1.1.

2015

MusicalCreativityandtheBrain|TheCreativityPost

HOME

ABOUT

CONTACT

EVENTS

CONVERSATIONS

ARCHIVES

SEARCH

Quality content on creativity, innovation and imagination

Arts

PopCulture

Science

Tech

Philosophy

Psychology

Business

Education

Activism

Create!

Musical Creativity and the Brain

Monica LopezGonzalez, Ph.D.

ByMonicaLopezGonzalez,Ph.D.|Oct02,2012

MnicaLpezGonzlez,Ph.D.,Co
FounderandArtisticDirectorofLa
PetiteNoiseuseProductions,isa
CognitiveScientist,Consultant,
Educator,Entrepreneur,
MultidisciplinaryArtist,...

Like

283

16

21

SUBSCRIBE
Email
RSS

MORE

Synopsis
Brainimagingstudiesrevealtheneuralunderpinningsofspontaneous
musicalcreativity.Improvisationactivatesbrainareasassociatedwith
languageandsensorimotorskillsanddeactivatesareasatrestduring
dreamingandmeditation.

Editor'sNote:ThisarticlewascoauthoredwithCharlesJ.LimbM.D.Youcanlearn
moreaboutDr.Limbhere.

MOST POPULAR

LATEST ENTRIES

Creativity Emerges When You ChangeUp the Routine

DECEMBER09,2014

Simplicity, Free Time and Creativity

DECEMBER12,2014

Whileworkingwithyoungjazzsoloists,MilesDavisoncesaid,Playwhatyouhear,

Why Every Workplace Needs Introverts

notwhatyouknow.Practice,experience,andsheertalenttaughtDavisthata

DECEMBER15,2014

personallyandsociallysatisfyinggigoccurswhentheideasenteringthemusicians
imaginationaredevelopedthroughsoloimprovisationsinsteadofignoredinfavorof

Daydreaming and Mental Contrasting for

Goal-Fulfillment with Gabriele Oettingen

practicedpatterns.[1]Simplyput,noonewantstopayforandhearacontrived

DECEMBER08,2014

performance.Boththefascinationwehavewiththeartofinthemomentcreationand
thevalueweplaceonitcontinuetoflourish.Contemporaryartistsasvariedaspianist
KeithJarrett,vocalistBobbyMcFerrin,andrapperEminemmaketheirlivingoffof
improvisingandregularlypackconcertvenues.
Whichbringsustothemainquestionsunderlyingboththeoreticalandempiricalwork
oncreativity:Whatisit,andhowdoweaccomplishit?Theliteratureoncreativityand
itsrelatedtopicsintuition,expertknowledge,problemsolving,achievement,and

The Science of Growing Smarter with

Annie Murphy Paul
DECEMBER05,2014

Talking Mastery and Social Intelligence

with Author Robert Greene
DECEMBER10,2014

Apathetic, Uncooperative Coals Wont

Burn
DECEMBER11,2014

casestudiesofexceptionalaccomplishmentsisvast,withperspectivescomingfrom
fieldsasdiverseasphilosophy,psychology,cognitivescience,musicology,andart
history.[215]Butresearchoncreativity,particularlyfromthepsychological
perspective,canbeconsideredayoungscience,havingprogressedonlyafter
prominentAmericanpsychologistJ.P.Guilfordmadeapleaforitsempiricalstudy
http://www.creativitypost.com/arts/musical_creativity_and_the_brain

Get Connected
RSSFeed

Twitter

1/11

1.1.2015

MusicalCreativityandtheBrain|TheCreativityPost

duringhis1950presidentialaddresstotheAmericanPsychologicalAssociation.[3]

Facebook

Despitethelateradventofbrainimagingtechniquesinthe1990s,theneuroscience
ofcreativitybegantoharborinterestandtopickuppaceonlyveryrecently.
Anyempiricalworkonthetopic,however,requiresaclearoperationaldefinition.The
generalconsensusisthatasaprominentcharacteristicofhumanintelligence,
creativityisafundamentalactivityofhumaninformationprocessing.[12]Aprimary
differencebetweenourbrainsandthoseofotheranimalsisourcapacitytoengagein
cognitiveabilitiessuchasreasoning,representation,association,workingmemory,
andselfreflection.Duringanycreativeact,fromlanguageproductiontomarketing
techniquessellingthelatestiPhone,ideasorpastexperiencesarecombinedinnovel

