – acquired mostly by intuition and imitation.acquired mostly by intuition and imitation.

PERSONALITY OF PERSONALITY OF MUSICIANSMUSICIANS Musicians more introvert than other Musicians more introvert than other

performers and general population.performers and general population. Introversion is associated with Introversion is associated with

private/imaginative thought, which private/imaginative thought, which promotes creative engagement with the promotes creative engagement with the domain.domain.

Also enables tolerance of long periods of Also enables tolerance of long periods of solitary activity (e.g. practising, solitary activity (e.g. practising, composing).composing).

Variations among types of musicians (e.g. Variations among types of musicians (e.g. pop & jazz more extravert than classical, pop & jazz more extravert than classical, brass players more extravert than strings).brass players more extravert than strings).

CREATIVITY AND CREATIVITY AND MADNESSMADNESS

Many great poets, artists, writers and musicians Many great poets, artists, writers and musicians suffer from mental disorders, including suffer from mental disorders, including Asperger’s/autism, bipolar mood disorder, Asperger’s/autism, bipolar mood disorder, antisocial personality, addiction.antisocial personality, addiction.

About half of great composers suffered significant About half of great composers suffered significant psychopathology.psychopathology.

Depression may provide painful feelings to Depression may provide painful feelings to express (Tchaikovsky). Mania/obsessionality may express (Tchaikovsky). Mania/obsessionality may contribute to creative output (Mozart). Grandiosity contribute to creative output (Mozart). Grandiosity may spill over in works (Wagner, Beethoven). may spill over in works (Wagner, Beethoven).

Danger that genetic engineering and drug Danger that genetic engineering and drug treatments might deprive us of great art?treatments might deprive us of great art?

CREATIVE VS EXECUTIVE CREATIVE VS EXECUTIVE SKILLSSKILLS

Distinction helps resolve inborn/training Distinction helps resolve inborn/training debate and research contradictions.debate and research contradictions.

CreativeCreative (compositional) talent appears (compositional) talent appears more inborn. Benefits from freedom from more inborn. Benefits from freedom from pre-conceptions, internal motivation, pre-conceptions, internal motivation, defiance of defiance of rules.rules.

Executive Executive (performance) skills benefit (performance) skills benefit more from training, hard work, more from training, hard work, encouragement of teachers/parents.encouragement of teachers/parents.

Neither benefits from coercion.Neither benefits from coercion.