Sound, Music and the Brain: Tools to Enhance Communication, Learning and Behavior
Contact information: Kathy Arquette [email protected] 503.302.7869
Lin Bauer [email protected] 503.507.3515
Additional information/resources:
Dr. Alfred Tomatis (1920-2001) was a French Ear, Nose and Throat specialist. Dr. Tomatis discovered that listening problems are the root cause of may learning problems. His research led to knowledge auditory processing and its relationship to learning, behavior and communication. When our ears cannot hear certain frequencies, our voice does not contain them either. He discovered that the muscles of the middle ear, which are the gatekeepers to the brain for air conducted sound, can be strengthened and retrained. Sounds that enter the brain via bone conduction go directly into the inner ear, which makes focusing very difficult. Dr. Tomatis created a machine called the Electronic Ear to help this process. One of his books that has been translated into English is called The Conscious Ear which explains his discoveries. One of his students, Paul Madaule, wrote a book called When Listening Comes Alive telling his own story of his early learning struggles, and how Dr. Tomatis helped him overcome them. He runs a Tomatis based Listening Centre in Canada.
Advanced Brain Technologies (www.advancedbrain.com) has done much follow up research and continues to offer music and sound technologies for a variety of purposes.
Joshua Leeds is a sound healer who has worked with Advanced Brain, as well as on his own. His books include: The Healing Power of Sound.
Don Campbell has written extensively on the transformational power of sound, music, toning and listening. His 18 books include: The Mozart Effect and The Mozart Effect for Children. He has also put together musical CDs and has designed music for hospitals and care facilities.
Jeff Strong (www.stronginstitute.com) uses entrainment to create drumming for specific purposes. He has worked extensively with children and adults with various disabilities, and creates custom CDs of drumming to address areas of need. His website offers free downloads of drumming for specific purposes, and he has CD sets, including the Brain Shift Collection, and 8 CD set. He uses rigorous scientific testing and clinical trials for all his work, called Rhythmic Entrainment Intervention, where he is founder and director of REI Institute.
Janalea Hoffman, (www.rhythmicmedicine.com) has created many CDs of therapeutic music using nature instruments and specific rhythms.
The Monroe Institute (www.hemi-sync.com ) also has extensive research and many CDs available using the binaural beat.
Dr. Oliver Sacks, neurologist and author of many books including Awakenings which was made into a widely viewed film, and Musicophilia (stories of music and the brain). A more recent film relating to music and the brain is called The Music Never Stopped. If you get the DVD, it includes an interview with Dr. Sacks at the end that is well worth watching too. Here is a YouTube clip of a man in a nursing home being enlivened by listening to music from his era, and also includes commentary Dr. Sacks. It is about 6 minutes long, and well worth seeing: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NKDXuCE7LeQ
For audio clips of the music we played short clips of:
Classical Twinkle:
http://www.rhythmicmedicine.com/products_music_for_children.htm then click on “hear a sound clip” to hear Classical Twinkle
Musical Biofeedback 2:
http://www.amazon.com/Musical-Biofeedback-II/dp/B0035QGTGK#mp3TrackPlayer then go to center of page and click on MP3 Song Samples to hear Musical Biofeedback II
Musical Acupuncture:
http://www.rhythmicmedicine.com/products.htm , then click “hear a sound clip” to hear Musical Acupuncture
Points of Light (via Amazon) by Boris Mourashkin
http://www.amazon.com/gp/recsradio/radio/B000001OQ5/ref=pd_krex_listen_dp_img/177-6728822- 7252518?ie=UTF8&refTagSuffix=dp_img I have sometimes been able to access sound clips, and sometimes it tells me there are no sound clips for this album.
Advanced Brain: Sound Health series: Inspiration http://www.advancedbrain.com/soundheath/sound-health.html There are 8 CDs in this series. Scroll down until you get to the one you want to listen to.
Additional brain information websites: www.braingym.org www.kidshealth.org