Facebook
Empfehlungen
Anmelden

MeldedichbeiFacebookan,umdirdie
EmpfehlungendeinerFreunde

anzusehen.
TheUnfinishedMasterpiece?
4Personenempfehlendas.
StandardizedAchievementTests:WhatAre
TheyGoodFor?Hint:NotCognitiveAbility.
13Personenempfehlendas.

andsignificantwaysviatheinteractionofsuchcognitivecapacities.Thecreative
cognitionapproachisthecurrentmodeldominatingtheneuroscientificstudyof
creativethinking.Accordingtothisapproach,creativityisfarfromamagicaleventof

SozialesPluginvonFacebook

unexpectedrandominspiration.Instead,itisamentaloccurrencethatresultsfromthe
applicationofordinarycognitiveprocesses.[16]

Twitter

Humansappeartohaveapropensityformakingcomplexnewthingsthatarenot
explicitlynecessaryforbiologicalsurvivalorreproduction.Incomparisontootherarts,
suchasdesign,photography,andsculpture,however,theuniversalabilitiesof

Archive
December,2014

21

mostfundamentalofhumansociocognitivedevelopment.Infact,researchershave

November,2014

17

arguedformusicsroleinevolutionarybiology.[1719]ScholarEllenDissanayake

October,2014

16

September,2014

22

musicalcreationandprocessingaregenerallyacceptedassomeoftheoldestand

hasfurtherclaimedfromanethnologicalstancethatthecreationandappreciationof
artmoregenerallyareadvancedadaptivebehaviorsthatarekeytosocialsurvival.
[2022]
CreativityandPrefrontalCortexFunction
Asummaryofbrainstructureandfunctionrevealstheimportanceoftheprefrontal
cortex(PFC)tocreativethinking.Thebrainisfunctionallydividedintothefrontallobe
andthreeposteriorcorticesknownastheoccipital,theparietal,andthetemporal
(OPT).NeuronsintheOPTcorticesaredevotedtoperceptionandlongtermmemory.
Primarysensorycorticesofallsensemodalities,suchasvisual,motor,
somatosensory,andauditory,arelocatedintheOPTcortices,respectively.Each
sensorycortexhasanassociationcortexthatfurthergathersandincorporates
sensoryinformationfromitsrespectiveprimarycortex.

CourtesyofMnicaLpezGonzlezandCharlesJ.Limb

http://www.creativitypost.com/arts/musical_creativity_and_the_brain

2/11

1.1.2015

MusicalCreativityandtheBrain|TheCreativityPost

Unliketheothercortices,thefrontallobeneitherreceivesdirectsensoryinputnor
storeslongtermmemory.Thefrontallobeistheseatofexecutivefunctionandis
essentialtoourabilitytoplan,tomakedecisions,toformjudgments,toassessrisk,
andtoformulateinsight.ThePFC,whichoccupieshalfthefrontallobe,integrates
alreadyhighlyprocessedinformationtoenableevenhighercognitivefunctionssuch
asselfconstruct,[23]complexsocialfunction,[24]planning,[25]andintentional
action,[26]amongothers.Researchhasfurthershownthatworkingmemory,[27]
temporalintegration,[28]andsustainedanddirectedattention[29]arekeycognitive
functionsthatprovidetheunderlyingframeworktocomputeevenhighercognitive
functionsbecausetheyactasbuffers,simultaneouslymaintaininginthemoment
informationinconsciousnessandorderingitinspacetimeasassociationsproceed.
[30]
AsneuroscientistAntonioDamasiosuggests,aworkingmemorybufferiscriticalfor
creativethinkingbecauseitallowsfortheretentionofrelevantknowledgewhile
problemsolving[31]withoutit,thebackandforthreworkingofassociationsand
consequentnovelsolutionidentificationwouldbeimpossiblefeats,asisthecasein
monkeysandhumanswithPFClesions.[32]ThePFCisfurtherdivisibleintotwo
functionallydistinctparts:theventromedial(VMPFC),whichisconnectedtothe
amygdalaandthecingulatecortexinthelimbicsystemandisimplicatedinemotional
evaluation,[24]andthedorsolateral(DLPFC),whichreceivesinputfromtheoccipital,
parietal,andtemporalregionsandsendsdirectoutputtothemotorcortices.Heretoo,
Damasionotestheimportanceofthesefunctionaldistinctionsandsuggeststhatthe
PFCsabilitytoevaluateappropriatenessiscriticaltotheproblemsolverasshe
determineshowcreativehersolutionreallyis.[31]
TypesofCreativeProcessesandTheirUnderlyingBrainMechanisms
Ifwearetounderstandtheunderlyingmechanismsofcreativeproduction,whatis
importantisnotsomuchthecontextforwhichtheresultwasproduced,butratherthe
hypothesisthatcreativethinkingcanleadtodifferenttypesofinventionsand
disparateprocesses.InlinewithpsychologistRonaldFinkesfindingsthatmental
imagescanbegeneratedintentionallyorspontaneouslyduringtheproblemsolving
process,[11]oneofthemoreinterestingproposalscirculatingisneurocognitive
scientistArneDietrichsclaimthateitheroftheseproblemsolvingmodescanoccur
withinanemotionalorcognitivecontext.Moreover,creativebehaviorisultimatelythe
resultofacombinationofthefourpsychologicalprocessesdescribedbelow.[14]
Deliberatecognitive:Thisprocessinvolvesinventivenessthatcomesfromsustained
workinadiscipline.Take,forexample,EadweardMuybridge,theBritish
photographerwhoexperimentedforyearswithmultiplecamerasandprecisiontiming.
Eventually,hecreatedastringofnegativesprovingthatallofahorseshoovesare
indeedairborneatacertainpointduringatrot.ThePFCinducesthistypeofcreativity
byallowingforfocusedattentionandconnectionstoinformationstoredandperceived
inotherpartsofthebrain.Muybridgerevolutionizedthefieldofanimallocomotionby
systematicallyusinghisknowledgeofcameramechanicsinnovelwaysand
serendipitouslyuncoveringthephysicsbehindmotionpictures.
Deliberateemotional:RememberwhenyouweregivenaWheresWaldo?bookand
toldtolookfortheguywithglasses,aredandwhitestripedshirt,andamatching
hat?Afteraseeminglyendlesssearch,Aha!youfoundhimandsmiledwith
satisfaction.Deliberateemotionalcreativityreferstotheexperienceofsuchanaha
moment,typicallyassociatedwithapositiveemotion.Aswithdeliberatecognitive
creativity,theVMPFCsattentionalnetworkisinvolved.However,insteadof
http://www.creativitypost.com/arts/musical_creativity_and_the_brain

