Grow your own tuning device!

[ed440 at mindspring.com]

Our concern here is tuning pianos, not winning the Van Cliburn Competition.
Much of Goldberg's work has to do with demonstrating that new brain cells are created when we learn new skills in both the mature and elderly brain, not just the young.
In particular, people who are studying tuning, and finding it difficult, should know that it will get considerably easier if they keep at it.  Exactly the best way to go about this is a matter of some debate.  ;-)
Ed Sutton

-----Original Message-----
>From: Alan Barnard <tune4u at earthlink.net>
>Sent: May 22, 2006 1:22 PM
>To: "ed440 at mindspring.com, Pianotech List" <pianotech at ptg.org>
>Subject: RE: Grow your own tuning device!
>
>Yes, this is interesting stuff. But the sad finding is that MOST of the
>growth and benefit occurs only if begun at a very early age. Hence the
>twelve-year-old virtuosos who started at age 4 or 5, whereas someone who
>only gets interested in an insturment at, say, age 25, can study and
>practice for the rest of his/her life and have no prayer whatsoever of ever
>becoming a concert musician.
>
>Moral for parents: Introduce music EARLY, if there is any interest and
>demonstrated ability help them persist in practicing, etc.
>
>Alan Barnard
>Salem, Missouri
>
>
>> [Original Message]
>> From: <ed440 at mindspring.com>
>> To: <pianotech at ptg.org>; <ExamPrep at ptg.org>
>> Date: 05/22/2006 8:53:56 AM
>> Subject: Grow your own tuning device!
>>
>> Neuropsychologist Elkhonon Goldberg devotes a chapter of his recent book
>_The Wisdom Paradox_ to experimental evidence that the brain grows new
>nerve tissue when we learn special skills.
>>
>> "The next study compares the size of a cortical area known as the
>Heschl's gyrus in professional musicians and nonmusicians... This cortical
>area is critical for sound processing.  And guess what - the Heschl's gyrus
>is twice as large in musicians as in nonmusicians.  Furthermore, the
>greater the intensity of practicing music in the last ten years, the
>greater the size of the Heschl's gyrus.  Again, the relatinship between
>cognitive activation and specific brain regions is apparent and striking."
>>
>>
>> Ed Sutton
>
>