An investigation into the effects of structured music workshops with adults with mental handicap

This study investigated the effects of structured group workshops for a population with special needs. Twenty subjects, each with a mild or moderate mental handicap, attended a series of 10 weekly 1-hour music workshops on the structured group playing of a Javanese Gamelan. Twenty subjects formed a non-intervention control group. The experimental hypothesis was that participation in the experimental group would produce significant improvements in musical ability as measured by the Rossi test of musical ability, devised and validated for use in this study. Significant gains in communication skills as measured by the Communication Assessment Profile for Adults with a Mental Handicap (CASP) and self-esteem levels measured by the Khalid semantic differential technique were also postulated. It was also suggested that these gains would be significantly correlated. Results show significant gains in musical ability (instrumental rhythm production: t = 5.67, d.f. = 29, p < 0.01 and simple rhythm production: t = 8.42, d.f. = 29, p < 0.01) and communication skills (t = 4.69, d.f. = 29, p < 0.01). Moreover these results are significantly correlated (r = 0.59, p < 0.05, r = 0.75, p < 0.05, r = 0.56, p < 0.05). A ceiling effect was obtained in the measurement of self-esteem. It is suggested that these gains derive from certain aspects of the musical communicative environment at the workshops. Suggestions for future research involve examining the possible influences on these developments.     

运用中国古典音乐应对胃癌病人的术前焦虑

[目的 ]探讨中国古典音乐治疗胃癌病人术前焦虑的作用。 [方法 ]随机将 60例早期胃癌病人分成实验组和对照组。两组均给予解释、指导、鼓励、安慰等支持性治疗 ,实验组再给予音乐治疗。应用Zung氏焦虑自评量表 (SAS)对两组病人进行评估。 [结果 ]两组病人在支持性治疗前焦虑评分比较无统计学意义 ,而实验组病人在给予音乐治疗后焦虑分值比对照组有统计学意义(P <0 .0 5 )。 [结论 ]中国古典音乐影响人的情绪行为 ,从而引起愉快、舒适的情绪 ,有改善和调整人的大脑皮层的功能     

五音乐曲对精神分裂症脑电活动率的影响

目的 :观察五音乐曲刺激对精神分裂症患者脑电活动产生的影响。方法 :选取 2 0例精神分裂症患者和 10名正常对照 ,分别记录安静时段及聆听五音乐曲时段的脑电图 ,将脑电信号转化为功率数值 ,将 β/α定义为脑电活动率。 结果 :1、正常人与精神分裂症患者的脑电活动率在安静状态差异无显著性 (P >0 0 5 )。在听乐曲时患者的脑电活动率在C3、T3、T4、T5导联中 ,明显高于正常人 (P <0 0 5 )。 2、正常人在安静状态和听乐曲时其左右脑脑电活动率差异无显著性 (P >0 0 5 )。精神分裂症患者在安静状态左右脑脑电活动率在O1、O2及T5、T6导联间差异有显著意义 (P <0 0 5 ) ,并且听乐曲时在P3、P4和C3、C4以及F7、F8导联间差异有显著意义 (P <0 0 5 )。结论 :在五音乐曲的刺激下 ,精神分裂症患者的脑电反应与正常人不同。     

音乐治疗对眼底手术病人焦虑的影响

目的：在于观察经听觉通道输入音乐对眼底手术病人焦虑状态的影响。方法：实验对象为39名择期进行眼底手术的男性病人，他们被随机地分为实验和对照两组，其中实验组19人，对照组20人，在手术过程中通过耳机给患者输入他们自己选定的音乐、观察焦虑（STAI），抑郁（SDS），视觉模拟焦虑（VAS）和脑电（BI）的变化。结果：实验组STAI，SDS，VAS值与对照组比明显降低，病人的焦虑、抑郁情绪有了明显改善，而脑电的变化没有显著性的差异。结论：音乐治疗可降低择期眼底手术男性病人的焦虑、抑郁与视觉模拟焦虑水平。     