3/11

1.1.2015

MusicalCreativityandtheBrain|TheCreativityPost

connectingdirectlytoperceptualandlongtermmemoryareas,attentionalresources
aredirectedtoemotionalstructuresinthelimbicsystem.Studieshaverecentlyshown
thattheahamomentispreciselycorrelatedwithsignificantactivityintheamygdala,
[33]astructureknownforitsroleinemotionallearning.[34]Sonexttimeyoulookfor
Waldo,youllrememberhowpleasantitfelttofindhiminthepast,andthatwillkeep
youmotivatedtocontinuesearching.
Spontaneouscognitive:Otherwiseknownastheeurekamoment,thistypeof
creativitytypicallyoccurssuddenlywhenonehaslefttheproblemsolvingcontextand
directedattentiontoacompletelydifferenttask.Here,thedopaminerichbasal
gangliaofthebrain,involvedintheexecutionofautomaticbehaviors,[35]operate
outsideconsciousawareness.Searchinginvainfornovelsolutionsforcesyouintoa
mentalgridlock.Untiltheproblemistemporarilyremovedfromconsciousawareness,
newperspectivescannotbegained.[11]Asyouperformanunrelatedactivity,the
PFCconnectsinformationinnovelwaysviaunconsciousmentalprocessing.
Spontaneousemotional:Usuallyreferredtoasanepiphany,thistypeofcreativity
occurswhenneuralactivityintheamygdalaisspontaneouslyrepresentedinworking
memory.Giventhebiologicalsignificanceofemotionalevents,thesetypesof
momentstendtobeintense.Whilenoapparentknowledgeisnecessary,specific
skillsmayberequiredfortheseinsightstocometofruition.
WhatDoWeKnowAboutSpontaneousMusicalCreativityintheMind/Brain?
Brainimagingstudiesinmusiccognitionhavefocusedprimarilyontheneurobiology
ofmusicprocessingandtheperceptionofemotion.[36]Untilrecently,researchers
neglectedthepsychologicalandneuroscientificstudyoftheprocessofmusical
compositioninbothlongitudinalcasestudiesofmusicalscoringandstudiesof
instantaneous,realtimecreation.In2007,researchersbegantoexplorespontaneous
improvisedmusicalmaterialasitisgenerated,perceived,andcommunicatedamong
musicians.
Fromthejazzartistsperspective,improvisationreferstothedynamicmomentat
whichtheartistemploysimmediatedecisionmakingasnewideasareconceivedof
andthenintegratedintotheeverevolvingmusicaloutput.[1]Inregardstocognitive
processes,improvisationcanthusbedefinedasthespontaneousgeneration,
selection,andexecutionofnovelauditorymotorsequences.Sincemusiciansmust
generateapotentiallyinfinitenumberofcontextuallymeaningfulmusicalphrasesby
combiningafinitesetofnotesandrhythms,researchersconsidermusical
improvisationanoptimalwaytostudytheneuralunderpinningsofspontaneous
creativeartisticinvention.Whilethestudyofrealtimemusicalimprovisationhasbeen
madeeasierwiththeuseofcustombuilt,nonferromagneticpianokeyboards,noise
cancelingmicrophones,electrostaticheadphones,andcontemporaryfunctional
magneticresonanceimaging(fMRI)techniques,experimentingwithsuchahallmark
ofartisticcreationisnoeasytask.Theconductorsofmusicexperimentsmustfindjust
therightbalanceofexperimentalcontrolandecologicalvalidity.
Sofar,researchersatthreelaboratorieshavespecificallyexaminedhighly
constrainedsimplemelodicimprovisationsbyclassicallytrainedpianists.[3739]Their
investigationshavefoundthatthegenerationofmusicalstructuresimplicatesthe
sensorimotorandclassicperisylvianlanguagecortices(WernickesandBrocas
semanticandsyntacticprocessingareas),andthePFC,inparticulartheDLPFC.
Askingthesameneurocognitivequestionofwhatdistinguishesimprovisatoryfrom
memorizedbehavior,researchersCharlesLimbandAllenBraunexplored
improvisationwithprofessionaljazzpianists.[40]Insteadofimprovisingover
http://www.creativitypost.com/arts/musical_creativity_and_the_brain

4/11

1.1.2015

MusicalCreativityandtheBrain|TheCreativityPost

predeterminedmelodieswithafixednumberofnotes,participantseitherfreely
improvisedtotheauditoryaccompanimentofaprerecordedjazzquartetor
reproducedmemorizedjazzsequences.Improvisation,incomparisontothe
productionofoverlearnedmaterial,wascharacterizedbywidespreadactivationin
sensorimotorandlanguageareas.Furthermore,activityobservedinthePFCincluded
bothdeactivationoftheDLPFCandlateralorbital(LOFC)regionsandfocalactivation
ofthemedialprefrontalcortex(MPFC).Incomparisontothemoremusically
constrainedgenerationstudies,thisstudyrevealsastateoffreeflowingcomplex
musicalideasthatmayresultfromthecombinationofinternallygeneratedself
expression(viatheMPFC)andattenuationofactivityintheDLPFC.Thisobservation
isadditionallyintriguinggiventhatalteredstatesofmindsuchasdreaming,
meditation,andhypnosishaveproducedsuchturningoffofexecutivefunctioning.
[41]
Wehaveallmostlikelyexperiencedmomentsofintensefocusedconcentrationata
taskfollowedbyapleasurableaftereffect.PsychologistMihalyCskszentmihyliand
colleaguesproposedanddevelopedthetheoreticalconstructofaflowstate,
commonlyreferredtoasbeinginthezone,todescribepreciselythatoptimal
experiencethatoccursduringahighlymotivatedcreative(butnotnecessarilyartistic)
act.[7,42]Researchershavemadeapplicationsandcorrelationsnotonlytomusic
performance,[43]butalsotoathleticcompetition.[44]Researchinvestigating
possiblelinksbetweenmusicalcreativityandCskszentmihylisconceptofflow,
however,aresparseinregardstobehavioraldata,exceptforastudyonlongterm
groupcomposition,[45]andlackinginneuroimagingdata,withtheexceptionofLimb
andBraunsstudy.[40]
Ifonecharacteristicofagenerativecreativeandartisticactisastateofflow,then
musicalgenresotherthanjazzoughtnotonlytobeassociatedwithgeneralized
heightenedactivityinallsensorymodalities,butalsotoexhibitanequivalentmental
state.AswiththeLimbandBraunstudy,[40]MnicaLpezGonzlezand
colleaguessoughttoidentifytheneuralsubstratesunderlyingthespontaneous
generationofrhymingsequencesinhiphopperformance.[46]Freestylerapping,like
jazz,involvestherapid,realtimegenerationoflyricstotheaccompanimentofa
rhythmicbeat.DuringLpezGonzlezsstudy,usingasimilarmethodologytothatof
LimbandBraun,professionalfreestylerappersperformedtorhythmicaccompaniment
astheyeitherspontaneouslyimprovisedlyricsorrecitedaprememorizednovelrap.
Inlinewiththeothergenerationstudies,improvisation,comparedtonongenerative
recitation,revealedheightenedactivityinthesuperiorMPFC,classicallanguage
areas,sensorimotorcortices,andthecerebellum.Deactivationwasobservedin
LOFCregions.Insum,theDLPFCandmultiplesensoryandlanguageareasappear
tobeassociatedwiththeencodingandconsequentimplementationofnovelauditory
motorsequencesgermanetotheactofspontaneousmusicalimprovisation.
PerceptionofImprovisedMaterial
Analternativetoinvestigatingwhatoccursinthebrainduringrealtimegenerationof
novelmaterialisresearchingitsperception.Arelistenersofjazzimprovisation
capableofevaluatingoffhandsuchspontaneouslyimprovisedmaterial?Evaluationof
improvisedmaterialcanbeimportantforaesthetics,enjoyment,andeconomic
purposesentirejazzcompetitionsandfestivalsdependonthiscapacityof
experiencedjudgesandinexperienced,eagerlisteners.
Thesinglestudythathasbeendonetodatemadethreeobservationsaftertesting
musicallytrainedlistenersattemptingtodifferentiatebetweenimprovisedand
rehearsedjazzpianosolos.[47]First,judgmentratingsrevealedthatexperienced
http://www.creativitypost.com/arts/musical_creativity_and_the_brain