高师音乐专业课程设置改革构想

高师音乐专业教学改革关键是课程设置的改革 ,改革的目的是培养具有创新能力的音乐人才。可从课程名称的改革入手 ,对改革后的课程设置进行分类。应加强音乐课程的学法指导和学生能力的培养。     

An ensemble with the chinese pentatonic scale using electroencephalogram from both hemispheres

To listen to brain activity as a piece of music,we previously proposed scale-free brainwave music（SFBM）technology,which translated the scalp electroencephalogram（EEG）into musical notes according to the power law of both the EEG and music.In this study,the methodology was further extended to ensemble music on two channels from the two hemispheres.EEG data from two channels symmetrically located on the left and right hemispheres were translated into MIDI sequences by SFBM,and the EEG parameters modulated the pitch,duration and volume of each note.Then,the two sequences were filtered into an ensemble with two voices：the pentatonic scale（traditional Chinese music）or the heptatonic scale（standard Western music）.We demonstrated differences in harmony between the two scales generated at different sleep stages,with the pentatonic scale being more harmonious.The harmony intervals of this brain ensemble at various sleep stages followed the power law.Compared with the heptatonic scale,it was easier to distinguish the different stages using the pentatonic scale.These results suggested that the hemispheric ensemble can represent brain activity by variations in pitch,tempo and harmony.The ensemble with the pentatonic scale sounds more consonant,and partially reflects the relations of the two hemispheres.This can be used to distinguish the different states of brain activity and provide a new perspective on EEG analysis.     

A cochlear implant user with exceptional musical hearing ability

Abstract

Although the perception of music is generally poor in cochlear implant users, there are a few excellent performers. Objective: The aim of this study was the assessment of different aspects of music perception in one exceptional cochlear implant user. Design: The assessments included pitch direction discrimination, melody and timbre recognition, relative and absolute pitch judgment, and consonance rating of musical notes presented through the sound processor(s). Study sample: An adult cochlear implant user with musical background who lost her hearing postlingually, and five normally-hearing listeners with musical training participated in the study. Results: The CI user discriminated pitch direction for sounds differing by one semitone and recognized melody with nearly 100% accuracy. Her results in timbre recognition were better than average published data for cochlear implant users. Her consonance rating, and relative and absolute pitch perception were comparable to normally-hearing listeners with musical training. Conclusion: The results in this study showed that excellent performance is possible on musical perception tasks including pitch perception using present day cochlear implant technologies. Factors that may explain this user's exceptional performance are short duration of deafness, pre- and post-deafness musical training, and perfect pitch abilities before the onset of deafness.     

Does music perception have an impact on quality of life following cochlear implantation?

Conclusion. Despite the decrease in listening habits, about half of the patients still enjoy music post implantation. Better quality of sound through the implant improves music enjoyment and contributes to achievement of better postoperative quality of life (QOL). Objectives. To evaluate music perception and enjoyment in cochlear implant (CI) users, and to assess their influence on QOL. Materials and methods. Sixty-five post-lingually deaf CI recipients were enrolled in this study. A musical questionnaire evaluated musical background, listening habits, and quality of musical sound through the CI. The validated Glasgow Benefit Inventory (GBI) was used to quantify changes in QOL. Results. Fifty-two patients answered the questionnaires. Listening habits (music enjoyment and hours spent listening to music per week) significantly decreased following implantation when compared with the same parameters before deafness. Nevertheless, 52% of the patients enjoyed music post implantation. The quality of musical sound was rated >50 (0–100 scale) for the adjective pairs ‘like-dislike’, ‘sounds like music-doesn't sound like music’ and ‘natural-mechanical’ by most users. Med-el device users obtained better scores in the adjective pair ‘sounds like music-doesn't sound like music’ than Cochlear device users. Recipients rating higher scores for quality of sound enjoyed music post implantation and had higher total GBI scores than those rating lower scores.