5/11

1.1.2015

MusicalCreativityandtheBrain|TheCreativityPost

jazzmusiciansarerelativelyaccurateatclassifyingperformancesasimprovisations
insteadofrehearsedimitations.Second,fMRIdatarevealedcorrelationsbetween
listeningtoimprovisationsandincreasedactivityintheamygdala,astructureinthe
limbicsystemalsoimplicatedintheprocessingofbehavioraluncertainty.[48]Third,
fMRIdataalsorevealedthatactivityinthepreSMA,superiorfrontalgyrus,rostral
cingulatecortexzone,Brocasarea,andmotorrelatedareas(e.g.,thecerebellum,
primarymotorarea,andprecentralgyrus)wasstrongerwhenpeoplelistenedto
melodiesjudgedasimprovisedthanwhentheylistenedtothosejudgedasimitated.
Thesedatarevealanapparentcorticaloverlapbetweentrainedmusicianslisteningto
novelimprovisatorymaterialandthosecreatingit.[3740,46]
Theseobservationsprovidestrongevidencethatmusiciansarefarfrompassive
listeners.Givenpersonalexperiencewiththeartforminquestion,theyengagein
actionsimulation.Theextenttowhichthesefindingsaregeneralizableto
nonmusiciansremainstobedetermined.However,giventheamygdalassensitivityto
cuesinmusicaluncertaintyintheperformersbehavior,researcherscanhypothesize
thatevennonmusiciansappreciateperformancefluctuationssuchasthetiming
betweenkeystrokesandtheforceappliedtoeachkeystroke,bothprominentauditory
featuresforidentifyingmusicalspontaneity.[49]Perhapswitnessingfirsthandthose
unfoldingmomentsofcreationmakesgoingtoalivejazzperformanceorsearching
forthatoneclassicalLPrecordingsorewarding.
CommunicationofImprovisedMaterial
Jazzperformanceisnottypicallyasoloventure.Providedthatitisaninteractivelive
musicaldiscourseamongmultipleperformers,twointriguingquestionsarise.First,is
thismusicalconversationmanifestedneurologically,givensharedcognitivenetworks
betweenmusicandlanguageprocessing?[50,51]Second,giventheinteractive
natureofthetask,isastatesuchasCskszentmihylisflowpossible?
InanfMRIstudyatJohnsHopkins,GabrielDonnayandcolleaguesexploredatypical
jazzimprovisationconventionknownastradingfours,wherebytwoormoremusicians
alternatesolosoffourmeasurephrasesforarbitrarylengthsoftime.[52]Results
revealedthatimprovisationduringthetradingfourstaskwasassociatedwith
activationinWernickesandBrocasareas,sensorimotorareas,andthelateralPFC
anddeactivationinthemedialfrontalPFC.WithonlyasingleexistingfMRIstudy
exploringtheperceptionofinterlocutorsduringnaturallanguagediscourse,[53]this
studyaddstothenascentresearchhypothesizingthatconversation,linguisticor
musical,involvesacomplexnetworkofbrainregionsthatincludesthePFC,
perisylvianlanguagecortices,andsensorimotorareas.Additionally,giventhememory
demandsfortheexpectedmelodicandrhythmicconsistencywithinatrading
foursimprovisatorytask,completeenteringintothezonemaynotbeanapplicable
optioninsuchacontext.Thesehypotheses,ofcourse,arebutthebeginningsteps
alongthislineofinquiry.
TheFutureoftheNeuroscienceofArtisticCreativity
Theempiricalstudyofartisticcreativitypavesthewayforbothabetterandamore
appreciativeunderstandingofthepsychologicalandneuralprocessesunderlyinga
fundamentalaspectofhumancognition.Althoughrecentscientificworkhasnotyet
takenfulladvantageofitsinterdisciplinarypotential,researchershaveimplementeda
conceptualframework,andcognitiveneuropsychologistsareslowlybeginningto
breakthisoptimalhumanexperienceintoitsconstituentparts.Itisclearevenfromthe
minimalstudiesavailablewithinmusicalcreativitythatcreativitycanneitherbe
localizedtoasingleareainthebrainnorboxedintoasingleprocessphenomenon.

http://www.creativitypost.com/arts/musical_creativity_and_the_brain

6/11

1.1.2015

MusicalCreativityandtheBrain|TheCreativityPost

Althoughresearchersareonlybeginningtouncovertheneuralsubstratesof
spontaneousinvention,nomentionhasbeenmadeabouthowcreativebehavior
interactswithaestheticjudgmentoremotion.Givenhumansconstantevaluationsof
theresultsofcreativethinkingandtheeffectsithasonourconsequentbehaviors,itis
reasonabletoassumethatstudyingtheeffectsofemotionduringcreationmaybe
anotherpiecetothepuzzleofwhat,how,andwhywecreate.Afterall,ageneral
socialassumptionisthatemotionguidesmuchofartisticcreation.Thisisyetanother
empiricalquestion.
Finally,evenwithinthefewactiveyearsofresearchoncreativitytherehasbeenan
obviousbiastowardstudyingmusicalcreativity.Butmusicisnottheonlyartformthat
engagescreativethinkingandstatesofflow,provokesemotionalresponses,has
aestheticvalueandsocioculturalsignificance,andiswidelyproduced.Themost
immediatechallengeforthefieldistobridgeintovisualandotherperformingartsin
ordertoformulateamoregeneralizabletheoryonartisticcreativity.
ThisarticleoriginallyappearedinCerebrum.
Featuredimage:NickWhite/Taxi/GettyImages
_________________
References
1.Berliner,P.F.(1994).Thinkinginjazz:Theinfiniteartofimprovisation.Chicago
andLondon:TheUniversityofChicagoPress.
2.Bergson,H.L.(1911).Matterandmemory(N.M.Paul&W.S.Palmer,Trans.).
London:GeorgeAllenandUnwin.
3.Guilford,J.P.(1950).Creativity.PaperpresentedattheAmericanPsychological
Association,PennsylvaniaStateCollege.
4.Guilford,J.P.(1956).Thestructureofintellect.PsychologicalBulletin,53(4),267
293.
5.Guilford,J.P.(1957).Creativeabilitiesinthearts.PsychologicalReview,64(2),
110118.
6.Bunge,M.(1962).Intuitionandscience.EnglewoodCliffs,NewJersey:Prentice
Hall,Inc.
7.Cskszentmihyli,M.(1975).Beyondboredomandanxiety:Experiencingflowand
inworkandplay.SanFrancisco:JosseyBass.
8.Bastick,T.(1982).Intuition:Howwethinkandact.Chichester,England:JohnWiley
andSons,Inc.
9.Richardson,C.P.(1983).Creativityresearchinmusiceducation:Areview.Council
forResearchinMusicEducation,74(83),121.
10.Gardner,H.(1993).Creatingminds:Ananatomyofcreativityseenthoughthe
livesofFreud,Einstein,Picasso,Stravinsky,Eliot,Graham,andGandhi.NewYork:
BasicBooks.
11.Finke,R.A.(1996).Imagery,creativity,andemergentstructure.Consciousness
andCognition,5,381393.
http://www.creativitypost.com/arts/musical_creativity_and_the_brain

7/11

1.1.2015

MusicalCreativityandtheBrain|TheCreativityPost

12.Boden,M.A.(1998).Creativityandartificialintelligence.ArtificialIntelligence,
103,347356.
13.Simonton,D.K.(2000).Cognitive,personal,developmental,andsocialaspects.
AmericanPsychologist,55(1),151158.
14.Dietrich,A.(2004).Thecognitiveneuroscienceofcreativity.PsychonomicBulletin
andReview,11(6),10111026.
15.Pressing,J.(1988).Improvisation:Methodsandmodels.InJ.Sloboda(Ed.),
Generativeprocessesinmusic:Thepsychologyofperformance,improvisation,and
composition.Oxford:ClarendonPress.
16.Smith,S.M.,Ward,T.B.,&Finke,R.A.(Eds.).(1995).Thecreativecognition
approach.Cambridge,MA:TheMITPress.
17.Peretz,I.(2001).Thebiologicalfoundationsofmusic.InE.Dupoux(Ed.),
Language,brain,andcognitivedevelopment:EssaysinhonorofJacquesMehler.
Cambridge,MA:TheMITPress.
18.Koelsch,S.,&Siebel,W.A.(2005).Towardaneuralbasisofmusicperception.
TrendsinCognitiveSciences,9(12),578584.
19.Thaut,M.H.(2009).Themusicalbrain:Anartfulbiologicalnecessity.Karger
Gazette:MusicandMedicine,70,24.
20.Dissanayake,E.(1974).Ahypothesisoftheevolutionofartfromplay.Leonardo,
7,211217.
21.Dissanayake,E.(2009).Theartificationhypothesisanditsrelevancetocognitive
science,evolutionaryaesthetics,andneuroaesthetics.CognitiveSemiotics,5,148
173.
22.Dissanayake,E.(2011).Inthebeginning,evolutioncreatedreligionandthearts.
TheEvolutionaryReview:Art,Science,Culture,2,6481.
23.Vogeley,K.,Kurthen,M.,Falkai,P.,&Maier,W.(1999).Essentialfunctionsofthe
humanselfmodelareimplementedintheprefrontalcortex.Consciousness&
Cognition,8,343363.
24.Damasio,A.R.(1994).Descarteserror:Emotion,reason,andthehumanbrain.
NewYork:Putnam.
25.Shallice,T.,&Burgess,W.(1991).Deficitsinstrategyapplicationfollowingfrontal
lobedamageinman.Brain,114,727741.
26.Frith,C.D.,&Dolan,R.(1996).Theroleoftheprefrontalcortexinhigher
cognitivefunctions.CognitiveBrainResearch,5,175181.
27.Baddeley,A.(1996).Exploringthecentralexecutive.QuarterlyJournalof
ExperimentalPsychology,49(A),528.
28.Fuster,J.M.(1995).Temporalprocessing:Structureandfunctionofthehuman
prefrontalcortex.AnnalsoftheNewYorkAcademyofSciences,769,173181.
29.Posner,M.(1994).Attention:Themechanismofconsciousness.Proceedingsof
theNationalAcademyofSciences,USA,91,73987403.

http://www.creativitypost.com/arts/musical_creativity_and_the_brain

8/11

1.1.2015

MusicalCreativityandtheBrain|TheCreativityPost

30.Dehaene,S.,&Naccache,L.(2001).Towardacognitivescienceof
consciousness:Basicevidenceandaworkspaceframework.Cognition,79,137.
31.Damasio,A.R.(2001).Somenotesonbrain,imaginationandcreativity.InK.H.
Pfenninger&V.R.Shubik(Eds.),TheOriginsofCreativityOxford:OxfordUniversity
Press.
32.Lhermitte,F.(1983).Utilizationbehaviouranditsrelationtolesionsofthefrontal
lobes.Brain,106,237255.
33.Ludmer,R.,Dudai,Y.,&Rubin,N.(2011).Uncoveringcamouflage:Amygdala
activationpredictslongtermmemoryofinducedperceptualinsight.Neuron,69,1002
1014.
34.Hamann,S.B.,Ely,T.D.,Grafton,S.T.,&Kilts,C.D.(1999).Amygdalaactivity
relatedtoenhancedmemoryforpleasantandaversivestimuli.NatureNeuroscience,
2,289293.
35.Ashby,G.F.,Isen,A.M.,&Turken,A.U.(1999).Aneuropsychologicaltheoryof
positiveaffectanditsinfluenceoncognition.PsychologicalReview,106,529550.
36.Peretz,I.,&Zatorre,R.J.(2005).Brainorganizationformusicprocessing.Annual
ReviewofPsychology,56,89114.
37.Bengtsson,S.L.,Cskszentmihyli,M.,&Ulln,F.(2007).Corticalregions
involvedinthegenerationofmusicalstructuresduringimprovisationinpianists.
JournalofCognitiveNeuroscience,19(5),830842.
38.Berkowitz,A.L.,&Ansari,D.(2008).Generationofnovelmotorsequences:The
neuralcorrelatesofmusicalimprovisation.NeuroImage,41,535543.
39.deManzano,.,&Ulln,F.(2011).Goalindependentmechanismsforfree
responsegeneration:Creativeandpseudorandomshareneuralsubstrates.
NeuroImage,59,772780.
40.Limb,C.J.,&Braun,A.R.(2008).Neuralsubstratesofspontaneousmusic
performance:AnfMRIstudyofjazzimprovisation.PLoSONE,3(2),29.
41.Dietrich,A.(2002).Functionalneuroanatomyofalteredstatesofconsciousness:
Thetransienthypofrontalityhypothesis.ConsciousnessandCognition,12,231256.
42.Cskszentmihyli,M.,&Cskszentmihyli,I.S.(Eds.).(1988).Optimalexperience:
Psychologicalstudiesofflowinconsciousness.Cambridge:CambridgeUniversity
Press.
43.deManzano,.,Theorell,T.,Harmat,L.,&Ulln,F.(2010).The
psychophysiologyofflowduringpianoplaying.Emotion,10(3),301311.
44.Young,J.A.,&Pain,M.D.(1999).Thezone:Evidenceofauniversal
phenomenonforathletesacrosssports.AthleticInsight:TheOnlineJournalofSport
Psychology,1(3),2130.
45.MacDonald,R.,Byrne,C.,&Carlton,L.(2006).Creativityandflowinmusical
composition:Anempiricalinvestigation.PsychologyofMusic,34(3),292306.
46.LpezGonzlez,M.,Sachs,M.,Jiradevjong,P.,&Limb,C.J.(inprep).Neural
correlatesofimprovisationinfreestylerapping.
http://www.creativitypost.com/arts/musical_creativity_and_the_brain

9/11

1.1.2015

MusicalCreativityandtheBrain|TheCreativityPost

47.Engel,A.,&Keller,P.E.(2011).Theperceptionofmusicalspontaneityin
improvisedandimitatedjazzperformances.FrontiersinPsychology,2(83),113.
48.Singer,T.,Critchley,H.D.,&Preuschoff,K.(2009).Acommonroleofinsulain
feelings,empathyanduncertainty.TrendsinCognitiveSciences,13,334340.
49.Keller,P.E.,Weber,A.,&Engel,A.(2011).Practicemakestooperfect:
Fluctuationsinloudnessindicatespontaneityinmusicalimprovisation.Music
Perception,29(1),109114.
50.Koelsch,S.,Gunter,T.C.,vonCramon,D.Y.,Zysset,S.,Lohmann,G.,&
Friederici,A.D.(2002).Bachspeaks:Acorticallanguagenetworkservesthe
processingofmusic.NeuroImage,17,956966.
51.Brown,S.,Martinez,M.J.,&Parsons,L.M.(2006).Musicandlanguagesideby
sideinthebrain:APETstudyofthegenerationofmelodiesandsentences.European
JournalofNeuroscience,33,27912803.
52.Donnay,G.,Jiradevjong,P.,&Limb,C.J.(inprep).
53.Caplan,R.,&Dapretto,M.(2001).Makingsenseduringconversation:AnfMRI
study.Neuroreport,12(16),36253632.
Tags:brain,improvisation,music,neuroscience,research,science

Recommended for you

December06,2014

June27,2014

June16,2014

June06,2014

TheAIGarden

Writingandthe
CreativeLife:The
MagicofAmbient
Noise

MythandCreativity:
AriadnesThreadanda
PathThroughthe
Labyrinth

InspiringCreativityA
Liberatumshortfilm
presentedbyilly
(Video)

0Comments

TheCreativityPost

Login

Share Favorite

SortbyBest

Startthediscussion

Bethefirsttocomment.

Subscribe

AddDisqustoyoursite

Privacy

Arts PopCulture Science Tech Philosophy Psychology Business Education Activism Create!

SEARCH

http://www.creativitypost.com/arts/musical_creativity_and_the_brain

HOME

TWITTER

ABOUT

FACEBOOK

EVENTS

GOOGLE+

CONTACT

RSS

ARCHIVES

JOINUS

10/11

1.1.2015

MusicalCreativityandtheBrain|TheCreativityPost

2015TheCreativityPost.AllRightsReserved.

http://www.creativitypost.com/arts/musical_creativity_and_the_brain

11/11